Saturday, December 7
Denton
3 PM
University of North Texas
vs
Louisiana
Photo by: Rick Yeatts Photography
Louisiana at Mean Green
12/6/2019 1:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
About the Mean Green
UNT returned from the Rainbow Wahine Showdown with a win over host Hawaii Nov. 29 and a pair of respectable showings against Texas and No. 12 NC State. Anisha George was named to the All-Tournament Team after posting 12.3 points per game on 82 percent shooting from the field and averaging seven rebounds. George leads North Texas in scoring and rebounding with 13.1 points and 10.8 rebounds per game while Destinee McDowell is second in both categories with 9.9 and 7.5, respectively.
About the Ragin' Cajuns
Louisiana enters the contest on a five-game win streak capped by a 62-49 win over Xavier (La.) Dec. 2 in Lafayette, a team in which the Mean Green defeated, 68-31, Nov. 20 in Denton. Brandi Williams tops the Ragin' Cajuns in scoring at 16 points per contest, and Ty'Reona Doucet is also in double figures at 12.6 PPG and pulls down a team-high 7.6 boards. Doucet's 56.3 FG shooting leads the Sun Belt, and Louisiana's 3-poing FG percentage defense is first in the league.
History between the squads
The Mean Green hold a slight 18-17 all-time series advantage over the Ragin' Cajuns with the first meeting taking place during the 1983-84 season. They most recently met up three times during the 2012-13 season with North Texas securing a pair of wins during the regular season, but Louisiana took a double overtime victory during the Sun Belt Conference Tournament to end UNT's season.
Battle of the boards
The Mean Green have done a nice job of securing rebounds this season as they rank in the top 25 nationally in several categories: rebounds per game (45.5 RPG, #12), total rebounds (364, #19) and offensive RPG (16.3, #23). UNT is outrebounding their opponents by an average of 5.2 a contest. The 62 rebounds collected in the season opener Nov. 7 against Mid-America Christian ranks as the sixth-highest output in NCAA Division I this season.
Freebies going down
The Hawaiian climate was favorable towards the free throws for North Texas as the team sank 44 of their 59 attempts (74.6 percent) during the three games of the Rainbow Wahine Showdown. The Mean Green did not begin the season at such a clip by only converting 46-of-89 (51.7 percent) throughout the first five contests. Destinee McDowell has been almost a sure bet at the line by knocking down over 82 percent of her tries.
Three-point woes
Through eight games, the Mean Green have encountered shooting trouble from beyond the arc by connecting on just 19 percent of their attempts, ranking them 345 of the 348 teams in NCAA Division I. In 2018-19, the squad concluded the season at 30.4 percent while knocking down 5.1 per game compared to 3.6 this season.
By George!
Post Anisha George, the team's lone senior, is off to a hot start and already has recorded four double-doubles, the fifth-highest total in the country. The St. Croix, Virgin Islands, native is averaging 13.1 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. Her 26 rebounds in the season opener against Mid-America Christian is still the single-game high by a player nationally this year – three higher than the next closest total. George is ranked 12th nationally averaging 6.0 offensive rebounds per game.
D-Mac attack
Forward Destinee McDowell (Fort Worth, Texas) is showing remarkable consistency through the beginning of her college career. The 5-foot-11 forward scored 14 points and pulled down nine rebounds in each of her first two college games, while also nabbing a game-high five steals in a win over Alcorn State. McDowell is averaging 9.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game – second on the team behind George in both categories. She is also averaging 2.4 steals per game and nabbed eight takeaways in a win over Xavier (La.) Nov. 20 for the second-highest total in Mean Green history. She had her first career double-double in the loss to CSU Bakersfield with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
UNT versus top 25
The final opponent for North Texas at the Rainbow Wahine Showdown, No. 12 NC State, was the latest top 25 team to face the Mean Green in program history. Following the 76-65 UNT loss Dec. 1, the Mean Green are 1-18 all-time against the top 25 teams, with that one win coming over No. 17 Oklahoma in 2015 – Jalie Mitchell's first win as a college head coach.
Jackson leading team in minutes
As one member of UNT's heralded freshman class, point guard Jazion Jackson (Dallas) has been a staple on the floor for the Mean Green. She is averaging a team-high 28.3 minutes per game and is also the team leader in assists (2.8 per game) and is in fourth in rebounds per game (4.1). Jackson scored a game-high 12 points in the loss to CSU Bakersfield Nov. 12.
Put it on lockdown
Jalie Mitchell's teams have always been regarded for their defense, and that won't change this season. What will change is the pace at which the Mean Green play. Showing more pressure defense than in past seasons, thanks to a change in philosophy and some new assistant coaches. In the Nov. 11 win over Alcorn State, UNT's defense set a program record as it allowed just 31 points to the Lady Braves. The Mean Green then tied the mark Nov. 20 with the win over Xavier (La.). The previous low in a game was when UNT allowed 33 points in a win at New Orleans on Jan. 5, 2006. Through five games, the Mean Green are allowing 56.4 points per game.
Going for five
In her fifth season at the helm of her alma mater, head coach Jalie Mitchell, who is UNT's all-time leading scorer, has seen her teams improve their win totals in each of her four past seasons, culminating with last year's 18-win campaign that saw UNT make it to the final of the WBI postseason tournament, collecting the first postseason wins in program history along the way.
Feelin' fresh
The Mean Green will rely on a talented group of freshmen that earned the rating of the best recruiting class in Conference USA during last year's signing period. Point guards N'Yah Boyd (Mesquite, Texas) and Jazion Jackson (Dallas), along with guard Randi Thompson (Plano, Texas) and forward Destinee McDowell (Fort Worth, Texas) will all be significant contributors.
