University of North Texas Athletics
Mean Green Basketball Super Pit Opener On Wednesday
11/25/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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DENTON, Texas (11/25/08) - The Mean Green basketball team came home victorious in two of its three road contests last week, and welcomes Jackson State to the Super Pit for a Wednesday night tilt. North Texas’ first game of the year at the Super Pit will tip off at 7 p.m.
The Tigers were tabbed to win the Southwestern Athletic Conference in the preseason poll, but are coming off tough road losses to LSU, Texas A&M and Illinois. Jackson State features the SWAC Preseason MVP in Grant Maxey, a junior who is averaging 17.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game for the Tigers so far this season.
What To Watch For
North Texas picked up a pair of road wins at a couple of inhospitable venues last week. One of the toughest places to play in the Missouri Valley Conference, Indiana State was 12-2 at the Hulman Center last year, but NT spoiled the Sycamore home opener with an 80-69 win. Before NT’s win on Thursday, the last non-conference opponent to beat Sam Houston in Bernard Johnson Coliseum was Texas A&M in Dec. of 1998.
Eric Tramiel and Dominique Johnson powered the Mean Green win over Indiana State with 17 point performances and perfect outings from the free-throw line. Tramiel was a flawless 6-of-6 on Sunday, and Johnson hit all nine of his attempts versus ISU, including six in the final 41 seconds.
Always steady from the free throw line, Josh White has taken that to a new level as a sophomore. After shooting 84.8 percent as the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year in 2007-08, White is 18-of-19 from the line this season. White hasn’t missed a free throw since the 5:32 mark of the first half of the season opener against Cameron - a streak of 17 straight makes.
George Odufuwa has been the Mean Green’s muscle in the middle, posting double-figure rebounds in each of NT’s last three outings, including double-double performances against Oklahoma State and Sam Houston State. The Arizona State transfer is averaging 8.8 points and 9.5 rebounds, and has six blocks and six assists through four games.
