North Texas Mean Green edge Florida Atlantic Owls in close NCAAM matchup

The Mean Green hold on at home against the visiting Owls in a defensive battle.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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In a close college basketball matchup between the North Texas Mean Green and the Florida Atlantic Owls, the home team North Texas edged out the visiting Owls 69-68. The game was a defensive struggle, with both teams struggling to score efficiently. North Texas was able to force turnovers and get to the free throw line more often, which proved to be the difference in the narrow victory.

Why it matters

This game was an important conference matchup between two teams fighting for position in the American Athletic Conference standings. The win keeps North Texas in the hunt, while Florida Atlantic missed an opportunity to gain ground. The defensive-minded nature of the game also highlighted the contrasting styles of the two teams, with North Texas relying on its stifling defense to overcome Florida Atlantic's more efficient offense.

The details

North Texas was able to force turnovers on 22% of Florida Atlantic's possessions, turning those into key points in the close game. However, Florida Atlantic shot the ball more efficiently, with a 52.2% effective field goal percentage compared to just 45.9% for North Texas. The game came down to free throws, as North Texas attempted 39.9 free throws per 100 possessions compared to 45.0 for Florida Atlantic.

  • The game was played on Sunday, February 22, 2026.

The players

Devin Vanterpool

A key scorer for Florida Atlantic who needed to create offense against North Texas' pressure defense.

Kanaan Carlyle

The second scoring option for Florida Atlantic who had to step up to keep the Owls' offense afloat.

Devin Williams

The rim-protecting center for Florida Atlantic who had to battle North Texas' interior defense.

Je'Shawn Stevenson

North Texas' primary scoring threat who had to lead the offense against Florida Atlantic's defense.

David Terrell Jr.

A key complementary scorer for North Texas who had to create open shots to support Stevenson.

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What they’re saying

“We knew it was going to be a grinder of a game, but our defense stepped up when we needed it most to get the win.”

— Je'Shawn Stevenson, North Texas Forward (draftkings.com)

“We had our chances, but North Texas' pressure just wore us down in the end. We'll learn from this and come back stronger next time.”

— Devin Vanterpool, Florida Atlantic Guard (draftkings.com)

What’s next

North Texas will look to build on this win as they continue their conference schedule, while Florida Atlantic will try to rebound in their next game.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the contrasting styles of the two teams, with North Texas' stifling defense just barely outpacing Florida Atlantic's more efficient offense. The outcome underscores the importance of winning the turnover battle and getting to the free throw line in close, low-scoring affairs.