University of North Texas
UTSA
Mean Green Host UTSA
2/4/2022 4:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Mean Green (15-4, 8-1 C-USA) head into Saturday's contest riding a seven-game winning streak and winners of 13 of their last 14 games. After last Saturday's 63-62 win at Louisiana Tech, UNT sits atop alone the Conference USA standings with an 8-1 record. It's the second time in the Grant McCasland era — fifth season — UNT has started conference with an 8-1 record. The last time was in 2019-20 when they won the league with a program-best 14-4 record. North Texas has never started conference 9-1 in its program's history.
North Texas welcomes a UTSA (8-15, 1-9 C-USA) squad to the Super Pit who split their two meetings last season but hasn't won in the Super Pit since 2015. The last time they met in Denton was on Jan. 23, 2020 when North Texas won 98-78. Fifth-year senior Thomas Bell, then a junior, had 11 points and 15 rebounds off the bench in the 20-point win.
A win Saturday would improve North Texas' win streak to eight in a row. It would be the third time in the McCasland era North Texas went on a eight-game winning streak.
Saturday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and the Mean Green Sports Network, which can be found on the Varsity Network App.
ROAD WARRIORS
North Texas is 5-0 in road games this year. As of Friday, UNT is just one of three teams in the country who has yet to lose a road game this season. The other two are No. 1 Auburn (6-0) and No. 2 Gonzaga (2-0).
BETTER FROM DEEP
During North Texas' current seven-game winning streak, the Mean Green are shooting 68-141 (.482) from deep. Five players are shooting above 44 percent from deep during this run: Bell (45%), McBride (46%), Murray (69%), Perry (50%), Scott (66%).
Before this current seven-game winning streak, the Mean Green were shooting just 32.1% from deep (97-302).
SLOW TEMPO
Through 19 games, North Texas' offensive tempo is the slowest in the nation (out of 358 teams). Over the last two years North Texas has ranked sub 350 at the end of each year. UNT's average possession length this year so far is 21.1 seconds.
DEFENSIVE COMEBACKS
North Texas held LA Tech last Saturday to just one made field goal over the final 10 minutes and 32 seconds of the game. The Bulldogs were 1-of-8 from the floor in the final 10 minutes and 32 seconds and had four offensive turnovers.
On Dec. 18 North Texas held the Shockers on the road without a point from the 18:08 mark of the second half until the 5:25 mark (12 minutes and 17 seconds). During that time UNT went on a 20-0 run and made a 10-point comeback and took a 10-point lead. WSU committed nine turnovers during that stretch and was 0-11 from the field. They attempted zero free throws.
GUARDING THE ARC
Headed into Saturday, North Texas leads the nation in fewest 3-pointers given up per game. Opponents are only making 4.3 3-pointers per game vs. UNT who have given up just 82 3-pointers this season. That's the second-fewest total in the nation. The next fewest 3-pointers given up by a C-USA team is UTEP (119).
