University of North Texas Athletics
Photo by: Luke Della
Mean Green Basketball Starts Official Practices
9/24/2019 8:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
DENTON —The North Texas men's basketball team starts official practices on Tuesday ready for year three under head coach Grant McCasland who has led the Mean Green to back-to-back 20-win seasons.
UNT, who in 2018-19 had the best start to program history and finished with a 21-12 overall record — best single-season winning percentage since 2010-11 season — returns nine players from last season but also has added a handful of newcomers who are expected to raise the team's level of play.
"We're excited to get back to work," said redshirt sophomore Umoja Gibson. "We have a talented group and a determined group."
Gibson, the Mean Green's leading scorer from a season ago, averaging 12.6 points per game, set a program and conference freshman record in 2018-19 by making 99 three-pointers on the season.
The 99 three-pointers were overall the second-most in program history behind Roosevelt Smart's 133 he made in 2017-18.
Smart, now a senior, is another key returner to the Mean Green roster that returns 55.2 percent of its scoring from last season. While that might not be a huge percentage, the Mean Green are expecting many of their new players to not just fill in but also elevate.
With the addition of six new players, where the most notable growth on the roster is its literal size.
North Texas was one of the shortest teams in the country last season and also the second shortest in C-USA. Newcomers such as guards Javion Hamlet (6-foot-4)and James Reese (6-foot-4) along with forward Deng Geu (6-foot-8), UNT as a team has grown its average height by almost two inches and should now be one of the taller teams in the league.
The addition of the taller players should only benefit a team that despite their lack of height last season still had one of the nation's top scoring defenses (62.9 ppg) and had one of the best rebounding margins too (+4.6).
North Texas opens the 2019-20 season on Nov. 5 in the Super Pit with a game against Oklahoma Christian. Seven of their 13 non-conference games are at home, including a Dec. 5 bout with Oklahoma in Denton. For season tickets or single-game tickets visit MeanGreenTickets.com
North Texas also travels to Montego Bay, Jamaica, for the Jersey Mike's Jamaica Classic for two games on Nov. 22 and Nov. 24. If you'd like to join the Mean Green in Jamaica visit JamaicaClassic.com for more information.
UNT, who in 2018-19 had the best start to program history and finished with a 21-12 overall record — best single-season winning percentage since 2010-11 season — returns nine players from last season but also has added a handful of newcomers who are expected to raise the team's level of play.
"We're excited to get back to work," said redshirt sophomore Umoja Gibson. "We have a talented group and a determined group."
Gibson, the Mean Green's leading scorer from a season ago, averaging 12.6 points per game, set a program and conference freshman record in 2018-19 by making 99 three-pointers on the season.
The 99 three-pointers were overall the second-most in program history behind Roosevelt Smart's 133 he made in 2017-18.
Smart, now a senior, is another key returner to the Mean Green roster that returns 55.2 percent of its scoring from last season. While that might not be a huge percentage, the Mean Green are expecting many of their new players to not just fill in but also elevate.
With the addition of six new players, where the most notable growth on the roster is its literal size.
North Texas was one of the shortest teams in the country last season and also the second shortest in C-USA. Newcomers such as guards Javion Hamlet (6-foot-4)and James Reese (6-foot-4) along with forward Deng Geu (6-foot-8), UNT as a team has grown its average height by almost two inches and should now be one of the taller teams in the league.
The addition of the taller players should only benefit a team that despite their lack of height last season still had one of the nation's top scoring defenses (62.9 ppg) and had one of the best rebounding margins too (+4.6).
North Texas opens the 2019-20 season on Nov. 5 in the Super Pit with a game against Oklahoma Christian. Seven of their 13 non-conference games are at home, including a Dec. 5 bout with Oklahoma in Denton. For season tickets or single-game tickets visit MeanGreenTickets.com
North Texas also travels to Montego Bay, Jamaica, for the Jersey Mike's Jamaica Classic for two games on Nov. 22 and Nov. 24. If you'd like to join the Mean Green in Jamaica visit JamaicaClassic.com for more information.
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