WICHITA – Wichita State battled back from down 14 to make it a one-point game in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't enough to overtake the Mean Green in the American Athletic Conference opener Sunday afternoon in Charles Koch Arena.
 
Taylor Jameson hit five threes on her way to a 17-point performance to lead all scoring. Jayla Murray and Salese Blow also finished in double figures for the Shockers with 14 and 10 points, respectively, and Bre'Yon White led Wichita State in rebounding for the seventh time this season with nine. Jameson had a season-high six boards.
 
Desiree Wooten led the Mean Green with 12 points and eight rebounds, and Tommisha Lampkin had a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds.
 
The Shockers shot just 29.2 percent (19-for-65) from the floor and 42.9 percent from the free throw line (9-for-21) but had their best three-point shooting day of the season hitting 9-for-19 (47.4 percent).
 
Wichita State held North Texas to 2-for-17 (.118) from behind the arc, the lowest three-point percentage of a Shocker opponent this season.
 
Averaging just 4.9 three pointers per game coming into the contest, the Shockers opened the game with three in the first five minutes courtesy of Murray (2) and Blow (1). The first quarter saw three lead changes and three ties, and the Shockers led by five before the Mean Green took a four-point lead at the end of the quarter and never again relinquished the lead.
 
The Shockers struggled offensively in the second quarter, shooting just 2-for-14 (.143), while the Mean Green went on a 13-3 run to go into halftime up 14.
 
After halftime, Jameson hit her third three of the afternoon before picking Jaaucklyn Moore's pocket and dishing it to Blow for her to drain another three, cutting the deficit to eight midway through the third quarter. A pair of layups from Jasmine Peaks sparked some momentum for the Shockers in the fourth, Jameson hit her fifth three of the day to make it a one-point game with a little over three minutes remaining.
 
North Texas's Wooten and Tommisha Lampkin didn't let the Shockers gain the lead, scoring seven-straight for the Mean Green and stretching the lead back to 10. Murray made two second-chance layups down the stretch, but it wasn't enough to overtake the Mean Green.
 
The Shockers fall to 6-8 (0-1 AAC), and North Texas improve to 9-4 (1-0 AAC).
 
Wichita State hits the road to take on Memphis on Wednesday, Jan. 1 at 3 p.m.