Saturday, February 29
Huntington, WV
12 PM
University of North Texas
at
Marshall
Photo by: Rick Yeatts Photography
Mean Green At Marshall
2/28/2020 10:08:00 AM | Women's Basketball
About the Mean Green
North Texas snapped a seven-game losing streak with a dominant 94-55 win over UTSA Feb. 22 where Anisha George recorded a career-high 26 points along with 15 rebounds, and Charlene Shepherd also tallied a career-best in scoring with 24 points. The victory moved the Mean Green to 4-11 in Conference USA contests and 10-17 overall. George averages team-highs of 14.0 points and 8.6 rebounds, and Destinee McDowell contributes 11.1 and 7.2, respectively.
About the Thundering Herd
Marshall dropped a pair of contests last week with a 76-65 loss at WKU Feb. 20 and a 64-54 beating by ODU Feb. 22 for a 6-9 mark in C-USA play and is 11-15 overall. Savannah Wheeler scores 13.8 points per contest, while Taylor Pearson contributes 10.9, and Kristen Mayo adds 10.8. The Thundering Herd are even in scoring with their opponents as each are putting up 63.0 points per game.
History between the squads
The Thundering Herd own a 6-3 advantage over the Mean Green in the series that began during the 2007-08 season. Marshall won the first two meetings before UNT grabbed the next three. The Herd have taken the most recent matchups, one each in the past three seasons and on Jan. 4 of this year.
Last meeting
DENTON (Jan. 4, 2020) – North Texas saw its three-game winning streak come to a close on Saturday after losing to Marshall 68-59 at The Super Pit.
Charlene Shepherd was the highlight for the Mean Green by scoring a career-high 23 points while grabbing nine rebounds. The sophomore forward ended this week with 36 points and 31 rebounds in two games played. Shepherd was the only player who finished in double digits for the Mean Green.
Putting up the points
The 94 points North Texas hung on UTSA in the 39-point win Feb. 22 ties for the second-highest Conference USA total scored against a league opponent this season, just two shy of the 96 UTEP tallied against Florida Atlantic Jan. 20. Against Texas A&M-Texarkana Dec. 29, the Mean Green piled up 114 points, the highest total scored by a C-USA team against an opponent, which ranks as the 16th-highest output in all of Division I women's basketball during the 2019-20 season.
George on target
Anisha George, the team's lone senior, is the most accurate field goal shooter in Conference USA at 65 percent and ranks fifth in the country. The St. Croix, Virgin Islands, native has connected on 147 of her 226 shots and has knocked down at least 80 percent of her tries six times this season, with her best outing coming from a 10-of-12 showing against Louisiana Tech. George is also a force on the glass as her 26 rebounds in the season opener against Mid-America Christian is still the single-game high by a player nationally this year. George is ranked 28th nationally averaging 3.8 offensive rebounds per game.
Lineup combos
Finding just the right starting lineup can be very beneficial for a team to reach consistency and collect wins. The Mean Green have faced several injuries, along with a mix of new players, making it difficult to pinpoint the perfect combination this season. North Texas has employed 15 different starting lineups, has not used the same five more than four times, and every eligible member of the team has cracked the first five at least twice. The mixture of Jazion Jackson, Trena Mims, Callie Owens, Destinee McDowell and Anisha George has recorded the best mark at 2-0.
Working overtime
Two Mean Green contests within a week were decided by extra periods with an 84-78 double overtime loss at Florida Atlantic Jan. 11 and a 74-69 win over LA Tech Jan. 18 in Denton. North Texas is now 13-27 all-time in overtime games. Before the loss at Florida Atlantic, the Mean Green had won six straight contests involving extra periods. Last season, North Texas defeated Missouri State, 83-76, UNT's third win in program history inside The Super Pit in OT. Three seasons ago, North Texas pulled out wins in each of its four overtime contests and went one-for-one in 2017-18.
Boards, boards, boards
The 63 rebounds collected against Texas A&M-Texarkana Dec. 29 ranks as the ninth-highest output in NCAA Division I this season. Anisha George's 26 against Mid-American Christian Nov. 7 is the best performance in NCAA Division I this season and also tied a UNT record. Charlene Shepherd recorded 23 against WKU Jan. 2 to sit fourth in the country and second all-time at UNT.
Doubling up
The Mean Green have compiled 13 double-doubles in 2019-20, with seven of them from Anisha George, two each from Charlene Shepherd, Destinee McDowell and Callie Owens. Last season, the team registered a total of seven – six from George and one by Madison Townley.
Getting to the line
The Mean Green has made 477 trips to the free throw line this season compared to 438 from their opponents. Against Rice Feb. 1, the team sank a season-best 11-of-12 (91 percent) and also had a good showing against Texas A&M-Texarkana Dec. 29 by going 16-of-18 (89 percent). However, excluding an 11-of-14 performance at ODU Feb. 15, UNT has shot a combined 61-of-121 (50 percent) in the last seven games, including 0-for-8 against UAB Feb. 8. The Mean Green also struggled early on by only converting 46-of-89 (51.7 percent) throughout the first five games. Destinee McDowell has been almost a sure bet at the line by knocking down nearly 83 percent of her tries.
