University of North Texas Athletics
Photo by: Rick Yeatts Photography
Key Stats Ahead Of UNT vs. UAB
12/30/2020 9:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
DENTON — With just two days until North Texas hosts UAB on Friday at 7 p.m. at the Super Pit and begins its conference title defense, get to know some of the key stats for UNT and the Blazers ahead of the Conference USA opener.
Head To Head Record
The Mean Green beat UAB last season in their only meeting 71-64 on Feb. 8 in Birmingham, Alabama. UNT's win over the Blazers last year was its then 10th conference win of the season, making them the first C-USA team to 10 league wins and marking the first time since 2009-10 the Mean Green had won 10 or more conference games in a single season. UNT was in the Sun Belt Conference in 2009-10. In last season's meeting with the Blazers, four Mean Green men's basketball student-athletes scored in double figures but none scored more than 13. Eventual 2020 Conference USA Player of the Year and current UNT senior Javion Hamlet scored 13 points. Fellow returners James Reece and Thomas Bell combined to score 23 points and make five 3-pointers.
North Texas and UAB have only met eight times total and are dead even at four wins a piece. The eight total previous games are the fewest by an active C-USA opponent for UNT. Fourth-year North Texas head coach Grant McCasland is 2-1 all-time versus UAB with both victories coming on the road. First-year UAB head coach Andy Kennedy never faced North Texas in his previous stints at either Ole Miss or Cincinnati.
UNT senior Zachary Simmons is the only active Mean Green men's basketball student-athlete who has played UAB multiple times (3). He's scored 16 career points versus UAB and grabbed 11 career rebounds. He had eight points last year at UAB.
In the four previous meetings at the Super Pit, the average score has been 61-59 in favor of UNT.
The two schools enter Friday averaging a combined 160 points per game this year.
North Texas Stats
The Mean Green have won 15 of their last 16 at the Super Pit and 17 of their last 20. This season, North Texas is averaging 98 points per game at home. Senior James Reese is averaging a team-leading 14.8 points per game at home this year. Junior Mardrez McBride has made 13-of-21 (.619) from deep at home. In total, seven Mean Green men's basketball student-athletes are averaging nine or more points per game at home this year: James Reese (14.8), Javion Hamlet (13.8), Mardrez McBride (12.8), Zachary Simmons (12.0), Terence Lewis II (10.0), Rubin Jones (9.5) and Thomas Bell (9.0).
Last year in conference play (18 games), Javion Hamlet averaged 17.9 points per game and 5.3 assists per game with a 2.7 assist/turnover ratio. James Reese averaged 9.9 points per conference game last year and made almost two 3-pointers per league game.
UNT is shooting 41.3 percent from deep. That ranks first in C-USA and 15th in the nation. UNT shot 37.9 percent from deep last year, which also ranked first in C-USA and was 14th in the nation.
Under fourth-year head coach Grant McCasland, the Mean Green are 30-24 in regular season conference games.
North Texas Milestones
Senior Zachary Simmons has started 50 C-USA regular season games and made 36 straight C-USA regular season starts. His 50 C-USA starts are the most in program history and two more than the next most (48 by Roosevelt Smart 2017-20). Simmons' 36 straight C-USA starts are tied for second-most in program history with J-Mychal Reese (2015-17). Ryan Woolridge (2017-19) 41 straight C-USA starts is the program record.
Senior Zachary Simmons enters Friday's game having played in 108 career games. He's missed just one game in his career (Feb. 22, 2018 at FIU). If he plays Friday it'll be the 82nd straight game he's played for UNT, moving him into a tie with Fred Mitchell (1974-78) for 10th-place for most consecutive games played in program history. Tristan Thompson's (2007-11) 115 straight is the program record.
Most Consecutive Games Played
Tristan Thompson, 115
Josh White, 114
Jesse Ratliff, 114
Kenneth Lyons, 111
Chris Davis, 110
Kenneth Williams, 107
Jordan Williams, 95
Quincy Williams, 94
Ryan Woolridge, 84
Fred Mitchell, 82
Zachary Simmons, 81
Tony Worrell, 81
George Odufuwa, 79
Alzee Williams, 79
Redshirt senior Javion Hamlet enters Friday's game nine assists away from his 200th in his career.
A Look At UAB
UAB is under the direction of its first-year head coach Andy Kennedy who graduated from UAB in 1991 and is the program's second all-time leading scorer (1,787). He most recently served as Ole Miss' head coach from 2006-18 where he won 245 games and captured the SEC Tournament title in 2013 with a 27-9 record. Kennedy led the Rebels to two NCAA Tournament appearances in 2013 and 2015. He was twice named the SEC Coach of the Year. He's the winningest head coach in Ole Miss history.
Last season UAB went 9-9 in conference play, which put them in a tie for seventh-place.
Through eight games this year, UAB's leading scorer is newcomer Michael Ertel (14.5 ppg) who grad transferred to the Blazers from Louisiana Monroe. Four Blazers are averaging double digits this year, including Tavin Lovan (12.1 ppg). Lovan led the team in scoring last year (13.2 ppg).
