University of North Texas Athletics
Tuesday, November 5
7 PM
University of North Texas
vs
Evansville
Men's Hoops Hosts Evansville on Tuesday In Season Opener
11/4/2024 3:14:00 PM | Men's Basketball
DENTON — The UNT men's basketball team hosts Evansville at the Super Pit on Tuesday in its 2024-25 season opener.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on the Mean Green Sports Network, presented by Learfield and streamed on ESPN+.
Single game and season tickets can be purchased at MeanGreenTickets.com
The Mean Green are entering their second season under head coach Ross Hodge who led North Texas last year to 19 wins and a second round appearance in the NIT. He was named a finalist for the Joe B. Hall award, which is given to the top rookie head coach. The Mean Green are just one of seven teams in the country who have won at least one NCAA postseason game in each of the last four seasons.
Tuesday's season opener will be just the second all-time meeting between the Purple Aces and UNT and the first since Dec. 16, 1995 when the two teams met in Evansville.
Evansville is under the leadership of third-year head coach David Ragland who in 2022 took over a Purple Aces program coming off a six-win season. However, last year he led them to a 17 wins and defeated Illinois State in the first round of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
Following Tuesday's game the Mean Green will host Wayland Baptist on Thursday as part of a double header with the UNT women's basketball team. The men's game will start after the conclusion of the women's game.
11 STRAIGHT SEASON OPENING WINS
UNT enters Tuesday's season opener having won 11 straight season openers dating back to 2013. They have opened at home in each of the previous 11 seasons. They defeated Northern Iowa at home in last year's season opener, 83-77 (ot).
FAMILIAR WITH EVANSVILLE
North Texas newcomer Atin Wright transferred to the Mean Green from Drake this summer. Drake and Evansville both play in the Missouri Valley Conference. Last season was Wright's only season with the Bulldogs but in that one year he played the Purple Aces three times. Wright led Drake to three wins over Evansville last year and averaged 16.6 points per game against them. He was a combined 7-14 (.500) from deep and had an 8/1 assist/turnover ratio over the three games. Wright's most notable game against Evansville last year came on Feb. 13 at Evansville when he scored 26 points — 21 of which came in the second half — and he sank the halfcourt buzzer beater to win 78-75. His 26-point performance that day was not a career-high but it was a season high. Wright also helped lead the Bulldogs to a 79-58 win over Evansville in the MVC Tournament Quarterfinals
SCORING DEFENSE
UNT has had a top 15 scoring defense in each of the previous four seasons including having the nation's top scoring defense in 2021-22 (55.7 ppg) and 2022-23 (55.8 ppg).
Over the previous four seasons combined, UNT has held its opponents to an average of 59.2 points per game. Only Houston (58.0) has a better combined scoring defense over the same time span. In home games since 2020, UNT is holding opponents to just 57.2 points per game
For more information on UNT Basketball tickets, contact the Mean Green Ticket Office at 940-565-2527 or at ticketoffice@unt.edu. Fans can purchase tickets at www.meangreentickets.com or visit the UNT Athletics Ticket Office located at Gate 2 of DATCU Stadium between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on the Mean Green Sports Network, presented by Learfield and streamed on ESPN+.
Single game and season tickets can be purchased at MeanGreenTickets.com
The Mean Green are entering their second season under head coach Ross Hodge who led North Texas last year to 19 wins and a second round appearance in the NIT. He was named a finalist for the Joe B. Hall award, which is given to the top rookie head coach. The Mean Green are just one of seven teams in the country who have won at least one NCAA postseason game in each of the last four seasons.
Tuesday's season opener will be just the second all-time meeting between the Purple Aces and UNT and the first since Dec. 16, 1995 when the two teams met in Evansville.
Evansville is under the leadership of third-year head coach David Ragland who in 2022 took over a Purple Aces program coming off a six-win season. However, last year he led them to a 17 wins and defeated Illinois State in the first round of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
Following Tuesday's game the Mean Green will host Wayland Baptist on Thursday as part of a double header with the UNT women's basketball team. The men's game will start after the conclusion of the women's game.
11 STRAIGHT SEASON OPENING WINS
UNT enters Tuesday's season opener having won 11 straight season openers dating back to 2013. They have opened at home in each of the previous 11 seasons. They defeated Northern Iowa at home in last year's season opener, 83-77 (ot).
FAMILIAR WITH EVANSVILLE
North Texas newcomer Atin Wright transferred to the Mean Green from Drake this summer. Drake and Evansville both play in the Missouri Valley Conference. Last season was Wright's only season with the Bulldogs but in that one year he played the Purple Aces three times. Wright led Drake to three wins over Evansville last year and averaged 16.6 points per game against them. He was a combined 7-14 (.500) from deep and had an 8/1 assist/turnover ratio over the three games. Wright's most notable game against Evansville last year came on Feb. 13 at Evansville when he scored 26 points — 21 of which came in the second half — and he sank the halfcourt buzzer beater to win 78-75. His 26-point performance that day was not a career-high but it was a season high. Wright also helped lead the Bulldogs to a 79-58 win over Evansville in the MVC Tournament Quarterfinals
SCORING DEFENSE
UNT has had a top 15 scoring defense in each of the previous four seasons including having the nation's top scoring defense in 2021-22 (55.7 ppg) and 2022-23 (55.8 ppg).
Over the previous four seasons combined, UNT has held its opponents to an average of 59.2 points per game. Only Houston (58.0) has a better combined scoring defense over the same time span. In home games since 2020, UNT is holding opponents to just 57.2 points per game
For more information on UNT Basketball tickets, contact the Mean Green Ticket Office at 940-565-2527 or at ticketoffice@unt.edu. Fans can purchase tickets at www.meangreentickets.com or visit the UNT Athletics Ticket Office located at Gate 2 of DATCU Stadium between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Players Mentioned
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