University of North Texas Athletics
Mean Green Looking Forward To 2004-05 Season
8/25/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
DENTON (8/27/04) -- While there are several new faces on the North Texas roster and a number of unknowns entering the 2004-05 season, the Mean Green has an ace in the hole: It is hosting the 2005 Sun Belt Conference Tournament. Not only that, North Texas plays 15 home games this year, its most during a regular season since 1973-74, and the Mean Green has had more than a little success at the Super Pit under head coach Johnny Jones.
In fact, in two of its three years with Jones at the helm, the Mean Green has won its home games at a .750 clip. North Texas went 10-3 at the Super Pit in Jones’ inaugural season, the school’s best results at the Super Pit in 11 seasons, and 9-3 at the Super Pit last year. NT now holds a 22-14 home record over the last three seasons and considering that eight of those 14 losses were by four points or less, the Mean Green could easily be 30-6 over that span.
"I think we have a great schedule for our fans this year, which will feature at least 16 home games including the tournament," said Jones. "We have had great success playing at home the last few years and we look forward to building on that success."
The reasons for optimism don’t stop there. The Mean Green is coming off a third-place finish in the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference, its best in its four-year history as a member of the league, and returns its leading scorer from last season in Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference performer Leonard Hopkins. The Mean Green also returns up and coming sophomore standout Calvin Watson from its starting lineup, seven letterwinners and has brought in five recruits with solid credentials that could make big contributions right away.
"After losing several key players from last year’s squad to graduation, our returning players and highly touted recruiting class have their sights set high and they are ready, willing and able to step into their new roles and take the Mean Green to new heights," said Jones.
The Mean Green has nine combined juniors and seniors and will have alot of depth for the second consecutive year. Last season the Mean Green’s bench outscored the opponent’s bench in 16 of 28 games and that kind of production from its reserves will again be a key in the upcoming season.
With all that in mind, a North Texas team playing well at the end of the season combined with home court advantage in the conference tournament could mean a legitimate shot at the school’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1988.
Entering 2004-05 the guard position looks to be the strength of the team. A senior playmaker, Hopkins leads the group after a breakout campaign last year that saw him average 14 points per game and score at least 19 points in six of NT’s last eight games.
Watson averaged 8.3 points per game and has a dangerous shot, evidence by his team-best .410 three-point field goal percentage. After missing the first 11 games of the season, he played in the final 17 and became the first true freshman to start 13 or more games since the 1999-00 season.
Senior Marqus Mitchell is the final returning guard from last year’s roster and saw action as both a starter and reserve in his first year in a Mean Green uniform.
Very quick and defensive minded, Mitchell recorded 24 steals to tie for the second most on the team. He also showed flashes of what he could do with ball, including a 24-point outburst against Lamar in the second game of the season.
The Mean Green possibly signed its starting point guard for the next two seasons in Molina High School (Dallas, Tex.) product and Collin County Community College transfer Isaac Hines. The TABC Texas Junior College Player of the Year certainly has the credentials to warrant a spot in the starting lineup. He led the Express to a 29-3 record and a No. 2 spot in the final national rankings, earning him Second Team All-America and NTJCAC Player of the Year recognition.
Local star Michael Sturns comes on to the scene in 2004-05 as one of two high school recruits signed by Jones and his staff. Out of North Crowley High School in Fort Worth, Sturns is a highly touted talent that put up 18.3 points per game as a senior and was named First Team All-District, First Team All-Region and Academic All-State. The McDonald’s All-America nominee, ranked as one of the top 10 players in the area at the conclusion of his high school career.
North Texas also signed former Arkansas standout Kendrick Davis, but will have to wait on his services until the 2005-06 season due to NCAA transferring rules. Once he becomes eligible though, he is expected to make a big impact in the Sun Belt Conference.
At the forward position North Texas has four capable players that are good enough to log numerous minutes in any game and will compete with each other for playing time. Among the group are returnees Ron Harris, Ty Thomas and Michael Jones. Harris and Thomas are both juniors, while Jones will be playing out the final season of his collegiate career as a senior.
Harris saw limited playing time last season, but his quickness and soft touch leaves him primed as possibly the biggest candidate on the NT roster for a breakout season. He had his moments last season, including his first career double-double performance.
Thomas played in 25 games last year, earning a starting role in seven of them. Thomas is a versatile player that is a threat both inside and outside, making him a tough defensive assignment. The 6-6 Thomas averaged just 12.8 minutes per game last season, but scored in double figures three times.
If Jones’ performance in the Mean Green’s final game, a double-overtime setback to New Orleans, is a sign of things to come from the former junior college All-American, then he will be a big player for the Mean Green. Jones was clutch in the game, hitting the shots that sent the contest into both overtime periods. Jones finished the game with 10 points, seven rebounds and two steals in an almost season-high 24 minutes. The game was one of six that he scored in double figures.
Quincy Williams, younger brother of Duke standout Shelden Williams, joins Sturns as the Mean Green’s other high school signee. In his senior season at Carl Albert High School in Midwest City, Okla., Williams averaged an impressive 17.6 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game. For his effort, he was named First Team All-Conference and Class 5A All-State by the Daily Oklahoman.
Junior center Justin Barnett, who started the first two games of last season, could very well end up as the Mean Green’s starting center to open the season again this year. Playing behind Third Team All-Sun Belt Conference performer Shawnson Johnson last year, Barnett made the most of his limited playing time. Barnett, the tallest player on the team at 6-10 is an intimidating presence on the court. After fighting injuries each of the last two seasons, how much banging around underneath the basket he can take over the course of an entire season could be the key to his success.
At the same time, Barnett and newcomer Jeffrey Simpson are both capable centers that can give each other ample rest. Simpson, standing 6-8 and weighing 220 pounds, transferred to North Texas from Eastern Oklahoma State College. The Oklahoma native averaged 10.1 points and 5.8 rebounds a game for the Moutaineers last season, helping lead them to the Region XVI championship and a No. 13 ranking in final NJCAA Division I poll with a 28-5 record.
THE SCHEDULE
The Mean Green’s schedule not only presents fans with the opportunity to catch plenty of action in Denton with 15 regular-season home games plus at least one more at the Super Pit during the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, it also features a very exciting road schedule that includes outings at Texas and Alabama as well as North Texas’ first regular-season tournament since it won the Brothers Air and Heat Shootout during the 2002-03 season.
"We again have another demanding and challenging schedule, which includes Texas and Alabama, two teams that will possibly be ranked in the preseason top 10," said Jones. "But as always, we look forward to those challenges."
NT will be hosting its first league tournament since the 1988-89 season when it hosted the Southland Conference Tournament. The Mean Green hosted the SLC Tournament the year prior to 88-’89 as well and won it to qualify for its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
"We’re excited to be the host school for the Sun Belt Conference Tournament," said Jones. "Not only our players, but the University and city of Denton will have an opportunity to showcase their talents as we welcome our conference foes and fans to our great city. Because of our facilities, every team in the conference will be able to participate in this great event."
North Texas will open the 2003-04 season at home against in-state foe Angelo State on Nov. 19 before hitting the road to face Alabama in its second game on Nov. 21. Angelo State and the Longhorns are two of five Texas-based opponents on the schedule, which also includes home tilts against TCU and Lamar and a road game at UT-Pan American. NT will host TCU for the second time in the last three years when the Horned Frogs come to town on Dec. 4.
While the Mean Green’s schedule is largely dominated by home games during the non-conference, it will start its Sun Belt Conference schedule with three consecutive road games starting with New Mexico State on Jan. 8. However, six of NT’s last eight conference games will be played at home.
