GAME NOTES: Bringing up the rear in the Conference USA standings, the Owls of Florida Atlantic try to put an end to a seven-game slide as they host the North Texas Mean Green at FAU Arena on Thursday night.

Aside from a 76-62 victory against Marshall this time last month, the league slate has been a complete disaster for the Owls, who are a mere 1-11 against the rest of Conference USA. The most recent outing for FAU was a 62-54 setback versus Southern Miss on Valentine's Day.

Meanwhile the Mean Green, who used to compete against FAU when both programs were tied to the Sun Belt Conference, are shooting for their first three-game win streak since opening the 2014-15 campaign with victories over Arkansas- Monticello, Nicholls State and Delaware State. Last weekend, UNT slipped by Middle Tennessee, 57-56, at home to move to 5-7 in conference.

The Mean Green tied a program record versus MTU by coming back from a 21-point deficit for the victory.

North Texas leads the all-time series by a count of 8-3, the Mean Green having won three straight over FAU, which includes a narrow 78-76 decision last season.

North Texas made just seven field goals in the first half against the Blue Raiders, pushing them to a 19-point deficit at the break, but in the second half it was the UNT defense that limited the visitors to only five baskets in order to complete the comeback. Jordan Williams scored 16 points, pulled down five rebounds and logged four steals, while Colin Voss added 10 points and five boards of his own. Jeremy Combs tacked on seven points and a team-best nine rebounds.

As the only player to have started every game for North Texas this season, it only makes sense that Williams is the leading scorer with 15.9 ppg. In fact, Williams is the only one scoring in double figures for the squad, although his 29.3 percent accuracy behind the 3-point line is less than optimal for someone who handles the ball as much as he does. As a group, the Mean Green are just 29.2 percent beyond the arc, the group converting just over four triples per contest.

FAU led by three points early in the first half against the Golden Eagles, but surrendered the lead and never recovered. Marquan Botley tallied a game-best 18 points and handed out four of his team's nine assists, while Solomon Poole tacked on 10 points, but he made good on a mere 4-of-17 from the floor, including 1-of-8 behind the 3-point line. As a unit, the Owls were just 6- of-20 out on the perimeter on the night.

In conference play, Botley leads the offense for FAU with 14.1 ppg, although he is shooting less than 38 percent from the floor. Poole checks in with 12.3 ppg, but he too can't seem to find quality looks at the rim as he converts under 29 percent from the floor. Generating only 61.1 ppg versus the rest of the league, FAU has made less than 39 percent from the floor and is being beaten on the glass by 6.1 rpg.

While neither of these teams is on track to surprise any of the top-tier programs in the conference, the Mean Green have at least shown enough spunk in order to potentially take out FAU on the road.