UNT returned from the Rainbow Wahine Showdown with a win over host Hawaii Nov. 29 and a pair of respectable showings against Texas and No. 12 NC State. Anisha George was named to the All-Tournament Team after posting 12.3 points per game on 82 percent shooting from the field and averaging seven rebounds. George leads North Texas in scoring and rebounding with 13.1 points and 10.8 rebounds per game while Destinee McDowell is second in both categories with 9.9 and 7.5, respectively.
About the Ragin' Cajuns
Louisiana enters the contest on a five-game win streak capped by a 62-49 win over Xavier (La.) Dec. 2 in Lafayette, a team in which the Mean Green defeated, 68-31, Nov. 20 in Denton. Brandi Williams tops the Ragin' Cajuns in scoring at 16 points per contest, and Ty'Reona Doucet is also in double figures at 12.6 PPG and pulls down a team-high 7.6 boards. Doucet's 56.3 FG shooting leads the Sun Belt, and Louisiana's 3-poing FG percentage defense is first in the league.
History between the squads
The Mean Green hold a slight 18-17 all-time series advantage over the Ragin' Cajuns with the first meeting taking place during the 1983-84 season. They most recently met up three times during the 2012-13 season with North Texas securing a pair of wins during the regular season, but Louisiana took a double overtime victory during the Sun Belt Conference Tournament to end UNT's season.
Battle of the boards
The Mean Green have done a nice job of securing rebounds this season as they rank in the top 25 nationally in several categories: rebounds per game (45.5 RPG, #12), total rebounds (364, #19) and offensive RPG (16.3, #23). UNT is outrebounding their opponents by an average of 5.2 a contest. The 62 rebounds collected in the season opener Nov. 7 against Mid-America Christian ranks as the sixth-highest output in NCAA Division I this season.
Freebies going down
The Hawaiian climate was favorable towards the free throws for North Texas as the team sank 44 of their 59 attempts (74.6 percent) during the three games of the Rainbow Wahine Showdown. The Mean Green did not begin the season at such a clip by only converting 46-of-89 (51.7 percent) throughout the first five contests. Destinee McDowell has been almost a sure bet at the line by knocking down over 82 percent of her tries.
Three-point woes
Through eight games, the Mean Green have encountered shooting trouble from beyond the arc by connecting on just 19 percent of their attempts, ranking them 345 of the 348 teams in NCAA Division I. In 2018-19, the squad concluded the season at 30.4 percent while knocking down 5.1 per game compared to 3.6 this season.
By George!
Post Anisha George, the team's lone senior, is off to a hot start and already has recorded four double-doubles, the fifth-highest total in the country. The St. Croix, Virgin Islands, native is averaging 13.1 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. Her 26 rebounds in the season opener against Mid-America Christian is still the single-game high by a player nationally this year – three higher than the next closest total. George is ranked 12th nationally averaging 6.0 offensive rebounds per game.
D-Mac attack
Forward Destinee McDowell (Fort Worth, Texas) is showing remarkable consistency through the beginning of her college career. The 5-foot-11 forward scored 14 points and pulled down nine rebounds in each of her first two college games, while also nabbing a game-high five steals in a win over Alcorn State. McDowell is averaging 9.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game – second on the team behind George in both categories. She is also averaging 2.4 steals per game and nabbed eight takeaways in a win over Xavier (La.) Nov. 20 for the second-highest total in Mean Green history. She had her first career double-double in the loss to CSU Bakersfield with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
UNT versus top 25
The final opponent for North Texas at the Rainbow Wahine Showdown, No. 12 NC State, was the latest top 25 team to face the Mean Green in program history. Following the 76-65 UNT loss Dec. 1, the Mean Green are 1-18 all-time against the top 25 teams, with that one win coming over No. 17 Oklahoma in 2015 – Jalie Mitchell's first win as a college head coach.
Jackson leading team in minutes
As one member of UNT's heralded freshman class, point guard Jazion Jackson (Dallas) has been a staple on the floor for the Mean Green. She is averaging a team-high 28.3 minutes per game and is also the team leader in assists (2.8 per game) and is in fourth in rebounds per game (4.1). Jackson scored a game-high 12 points in the loss to CSU Bakersfield Nov. 12.
Put it on lockdown
Jalie Mitchell's teams have always been regarded for their defense, and that won't change this season. What will change is the pace at which the Mean Green play. Showing more pressure defense than in past seasons, thanks to a change in philosophy and some new assistant coaches. In the Nov. 11 win over Alcorn State, UNT's defense set a program record as it allowed just 31 points to the Lady Braves. The Mean Green then tied the mark Nov. 20 with the win over Xavier (La.). The previous low in a game was when UNT allowed 33 points in a win at New Orleans on Jan. 5, 2006. Through five games, the Mean Green are allowing 56.4 points per game.
Going for five
In her fifth season at the helm of her alma mater, head coach Jalie Mitchell, who is UNT's all-time leading scorer, has seen her teams improve their win totals in each of her four past seasons, culminating with last year's 18-win campaign that saw UNT make it to the final of the WBI postseason tournament, collecting the first postseason wins in program history along the way.
Feelin' fresh
The Mean Green will rely on a talented group of freshmen that earned the rating of the best recruiting class in Conference USA during last year's signing period. Point guards N'Yah Boyd (Mesquite, Texas) and Jazion Jackson (Dallas), along with guard Randi Thompson (Plano, Texas) and forward Destinee McDowell (Fort Worth, Texas) will all be significant contributors.
Players Mentioned
Point Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Post
/ Women's Basketball
Point Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
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