University of North Texas Athletics
UNT Preparing For Season With Exhibition Sunday
11/1/2019 1:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
DENTON – As UNT women's head basketball coach Jalie Mitchell enters her fifth season leading her alma mater, she and her team have their sights set on improving on last season when the Mean Green improved their win total for the fourth straight year.
While many faces in the program are still the same, if the Mean Green are going to continue that trend this season, they will rely on several newcomers looking to make their mark.
UNT opens play with an exhibition game against TWU on Sunday at 3 p.m., at The Super Pit before opening the regular season on Nov. 7, when they host Mid-America Christian at 11:30 a.m.
"The first game is always a big deal – exhibition or not, especially for our newcomers," UNT head coach Jalie Mitchell said. "That's why we always do one closed scrimmage and one exhibition to get used to the lights, get used to the crowd, and whatever it is we need to get used to.
"I have high expectations for the newcomers, and I think they've adjusted very well," Mitchell added. "I think they are meeting expectations as far as showing up every day and getting better every day. They compete at a high level every day and I love that about them. I think they'll bring that all year long."
Two of the team's freshmen happen to play perhaps the most important position on the floor, as Mitchell will count on N'Yah Boyd and Jazion Jackson to run the floor as the team's point guards. Junior college transfer Summer Jones will also provide a new outside shooting threat.
After her team last year relied heavily upon the scoring of Terriell Bradley, Mitchell said she was encouraged by the balanced scoring in a closed scrimmage against TCU and with how the team has played in intrasquad scrimmages and practices, as well.
Those new guards will also help push the pace on both ends of the floor, which is a change from past seasons, Mitchell said.
"We'll play faster," Mitchell said. "The pace is definitely different, but I think everything about this team is different. You come in last year knowing you'll depend heavily on Terriell and (post) Anisha (George), and with this team that's still to be determined. I'm hoping we don't have just one or two. I hope we have a lot more balance to what we're able to do offensively."
Redshirt junior forward Madison Townley said the team's five freshmen, as well as Jones, have acclimated themselves quickly. With two new assistant coaches, as well, she said everyone has come together to learn some new philosophies and she believes the team is ready to continue the program's trend of improvement over the last four seasons.
"It hasn't been as difficult as you'd think, with all the freshmen," Townley said. "They came in with open ears and willing to learn. They came in ready to work and it's actually been mind-blowing. They're quick, and we're able to play as quickly as we want to. Not many teams will be able to keep up with how quick we are. They won't be able to run with us."
Sophomore forward Charlene Shepherd, who averaged 5.6 points and 3.6 rebounds as a freshman, said she is looking forward to the new style of play and is anxious to see how far the team can go this year with her sights set on a Conference USA championship.
The Mean Green were picked seventh by the conference's coaches in the preseason poll, but Shepherd said she understands the unknown surrounding the program as well as Bradley's graduation. Still, she is looking forward to surprising teams once conference play begins on Jan. 2, at The Super Pit against Western Kentucky.
"It's preseason, and we have a new team," Shepherd said. "They base that off the team we had last year. If they want to pick us seventh, we'll just have to prove them wrong. We're just excited to play against other people. I see us doing well throughout the season. I think we can win the conference and make it to the NCAA tournament as long as we just play together."
While many faces in the program are still the same, if the Mean Green are going to continue that trend this season, they will rely on several newcomers looking to make their mark.
UNT opens play with an exhibition game against TWU on Sunday at 3 p.m., at The Super Pit before opening the regular season on Nov. 7, when they host Mid-America Christian at 11:30 a.m.
"The first game is always a big deal – exhibition or not, especially for our newcomers," UNT head coach Jalie Mitchell said. "That's why we always do one closed scrimmage and one exhibition to get used to the lights, get used to the crowd, and whatever it is we need to get used to.
"I have high expectations for the newcomers, and I think they've adjusted very well," Mitchell added. "I think they are meeting expectations as far as showing up every day and getting better every day. They compete at a high level every day and I love that about them. I think they'll bring that all year long."
Two of the team's freshmen happen to play perhaps the most important position on the floor, as Mitchell will count on N'Yah Boyd and Jazion Jackson to run the floor as the team's point guards. Junior college transfer Summer Jones will also provide a new outside shooting threat.
After her team last year relied heavily upon the scoring of Terriell Bradley, Mitchell said she was encouraged by the balanced scoring in a closed scrimmage against TCU and with how the team has played in intrasquad scrimmages and practices, as well.
Those new guards will also help push the pace on both ends of the floor, which is a change from past seasons, Mitchell said.
"We'll play faster," Mitchell said. "The pace is definitely different, but I think everything about this team is different. You come in last year knowing you'll depend heavily on Terriell and (post) Anisha (George), and with this team that's still to be determined. I'm hoping we don't have just one or two. I hope we have a lot more balance to what we're able to do offensively."
Redshirt junior forward Madison Townley said the team's five freshmen, as well as Jones, have acclimated themselves quickly. With two new assistant coaches, as well, she said everyone has come together to learn some new philosophies and she believes the team is ready to continue the program's trend of improvement over the last four seasons.
"It hasn't been as difficult as you'd think, with all the freshmen," Townley said. "They came in with open ears and willing to learn. They came in ready to work and it's actually been mind-blowing. They're quick, and we're able to play as quickly as we want to. Not many teams will be able to keep up with how quick we are. They won't be able to run with us."
Sophomore forward Charlene Shepherd, who averaged 5.6 points and 3.6 rebounds as a freshman, said she is looking forward to the new style of play and is anxious to see how far the team can go this year with her sights set on a Conference USA championship.
The Mean Green were picked seventh by the conference's coaches in the preseason poll, but Shepherd said she understands the unknown surrounding the program as well as Bradley's graduation. Still, she is looking forward to surprising teams once conference play begins on Jan. 2, at The Super Pit against Western Kentucky.
"It's preseason, and we have a new team," Shepherd said. "They base that off the team we had last year. If they want to pick us seventh, we'll just have to prove them wrong. We're just excited to play against other people. I see us doing well throughout the season. I think we can win the conference and make it to the NCAA tournament as long as we just play together."
Players Mentioned
Point Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Point Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
Forward
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