University of North Texas Athletics
Mitchell Center Rematch For Mean Green At South Alabama
2/5/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MOBILE, Ala. (2/5/09) - The Mean Green spoiled South Alabama’s 13 game win streak last year with a 70-68 win at the Super Pit. This year, North Texas is looking to keep itself alive in the race for the Sun Belt West Division with its tilt against the Jaguars on Thursday night. Action from the Mitchell Center begins at 7 p.m. (CST) and can be heard on the Mean Green Radio Network.
What To Watch For
North Texas has not only increased the quantity of its free throws this year, but the quality has risen as well. NT hit 88.9 percent from the stripe against the Hilltoppers, which ranks as the fifth best outing of the Johnny Jones era. The WKU performance caps off a five game stretch in which the Mean Green has hit over 70 percent in each contest.
A rare combination of strength and agility, Eric Tramiel is quietly having one of the most outstanding seasons in school history. If the junior’s averages hold up for the remainder of the year, Tramiel would be just the second player in school history to have a season of over 11 points, six rebounds and 60 percent shooting from the floor.
Last year versus South Alabama, Collin Dennis scored 21 points on his 22nd birthday to lead NT to a 70-68 victory, handing the Jaguars’ their first conference loss. The Mean Green snapped a three-game losing streak, and ended South Alabama’s 13-game win streak. See page 23 for the full box score from that game.
South Alabama leads the all-time series with North Texas 12-4, including a 7-1 in edge in Mobile, Ala. The last two meetings have produced memorable finishes, with NT taking last year’s tilt 70-68 in Denton. South Alabama won the 2006-07 matchup in overtime, 90-89, at the Mitchell Center.
Eric Tramiel had a January to remember, and hopefully the big man can keep it going for another few weeks. Since the turn of the New Year, Tramiel is leading North Texas with 15.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game on 60.5 percent shooting.
