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University of North Texas
(W5) Rice
Mean Green Begin Title Defense Thursday
3/9/2022 5:25:00 PM | Men's Basketball
FRISCO — The reigning Conference USA Men's Basketball Tournament champion North Texas begins its title defense Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT from the Star in Frisco.
The Mean Green (23-5, 16-2 C-USA) enter this season's conference tournament as the No. 1 seed out of the West Division as they posted a league-best 16-2 C-USA record.
As the No. 1 seed, they earned a double bye into the quarterfinal round and on Thursday will play the winner of Charlotte and Rice who play Wednesday night in the second round. Thursday's UNT game will be broadcast on Stadium and the Mean Green Sports Network.
"We're excited," said senior Thomas Bell. "We have a lot of confidence and belief in our group but we know there will be a target on our back. We have to take it game-by-game and make sure we are the tougher team for all 40 minutes."
Last season North Texas, a third seed, won four games in four days to take home its first C-USA Tournament title in program history and its first league tournament title since 2010.
The Mean Green flexed their defensive muscles in last season's tournament as they held their four opponents to an average of 54 points per game. UNT 2021 graduate Javion Hamlet was named the tournament's MVP as he set the tournament record for assists (28) and averaged 18.5 points, 7.5 assists, and 6.5 rebounds per game.
North Texas returns four players who played in last season's tournament: Thomas Bell, Mardrez McBride, JJ Murray and Abou Ousmane. Sophomore Rubin Jones missed last year's tournament with a leg injury.
"We have a tight group," McBride said. "We know what it takes to win and we have the belief in the guys in the locker room to get it done."
If North Texas were to repeat as champions they'd be the first C-USA men's basketball team to win back-to-back tournament titles since Middle Tennessee in 2017 and would be just the third school in the league's 26-year history to repeat.
The Mean Green beat both of their two potential Thursday opponents — Charlotte and Rice — earlier this season by double digits. They held both of them to season lows.
Mean Green fans can purchase tickets to the C-USA Men and Women's Basketball Championship here.
