University of North Texas Athletics
Coach Jones Releases 2009-10 Men's Basketball Schedule
9/8/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Coming off three straight 20-win seasons, North Texas will take on NCAA Tournament First-Round winners Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Western Kentucky, as well as potent squads in Boise State, Rice and UT-Arlington.
Overall, the Mean Green will play 10 games against teams that won at least 18 games in 2008-09.
Click here to see the full schedule.
"We look forward to another exciting season," Jones said. "Our schedule is demanding and challenging. It's one that our players and staff look forward to and welcome. The non-conference portion of our schedule will prepare us for our always tough Sun Belt schedule."
The Sun Belt Conference will be as intriguing as ever, as NT will take on Florida International and new head coach Isiah Thomas twice, including a Dec. 20 showdown at the Super Pit.
The Sun Belt has three teams that have won at least 20 games in each of the last three years, a feat topped by only three other conferences. North Texas takes on the other two 20-win SBC teams in back-to-back January games. The Mean Green hosts South Alabama on Jan. 21 before traveling to Western Kentucky on Jan. 28.
After the season opener against Cameron at the Super Pit on Nov. 13, North Texas heads to cross-town rival UT Arlington to face the Mavericks on Nov. 18 in one of the final seasons for historic Texas Hall.
On Nov. 21, RPI No. 17 Oklahoma State plays host to the Mean Green in what has become a tense rivalry. NT knocked off the Cowboys, who advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year, at the Super Pit, 82-73, in 2007, but OSU returned the favor in '08, 100-88.
North Texas will re-ignite an old Big West Conference rivalry when it faces Boise State for the first time since 2000 on Nov. 28, and makes a swing through south Texas to take on Rice and Texas A&M on Dec. 5 and Dec. 7.
The Mean Green will also face Jackson State, the University of the Southwest, Southeastern Louisiana and Texas Southern in non-conference action at the Super Pit. A Feb. 15 trip to Houston Baptist wraps up non-conference play.
A new format is sure to spice up the Sun Belt Tournament in Hot Springs, Ark. The league is eliminating first-round host sites, and is moving all tourney games to the neutral site from March 6-9. This gives all of the league's fans an opportunity to enjoy Hot Springs and see their team in action at Summit Arena.
