University of North Texas Athletics
Co-MVPs Highlight The 2010 North Texas Basketball Banquet
4/1/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The sold-out affair was hosted by local sports personality and Mean Green play-by-play man George Dunham, and featured dignitaries from around the university community as well as NT coaches and players.
Head coach Johnny Jones celebrated a second Sun Belt title and NCAA Tournament berth by honoring a pair of seniors, Eric Tramiel and Antwone Matlock, as well as four student-athletes that earned academic honors; George Odufuwa, Collin Mangrum, Ben Knox and Tristan Thompson.
Most Improved Player honors went to Odufuwa, who elevated his game onto the national stage in 2010. The junior was one of just 21 players in the NCAA to average a double-double, and his 10.7 rebounds per game led the Sun Belt by two boards.
Shannon Shorter developed a reputation as NT's shutdown defender, and was a natural choice for Defensive MVP. The Mean Green was 17-5 with Shorter in the starting lineup in 2010, including the 11-game win streak which ranked as the nation's third longest. He often drew the toughest defensive assignments, and was a key to NT's mid-season surge towards the Sun Belt crown.
A school and Sun Belt record four Mean Green players were selected to the league's all-conference teams, and the contributions of each powered the program's run to the NCAA Tournament. That made Jones' decision on a team MVP an easy one. Josh White, Tramiel, Thompson and Odufuwa would all share Most Valuable Player honors, a first in Jones' nine seasons at NT.
On the women's side head coach Shanice Stephens honored two departing seniors in Brittney James and Torrian Timms. James took home the Most Valuable Player award as well. Jasmine Godbolt, the Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year, took the team award as well as Freshman of the Year. Tamara Torru won the Defensive MVP award while the Newcomer of the Year went to Denetra Kellum.
