HONOLULU — Jahmiah Simmons and Jorden Duffy scored 13 points apiece to help North Texas beat Hawaii 68-51 on Sunday night.
UNT (4-0) is off to its best start since 1990 despite the fact that junior Roosevelt Smart, who averaged a team-high 19.5 points per game as a sophomore, is yet to play while recovering from a calf strain. Last season, under first-year coach Grant McCasland, the Mean Green had their first 20-win campaign since 2010-11.
Simmons scored nine points during a 12-2 run to open the game and the Mean Green never trailed. Duffy hit a 3-pointer and converted a 3-point play as they scored 11 of the last 13 first-half points to push the lead back into double figures for good and make it 35-17 at the break.
Zigmars Raimo had 14 points, on 6-of-7 shooting, and seven rebounds for Hawaii (2-1). Drew Buggs added 12 points and Jack Purchase scored 10.
The Mean Green made 27 of 55 from the field and scored 26 points off 17 Hawaii turnovers.
The Rainbow Warriors, who came in shooting 39 percent from 3-point range and 46 percent overall, shot 37 percent from the field, including 6 of 24 from behind the arc.
Wahine fall: The UH women are 0-3 for the first time since the 2008-09 season after losing 58-50 at San Diego.
‘Swords are in: As expected, Chaminade women’s volleyball program earned an NCAA playoff berth, its first in 14 years, after beating UH-Hilo in five sets in what was likely a win-and-your-in regular season finale.
The Silverswords are the No. 7 seed in the West Regional in Bellingham, Wash., hosted by the region’s top seed, Western Washington. They will face second-seeded Cal State San Bernardino, the champions of the California Collegiate Athletic Association.