University of North Texas Athletics
Mean Green Begins Final Road Swing At Arkansas State
2/26/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
JONESBORO, Ark. (2/24/09) It took triple overtime to decide the last meeting between North Texas and Arkansas State in January at the Super Pit. Now with two games left before the Sun Belt Tournament, the Mean Green puts its 4-1 record at the Convocation Center on the line versus the Red Wolves. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. (CST) and can be heard on the Mean Green Radio Network.
North Texas has won the last five meetings against the Red Wolves, who have gone 2-9 since facing the Mean Green last month. Last time vs. ASU, the Mean Green and the Red Wolves faced off in the longest game ever played at The Super Pit. NT snapped a five-game losing streak with a thrilling 86-83 triple-overtime victory.
After the Mean Green struggled the entire night with free throws (19-of-35), Josh White sank the biggest two of the night with 10 seconds remaining in triple overtime to give North Texas the cushion they needed. Tristan Thompson had a team-high 24 points, including 8-of-9 at the free throw line.
What To Watch For
The Mean Green ranks second only to UTEP nationally in free throws made, and only Chattanooga has attempted more this year. NT has knocked down 539 freebies this year, which already ranks seventh in school history, and its 71.2 percent clip is sixth.
Last time vs. ASU, the Mean Green and the Red Wolves faced off in the longest game ever played at The Super Pit. NT snapped a five-game losing streak with a thrilling 86-83 triple-overtime victory.
On March 4, North Texas will host a Sun Belt Tournament First-Round game for a third straight season. If the current standings hold up, NT will be the only team to host a first-round game every year since the switch to the current tourney format in 2006-07.
Arguably the league’s most versatile player, Tramiel is the Sun Belt’s only newcomer and one of just two players overall to average over 12.0 points per game and have at least 20 assists and 20 blocks. The former First-Team NJCAA All-American is shooting 58.5 percent from the floor in 2008-09, which leads all SBC newcomers and ranks fourth overall in the league.
Arkansas State leads the all-time series 16-14, but North Texas has won the last five meetings and holds a 4-1 edge at the Convocation Center. In January, NT and ASU played a triple overtime thriller at the Super Pit, with the Mean Green winning the longest game in the facility’s history. North Texas took all three games with ASU in 2007-08 by an average of 12.7 points per contest.
