North Texas set the stage for a thrilling sendoff for its senior class on Saturday only to have one of the Sun Belt Conference’s powers spoil the party.

Arkansas-Little Rock rolled into its game against the Mean Green having already clinched the Sun Belt West Division title and added one more win to its resume by making just enough key plays late to pull out a 57-52 overtime win over UNT at the Super Pit.

Anshel Cooper put the Trojans (22-5, 14-2) up for good with a jumper at the 2:08 mark of the extra session, and UALR salted the game away in the closing minutes of what might have been the final home game for five UNT seniors.

Denton Record-Chronicle/Gary Payne

North Texas guard Tricia Lee, right, and Arkansas-Little Rock guard Shanika Butler struggle for a loose ball on Saturday at the Super Pit.

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“It is a good sign for us to be taking a team like this to the wire, but I am tired of moral victories,” UNT head coach Shanice Stephens said. “We have to take what we did well in this game, build on it and get a win at Arkansas State.”

UNT (10-17, 6-10) came into the night hoping to continue a late-season surge that would ensure the Mean Green of hosting a first-round game in the conference tournament. UNT will have to secure a spot among the top eight teams in the overall Sun Belt standings to grab a home game.

UNT’s hopes took a hit with its loss to UALR, but the Mean Green is still holding out hope of doing what it will take late in the season to have its five seniors play one last game at the Super Pit. UNT honored those seniors, including the school’s all-time leader in rebounds Amber Jackson, before the game.

UNT kept its hopes alive of winning its final regular season home game before going cold from the field in overtime. Jackson scored UNT’s only points from the field in overtime on a jumper that tied the score at 49-49 at the 3:15 mark.

The Mean Green managed just three free throws the rest of the way.

“We beat ourselves tonight,” Hall said. “We had them on the ropes, but turned the ball over too much.”

UNT committed 26 turnovers on the night, but still had a shot late in overtime after Asriel Rolfe hit a free throw to put UALR up 54-50 with 49 seconds left. Junior guard Brittney James answered with a pair of free throws with 36 seconds left.

Shanika Butler extended UALR’s lead to 55-52 with 20 seconds left, which left UNT an opportunity to tie the game with a 3-pointer. Freshman Mansa El missed a deep 3-pointer with 7.6 seconds remaining, sealing UNT’s fate.

UNT wouldn’t have had the opportunity to extend the game if it hadn’t been for Hall, who scored 17 points and hit a runner in the lane on the Mean Green’s final possession of regulation to force overtime.

Anshel Cooper had a shot to win the game for UALR, but her jumper from the baseline popped out after it appeared as if it might drop for the game-winner.

“We went to Jo,” Stephens said. “She started hitting some shots, so we were calling plays for her. She just settled too much late in the game instead of getting to the rim.”

UNT led by as many as seven points in the first half before settling for a 31-27 edge at the break.

Hall scored 13 points in the first half and was nearly perfect offensively, going 6-of-7 from the field. Hall hit a free throw to put UNT up 29-22 before UALR scored five straight and appeared to be headed into halftime on a roll.

UNT answered when senior guard Tricia Lee hit a runner in the lane at the buzzer. The Mean Green shot 66.7 percent from the field in the first half.

That solid first half put UNT in position to win a game that would have increased its chances of returning to the Super Pit for a conference tournament game. UNT was unable to capitalize on that opportunity, but is still holding out hope that it can secure a home game in its last two outings of the season.

“I feel like we will be back here at the Super Pit in the conference tournament,” Jackson said. “We will get these next two.”

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com.

Arkansas-Little Rock 57, North Texas 52 (OT)

ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK (22-5, 14-2) – Reed 9-16 1-2 19, Cooper 7-17 0-3 14, Kursh 1-5 2-4 4, Rolfe 1-7 3-4 6, Sitzmann 4-12 3-3 13, Butler 0-2 1-2 1, Haywood 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 22-61 10-18 57.

NORTH TEXAS (10-17, 6-10) – Jackson 7-14 2-4 16, Lee 3-9 0-0 6, Hall 8-11 1-4 17, Buckley 0-0 1-2 1, Escalera 2-4 1-2 5, Thompson 0-0 0-0 0, James 1-5 2-2 5, El 0-3 2-2 2, Timms 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-46 9-16 52.

Halftime – UNT 31-27. 3-point goals – UALR 3-10 (Rolfe 1-4, Sitzmann 2-6) UNT 1-5 (Lee 0-1, James 1-2, El 0-2). Fouled out – Hall. Rebounds – UALR 32 (Reed 11), UNT 42 (Jackson 14). Assists – UALR 10 (Sitzmann 5), UNT 8 (Escalera, James, El 2). Total fouls – UALR 17, UNT 19. A – 2,128.