Mean Green Men Looking For Revenge Versus Denver

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DENTON, Texas (2/14/08) - The Mean Green will be looking for a measure of revenge against Sun Belt West Division leader Denver on Thursday. The Pioneers snapped a three-game win streak earlier this year, and dealt North Texas its first conference loss of the year.

In the last outing versus Denver, North Texas dropped its Sun Belt opener to the Pioneers 63-59 at Magness Arena on Dec. 22. Ben Bell and Collin Dennis combined for nine late NT points, but Denver connected 10-of-12 free throws in the final two minutes to ice the game. Denver shot 60 percent from the floor as David Kummer led five DU players in double figures with 14 points.

Despite leading the Sun Belt West division, Denver is looking for its true first road win since March 5, 2006, when DU won at Middle Tennessee. The streak is now at 26 games. The Pioneers have won twice outside of Denver this season with neutral court wins over East Central and Morgan State.

The series between North Texas and Denver is tied at eight games apiece. DU took the last outing earlier this season, but the Mean Green won both meetings last year as well as four of the last six.

The game is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. CST, and can be heard on the Mean Green Radio Network.

What To Watch For

North Texas knocked down 25-of-28 (89.3 percent) free throws against UALR, which is the program’s best outing from the stripe since it hit 90.9 percent versus South Alabama in Feb. of 2005. NT is shooting 73.2 percent from the stripe this year, which ranks third in Mean Green history.

North Texas’ 1-5 Sun Belt road record is deceiving at first glance. Four of those five losses have been by five points or less, and four of them including the nine point loss at Middle Tennessee were two point games in the final minute.

Ben Bell racked up a game-high 22-points at UALR, but his team-high five assists - to just one turnover - is where the senior has elevated his game in 2007-08. Bell ranks eighth in the Sun Belt with 3.2 assists per game, while holding the sixth-best assist to turnover ratio at 1.52.

North Texas has seen a vast reduction in turnovers lately. The Mean Green has committed 14 or less turnovers in five of its last six games, including a season low eight versus Western Kentucky.

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Ben Bell

Collin Dennis

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