University of North Texas Athletics
NT Signs All-Conference Forward Patton
9/7/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
DENTON, Texas – North Texas men’s basketball coach Johnny Jones announced the signing of former all-conference Grambling State forward Justin Patton on Wednesday.
Grambling State’s leading scorer and rebounder in 2010-11 with 13.2 points and a SWAC leading 7.1 rebounds per game, Patton (6-7, 200, Bossier, La.) was named Second Team All-SWAC and was a Louisiana Sports Writers Association All-Louisiana Second Team selection.
“We are extremely excited to have him as an addition to the program,” Jones said. “I expect him to be a solid contributor to the team.”
Patton has one year of eligibility remaining, and North Texas will be seeking immediate eligibility status for him from the NCAA.
Patton won two SWAC Player of the Week awards last season and piled up 43 steals and 192 free throw attempts for the Tigers. He scored a season-best 31 points against Mississippi Valley, and had back-to-back outings of 16 and 17 rebounds in conference play.
No stranger to the Super Pit, Patton dropped in a team-high 26 points on 9-of-18 shooting and added 10 boards against the Mean Green in an 89-78 NT win on Dec. 2.
Prior to Grambling, Patton spent two seasons at Southern University-Shreveport after an all-district senior season out of Bossier High School.
Patton joins a North Texas recruiting class already heralded as one of the nation’s best. Hoopscooponline.com rated the Mean Green class No. 31 nationwide prior to the signings of Tony Mitchell (No. 12 nationally in 2010), Roger Franklin (Oklahoma State) and Niko Stojiljkovic (U18 French National Team).