Three-point woes
The Mean Green has encountered shooting trouble from beyond the arc by connecting on just 27.5 percent of their attempts, ranking them 306 of the 348 teams in NCAA Division I. The team had a breakout against WKU Jan. 2 by knocking down a season high 10-of-18 from deep, the seventh best performance in school history, and sank 10 again at UTEP Jan. 25. In 2018-19, the squad concluded the season at 30.4 percent while knocking down 5.1 per game compared to 4.5 this season.
Start of C-USA play
The win over WKU Jan. 2 marked the second season in a row the Mean Green began conference play with a win. In 2018-19, the team compiled a 3-0 start in C-USA play for the first time in program history. Under head coach Jalie Mitchell, UNT also opened the conference slate with a victory in 2015-16.
Flurry of season-highs
The Mean Green closed out the non-conference schedule on a high note with a barrage of season team-highs in the convincing win over Texas A&M-Texarkana Dec. 29. The squad set season-highs in points (114), rebounds (63), assists (20) and steals (18) as well as a program-best 46 field goals against the Eagles.
Non-con results
UNT evened its overall record to 6-6 in non-conference with the dominant 114-54 win over Texas A&M-Texarkana Dec. 29. Dating to the 2015-16 season, the Mean Green is 29-29 in games occurring before the start of C-USA play. The team posted a mark of 7-5 in pre-conference play last season.
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.
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 62 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.
Last Mean Green outing
DENTON (Feb. 22, 2020) – The North Texas women's basketball team ended a seven-game losing streak on Saturday night with a dominating 94-55 victory at The Super Pit. Ninety-four points is a season high against a Division I opponent.
The win comes at a pivotal time for North Texas, who put themselves in a solid position to earn a spot in the Conference USA Tournament. The Mean Green (10-17, 4-11 C-USA) now sit two games ahead of both UTSA and FIU with three games remaining.
The Mean Green forced 12 turnovers and held the Roadrunners to a 32.8 field goal percentage.
Anisha George continued her torrid run through the month of February, finishing with a career-high 26 points and 15 rebounds. George picked up her seventh double-double of the season just two minutes into the third quarter. The senior forward has averaged 19.4 points per game in the last five contests.
North Texas snapped a seven-game losing streak with a dominant 94-55 win over UTSA Feb. 22 where Anisha George recorded a career-high 26 points along with 15 rebounds, and Charlene Shepherd also tallied a career-best in scoring with 24 points. The victory moved the Mean Green to 4-11 in Conference USA contests and 10-17 overall. George averages team-highs of 14.0 points and 8.6 rebounds, and Destinee McDowell contributes 11.1 and 7.2, respectively.
About the Thundering Herd
Marshall dropped a pair of contests last week with a 76-65 loss at WKU Feb. 20 and a 64-54 beating by ODU Feb. 22 for a 6-9 mark in C-USA play and is 11-15 overall. Savannah Wheeler scores 13.8 points per contest, while Taylor Pearson contributes 10.9, and Kristen Mayo adds 10.8. The Thundering Herd are even in scoring with their opponents as each are putting up 63.0 points per game.
History between the squads
The Thundering Herd own a 6-3 advantage over the Mean Green in the series that began during the 2007-08 season. Marshall won the first two meetings before UNT grabbed the next three. The Herd have taken the most recent matchups, one each in the past three seasons and on Jan. 4 of this year.
Last meeting
DENTON (Jan. 4, 2020) – North Texas saw its three-game winning streak come to a close on Saturday after losing to Marshall 68-59 at The Super Pit.
Charlene Shepherd was the highlight for the Mean Green by scoring a career-high 23 points while grabbing nine rebounds. The sophomore forward ended this week with 36 points and 31 rebounds in two games played. Shepherd was the only player who finished in double digits for the Mean Green.
Putting up the points
The 94 points North Texas hung on UTSA in the 39-point win Feb. 22 ties for the second-highest Conference USA total scored against a league opponent this season, just two shy of the 96 UTEP tallied against Florida Atlantic Jan. 20. Against Texas A&M-Texarkana Dec. 29, the Mean Green piled up 114 points, the highest total scored by a C-USA team against an opponent, which ranks as the 16th-highest output in all of Division I women's basketball during the 2019-20 season.
George on target
Anisha George, the team's lone senior, is the most accurate field goal shooter in Conference USA at 65 percent and ranks fifth in the country. The St. Croix, Virgin Islands, native has connected on 147 of her 226 shots and has knocked down at least 80 percent of her tries six times this season, with her best outing coming from a 10-of-12 showing against Louisiana Tech. George is also a force on the glass as her 26 rebounds in the season opener against Mid-America Christian is still the single-game high by a player nationally this year. George is ranked 28th nationally averaging 3.8 offensive rebounds per game.
