University of North Texas Athletics
Photo by: Ben Stewart
Built The JUCO Way
9/24/2020 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
DENTON — As the North Texas men's basketball team aims to defend its 2020 Conference USA championship, looking up and down this season's roster there are plenty of new names. But the characteristics and DNA that built last season's championship squad remains the same.
The toughest team wins.
Of the six newcomers, Mardrez McBride and Terrence Lewis II have arrived with a common chip on their shoulder that is shared by the likes of Javion Hamlet, James Reese, Thomas Bell and many other junior college transfers who found their way to UNT.
Something to prove and the experience to do it the harder way.
Since Grant McCasland took over as the Mean Green's head coach in the spring of 2017, 12 of the 28 men he's coached have had junior college roots. Six of those 12 are on this season's team.
Thomas Bell: MCC-Penn Valley (2017-18) and Kaskasia College (2018-19)
Javion Hamlet: Motlow St. Community College (2017-18) and NWF State College (2018-19)
Terence Lewis II: Florida Southwestern St. (2018-19) and New Mexico JC (2019-20)
Mardrez McBride: McCook Community College (2018-19) and USC Salkehatchie (2019-20)
JJ Murray: Eastfield College (2017-19)
James Reese: Odessa College (2018-19)
With six junior college transfers on the team and all expected to contribute and play a variety of positions, there's a good chance during a game this season the Mean Green will have on the floor five of these guys at once.
With that characteristic in mind, we take a look back at some recent Mean Green grads who arrived to Denton the junior college way.
ROOSEVELT SMART (2017-20)
One of the greatest shooters in North Texas history, Roosevelt Smart owns the program's single-season scoring record (742) and 3-point record (133). In total, the New Mexico Junior College transfer ranks in the top 10 in eight different categories in the program's record book. In 2018 he led UNT to the College Basketball Invitational title — the program's first NCAA national postseason championship — and was named the tournament's MVP. In 2020 he helped guide the Mean Green to its first regular season conference championship in 31 years.
JORDEN DUFFY (2017-19)
A San Jacinto College transfer, Jorden Duffy was a critical piece to Grant McCasland and his staff's success in their first two seasons at North Texas. Duffy, who battled through six different injuries in his two seasons with the Mean Green, still played in 51 games for UNT and made 31 starts. He scored 478 points over the two seasons and will always be remembered for his 2018 College Basketball Invitational performances. Coming off an injury, Duffy exploded for 31 points to lead UNT to a victory over Mercer in the quarterfinal round of the tournament. The sharp shooter made 79 career 3-pointers.
MICHAEL MILLER (2017-19)
Another weapon for McCasland early in his tenure at North Texas, Michael Miller joined the Mean Green from Shawnee Community College where he was one of the top recruits coming out of junior college. Miller's college story will forever be tied to the 2018 College Basketball Invitational, which is when he switched shooting hands and went from being a roll player who averaged 3.0 points per game to a bonafide starter who was easily averaging double-digits by the end of his college career. A captain on the 2018-19 North Texas team, Miller could score from anywhere and guard any position. Written into his North Texas legacy will also be how he played the 2019 Conference USA Tournament with a broken a foot. Miller played last season professionally in Holland.
TOPE ARIKAWE (2017-19)
One of McCasland's first recruits to North Texas, big-man Tope Arikawe was another key piece to the Mean Green's 2018 CBI Tournament championship. He played in a total of 63 games for UNT and helped lead the team to 41 wins, including the program's best start ever in 2018-19 at 16-1. He scored 194 points and grabbed 175 rebounds in his two years and had one of his best performances in the championship round of the 2018 CBI versus San Francisco. Arikawe played junior college basketball at Panola College and has been playing professionally in Sweden.
COLIN VOSS (2013-15)
A freak athlete, Northern Oklahoma NJCAA All-American transfer Colin Voss joined the Mean Green in 2013 and made an impact right away despite injury his quad in the preseason. In his first season, Voss led the team in starts with 29 and was second on the team in rebounding. In his second year, Voss was one of the top passing big-man in the nation. The 6-foot-7 forward had an 1.23 assist/turnover ratio with 58 total assists on the year. His passing and ball handling got even better late in the year as he had a 2.8 assist/turnover ration in the final 12 games of the season. After graduating, Voss tried out for the NFL but stuck with basketball and is still playing. The now 28-year-old Voss is playing in Albania but has made stops in Italy, Switzerland and Hungary to name a few.
SHANNON SHORTER (2009-11)
Paris Junior College transfer Shannon Shorter was a key piece to the Mean Green's 2010 NCAA Tournament team. Shorter, who was coached by current UNT associate head coach Ross Hodge at Paris, made 58 starts for North Texas in two seasons. He helped lead the Mean Green to the 2010 Sun Belt Tournament championship. In North Texas' final 19 games in the 2009-10 season, the Mean Green went 15-4 and Shorter started every game. He was second on the team in assists that season. In his senior season, he led the Mean Green back to Sun Belt Tournament championship game. Since graduating, Shorter has played professionally overseas in Australia, Israel and Korea.
ERIC TRAMIEL (2008-10)
Another UNT Paris Junior College all-American transfer who was coached by Ross Hodge, Tramiel was the 2010 Sun Belt Tournament MVP. He led North Texas on an 11-game win streak in 2010 that included the program's run to a third NCAA Tournament. He returned from injury to help North Texas go 14-2 down the stretch in 2010 and clinch the Sun Belt Tournament title where he averaged 14.2 points on 59.3 percent shooting over that span. Tramiel finished his career fourth in school history with a 56.1 career field goal percentage and had 41 career double-digit scoring performances, including 11 points in the NCAA Tournament game against No. 2 seed Kansas State.