UAB enters Friday having not played a game since Dec. 19 when it lost 69-66 to Chattanooga at home, its only loss of the year.
Friday will only be UAB's second road game of the year. They won 65-61 at East Tennessee State on Dec. 12.
Head To Head Record
The Mean Green beat UAB last season in their only meeting 71-64 on Feb. 8 in Birmingham, Alabama. UNT's win over the Blazers last year was its then 10th conference win of the season, making them the first C-USA team to 10 league wins and marking the first time since 2009-10 the Mean Green had won 10 or more conference games in a single season. UNT was in the Sun Belt Conference in 2009-10. In last season's meeting with the Blazers, four Mean Green men's basketball student-athletes scored in double figures but none scored more than 13. Eventual 2020 Conference USA Player of the Year and current UNT senior Javion Hamlet scored 13 points. Fellow returners James Reece and Thomas Bell combined to score 23 points and make five 3-pointers.
North Texas and UAB have only met eight times total and are dead even at four wins a piece. The eight total previous games are the fewest by an active C-USA opponent for UNT. Fourth-year North Texas head coach Grant McCasland is 2-1 all-time versus UAB with both victories coming on the road. First-year UAB head coach Andy Kennedy never faced North Texas in his previous stints at either Ole Miss or Cincinnati.
UNT senior Zachary Simmons is the only active Mean Green men's basketball student-athlete who has played UAB multiple times (3). He's scored 16 career points versus UAB and grabbed 11 career rebounds. He had eight points last year at UAB.
In the four previous meetings at the Super Pit, the average score has been 61-59 in favor of UNT.
The two schools enter Friday averaging a combined 160 points per game this year.
North Texas Stats
The Mean Green have won 15 of their last 16 at the Super Pit and 17 of their last 20. This season, North Texas is averaging 98 points per game at home. Senior James Reese is averaging a team-leading 14.8 points per game at home this year. Junior Mardrez McBride has made 13-of-21 (.619) from deep at home. In total, seven Mean Green men's basketball student-athletes are averaging nine or more points per game at home this year: James Reese (14.8), Javion Hamlet (13.8), Mardrez McBride (12.8), Zachary Simmons (12.0), Terence Lewis II (10.0), Rubin Jones (9.5) and Thomas Bell (9.0).
Last year in conference play (18 games), Javion Hamlet averaged 17.9 points per game and 5.3 assists per game with a 2.7 assist/turnover ratio. James Reese averaged 9.9 points per conference game last year and made almost two 3-pointers per league game.
UNT is shooting 41.3 percent from deep. That ranks first in C-USA and 15th in the nation. UNT shot 37.9 percent from deep last year, which also ranked first in C-USA and was 14th in the nation.
Under fourth-year head coach Grant McCasland, the Mean Green are 30-24 in regular season conference games.
North Texas Milestones
Senior Zachary Simmons has started 50 C-USA regular season games and made 36 straight C-USA regular season starts. His 50 C-USA starts are the most in program history and two more than the next most (48 by Roosevelt Smart 2017-20). Simmons' 36 straight C-USA starts are tied for second-most in program history with J-Mychal Reese (2015-17). Ryan Woolridge (2017-19) 41 straight C-USA starts is the program record.
Senior Zachary Simmons enters Friday's game having played in 108 career games. He's missed just one game in his career (Feb. 22, 2018 at FIU). If he plays Friday it'll be the 82nd straight game he's played for UNT, moving him into a tie with Fred Mitchell (1974-78) for 10th-place for most consecutive games played in program history. Tristan Thompson's (2007-11) 115 straight is the program record.
Most Consecutive Games Played
Tristan Thompson, 115
Josh White, 114
Jesse Ratliff, 114
Kenneth Lyons, 111
Chris Davis, 110
Kenneth Williams, 107
Jordan Williams, 95
Quincy Williams, 94
Ryan Woolridge, 84
Fred Mitchell, 82
Zachary Simmons, 81
Tony Worrell, 81
George Odufuwa, 79
Alzee Williams, 79
Redshirt senior Javion Hamlet enters Friday's game nine assists away from his 200th in his career.
A Look At UAB
UAB is under the direction of its first-year head coach Andy Kennedy who graduated from UAB in 1991 and is the program's second all-time leading scorer (1,787). He most recently served as Ole Miss' head coach from 2006-18 where he won 245 games and captured the SEC Tournament title in 2013 with a 27-9 record. Kennedy led the Rebels to two NCAA Tournament appearances in 2013 and 2015. He was twice named the SEC Coach of the Year. He's the winningest head coach in Ole Miss history.
Last season UAB went 9-9 in conference play, which put them in a tie for seventh-place.
Through eight games this year, UAB's leading scorer is newcomer Michael Ertel (14.5 ppg) who grad transferred to the Blazers from Louisiana Monroe. Four Blazers are averaging double digits this year, including Tavin Lovan (12.1 ppg). Lovan led the team in scoring last year (13.2 ppg).
UAB enters Friday having not played a game since Dec. 19 when it lost 69-66 to Chattanooga at home, its only loss of the year.
Friday will only be UAB's second road game of the year. They won 65-61 at East Tennessee State on Dec. 12.
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