Lineup combos
Finding just the right starting lineup can be very beneficial for a team to reach consistency and collect wins. The Mean Green have faced several injuries, along with a mix of new players, making it difficult to pinpoint the perfect combination this season. North Texas has employed 15 different starting lineups, has not used the same five more than four times, and every eligible member of the team has cracked the first five at least twice. The mixture of Jazion Jackson, Trena Mims, Callie Owens, Destinee McDowell and Anisha George has recorded the best mark at 2-0.
Working overtime
Two Mean Green contests within a week were decided by extra periods with an 84-78 double overtime loss at Florida Atlantic Jan. 11 and a 74-69 win over LA Tech Jan. 18 in Denton. North Texas is now 13-27 all-time in overtime games. Before the loss at Florida Atlantic, the Mean Green had won six straight contests involving extra periods. Last season, North Texas defeated Missouri State, 83-76, UNT's third win in program history inside The Super Pit in OT. Three seasons ago, North Texas pulled out wins in each of its four overtime contests and went one-for-one in 2017-18.
Boards, boards, boards
The 63 rebounds collected against Texas A&M-Texarkana Dec. 29 ranks as the ninth-highest output in NCAA Division I this season. Anisha George's 26 against Mid-American Christian Nov. 7 is the best performance in NCAA Division I this season and also tied a UNT record. Charlene Shepherd recorded 23 against WKU Jan. 2 to sit fourth in the country and second all-time at UNT.
Doubling up
The Mean Green have compiled 13 double-doubles in 2019-20, with seven of them from Anisha George, two each from Charlene Shepherd, Destinee McDowell and Callie Owens. Last season, the team registered a total of seven – six from George and one by Madison Townley.
Getting to the line
The Mean Green has made 477 trips to the free throw line this season compared to 438 from their opponents. Against Rice Feb. 1, the team sank a season-best 11-of-12 (91 percent) and also had a good showing against Texas A&M-Texarkana Dec. 29 by going 16-of-18 (89 percent). However, excluding an 11-of-14 performance at ODU Feb. 15, UNT has shot a combined 61-of-121 (50 percent) in the last seven games, including 0-for-8 against UAB Feb. 8. The Mean Green also struggled early on by only converting 46-of-89 (51.7 percent) throughout the first five games. Destinee McDowell has been almost a sure bet at the line by knocking down nearly 83 percent of her tries.
Three-point woes
The Mean Green has encountered shooting trouble from beyond the arc by connecting on just 27.5 percent of their attempts, ranking them 306 of the 348 teams in NCAA Division I. The team had a breakout against WKU Jan. 2 by knocking down a season high 10-of-18 from deep, the seventh best performance in school history, and sank 10 again at UTEP Jan. 25. In 2018-19, the squad concluded the season at 30.4 percent while knocking down 5.1 per game compared to 4.5 this season.
Start of C-USA play
The win over WKU Jan. 2 marked the second season in a row the Mean Green began conference play with a win. In 2018-19, the team compiled a 3-0 start in C-USA play for the first time in program history. Under head coach Jalie Mitchell, UNT also opened the conference slate with a victory in 2015-16.
Flurry of season-highs
The Mean Green closed out the non-conference schedule on a high note with a barrage of season team-highs in the convincing win over Texas A&M-Texarkana Dec. 29. The squad set season-highs in points (114), rebounds (63), assists (20) and steals (18) as well as a program-best 46 field goals against the Eagles.
Non-con results
UNT evened its overall record to 6-6 in non-conference with the dominant 114-54 win over Texas A&M-Texarkana Dec. 29. Dating to the 2015-16 season, the Mean Green is 29-29 in games occurring before the start of C-USA play. The team posted a mark of 7-5 in pre-conference play last season.
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.
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 62 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.
Last Mean Green outing
DENTON (Feb. 22, 2020) – The North Texas women's basketball team ended a seven-game losing streak on Saturday night with a dominating 94-55 victory at The Super Pit. Ninety-four points is a season high against a Division I opponent.
The win comes at a pivotal time for North Texas, who put themselves in a solid position to earn a spot in the Conference USA Tournament. The Mean Green (10-17, 4-11 C-USA) now sit two games ahead of both UTSA and FIU with three games remaining.
The Mean Green forced 12 turnovers and held the Roadrunners to a 32.8 field goal percentage.
Anisha George continued her torrid run through the month of February, finishing with a career-high 26 points and 15 rebounds. George picked up her seventh double-double of the season just two minutes into the third quarter. The senior forward has averaged 19.4 points per game in the last five contests.
Players Mentioned
Post
/ Women's Basketball
Point Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
Point Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
Forward
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