The toughest team wins.
Of the six newcomers, Mardrez McBride and Terrence Lewis II have arrived with a common chip on their shoulder that is shared by the likes of Javion Hamlet, James Reese, Thomas Bell and many other junior college transfers who found their way to UNT.
Something to prove and the experience to do it the harder way.
Since Grant McCasland took over as the Mean Green's head coach in the spring of 2017, 12 of the 28 men he's coached have had junior college roots. Six of those 12 are on this season's team.
Thomas Bell: MCC-Penn Valley (2017-18) and Kaskasia College (2018-19)
Javion Hamlet: Motlow St. Community College (2017-18) and NWF State College (2018-19)
Terence Lewis II: Florida Southwestern St. (2018-19) and New Mexico JC (2019-20)
Mardrez McBride: McCook Community College (2018-19) and USC Salkehatchie (2019-20)
JJ Murray: Eastfield College (2017-19)
James Reese: Odessa College (2018-19)
With six junior college transfers on the team and all expected to contribute and play a variety of positions, there's a good chance during a game this season the Mean Green will have on the floor five of these guys at once.
With that characteristic in mind, we take a look back at some recent Mean Green grads who arrived to Denton the junior college way.
ROOSEVELT SMART (2017-20)
One of the greatest shooters in North Texas history, Roosevelt Smart owns the program's single-season scoring record (742) and 3-point record (133). In total, the New Mexico Junior College transfer ranks in the top 10 in eight different categories in the program's record book. In 2018 he led UNT to the College Basketball Invitational title — the program's first NCAA national postseason championship — and was named the tournament's MVP. In 2020 he helped guide the Mean Green to its first regular season conference championship in 31 years.
JORDEN DUFFY (2017-19)
A San Jacinto College transfer, Jorden Duffy was a critical piece to Grant McCasland and his staff's success in their first two seasons at North Texas. Duffy, who battled through six different injuries in his two seasons with the Mean Green, still played in 51 games for UNT and made 31 starts. He scored 478 points over the two seasons and will always be remembered for his 2018 College Basketball Invitational performances. Coming off an injury, Duffy exploded for 31 points to lead UNT to a victory over Mercer in the quarterfinal round of the tournament. The sharp shooter made 79 career 3-pointers.
MICHAEL MILLER (2017-19)
Another weapon for McCasland early in his tenure at North Texas, Michael Miller joined the Mean Green from Shawnee Community College where he was one of the top recruits coming out of junior college. Miller's college story will forever be tied to the 2018 College Basketball Invitational, which is when he switched shooting hands and went from being a roll player who averaged 3.0 points per game to a bonafide starter who was easily averaging double-digits by the end of his college career. A captain on the 2018-19 North Texas team, Miller could score from anywhere and guard any position. Written into his North Texas legacy will also be how he played the 2019 Conference USA Tournament with a broken a foot. Miller played last season professionally in Holland.
TOPE ARIKAWE (2017-19)
One of McCasland's first recruits to North Texas, big-man Tope Arikawe was another key piece to the Mean Green's 2018 CBI Tournament championship. He played in a total of 63 games for UNT and helped lead the team to 41 wins, including the program's best start ever in 2018-19 at 16-1. He scored 194 points and grabbed 175 rebounds in his two years and had one of his best performances in the championship round of the 2018 CBI versus San Francisco. Arikawe played junior college basketball at Panola College and has been playing professionally in Sweden.
COLIN VOSS (2013-15)
A freak athlete, Northern Oklahoma NJCAA All-American transfer Colin Voss joined the Mean Green in 2013 and made an impact right away despite injury his quad in the preseason. In his first season, Voss led the team in starts with 29 and was second on the team in rebounding. In his second year, Voss was one of the top passing big-man in the nation. The 6-foot-7 forward had an 1.23 assist/turnover ratio with 58 total assists on the year. His passing and ball handling got even better late in the year as he had a 2.8 assist/turnover ration in the final 12 games of the season. After graduating, Voss tried out for the NFL but stuck with basketball and is still playing. The now 28-year-old Voss is playing in Albania but has made stops in Italy, Switzerland and Hungary to name a few.
SHANNON SHORTER (2009-11)
Paris Junior College transfer Shannon Shorter was a key piece to the Mean Green's 2010 NCAA Tournament team. Shorter, who was coached by current UNT associate head coach Ross Hodge at Paris, made 58 starts for North Texas in two seasons. He helped lead the Mean Green to the 2010 Sun Belt Tournament championship. In North Texas' final 19 games in the 2009-10 season, the Mean Green went 15-4 and Shorter started every game. He was second on the team in assists that season. In his senior season, he led the Mean Green back to Sun Belt Tournament championship game. Since graduating, Shorter has played professionally overseas in Australia, Israel and Korea.
ERIC TRAMIEL (2008-10)
Another UNT Paris Junior College all-American transfer who was coached by Ross Hodge, Tramiel was the 2010 Sun Belt Tournament MVP. He led North Texas on an 11-game win streak in 2010 that included the program's run to a third NCAA Tournament. He returned from injury to help North Texas go 14-2 down the stretch in 2010 and clinch the Sun Belt Tournament title where he averaged 14.2 points on 59.3 percent shooting over that span. Tramiel finished his career fourth in school history with a 56.1 career field goal percentage and had 41 career double-digit scoring performances, including 11 points in the NCAA Tournament game against No. 2 seed Kansas State.
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