untwillrise

Those numbers sound about right to me. If you call what they did for those games heavy promotions then the UNT ad department has a long ways to go!

Just thought yall footballers would like to know. And i will see you at the game. wednesday 7pm against UT Arlington.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (11/12/06) – Firing on all cylinders, the North Texas basketball team used a hot shooting day to blow out Charlotte 90-72 at Halton Arena. North Texas came out of the gate firing, shooting 60 percent from the floor in the first half, leading by as much as 18 points over the 49ers. The Mean Green went into the locker room leading by nine, 44-35, on the strength of its perimeter shooting. “I thought that we played a really great game,” said head coach Johnny Jones. “They did an excellent job of keeping their composure, and I thought everyone played really we tonight.” Kendrick Davis, Ben Bell and Calvin Watson got the Mean Green going from beyond the arc. Led by the guard trio, North Texas hit eight of 11 threes in the half. Watson ranks seventh in school history in three point field goals made with 122. Led by Davis’ 20 points, North Texas finished with five players in double figures. Rich Young had a career night by halftime and finished with 16, while Michael Sturns ended with 14, Watson with 13, and Bell with 11. The Mean Green hit 13 threes against Charlotte. NT only topped that mark on only one occasions all of last season with 15 against Troy. Michael Sturns continues to be a presence off the bench, pouring in 11 first-half points. The junior continued his hot shooting, making three of his four shots in the half. Sturns was 7 of 11 for 18 points in the season opener against Cameron. The win is the program’s first over Charlotte and its’ first over an Atlantic 10 opponent. North Texas begins the season 2-0 for the first time since 1994-95.

Sturns had 14 points in 13 minutes. For a streaky player a few more minutes would have been nice. Someone like sturns looks at his points compared to his minutes and gets frustrated. we will see how much he has matured.

Even JJ thinks this will be a special year. He never looks forward to a year, just the next game.

not this early in the season. Knowing your shedule all preseason you prepare for a back to back. We just flat out beat them.

this was the only for sure lost that i thought we had. Good win over a good team. Now i am really looking for some great things this year!!!!

ive heard a few other stories. this sounds to me to be the real one. any board members who have first hand knowledge?

The Snake Pit Have you ever wondered why the UNT Coliseum is often called the "Super Pit" by Eagle basketball fans and sportswriters? It all goes back to 1970, when the men's basketball team was still playing in the Men's Gym on Highland Street. Built in 1950, the Men's Gym "had great character and lousy acoustics," says Bruce Pfieffer ('75), who spent many hours there as a North Texas cheerleader. "It was almost rickety. Students would deliberately make noise during the game to rattle the opposing team," he says. On Feb. 10, 1970, North Texas played Drake University in the gym and won 93-81 in double overtime. After the game, Drake Coach Maury John, angry about the noise from the North Texas fans, told a reporter, "This is the worst damn place in the world to play basketball! This place is a snake pit!" From that time on, the Men's Gym was known as the "Snake Pit," or just the "Pit," Pfieffer says. "The president of the Talons would even wrap a snake around his hand and carry it around during games," he says. "The noise in the Pit would be incredible, and it got worse when the game was close and we were trying to rattle the other team." North Texas played its last game in the Men's Gym in 1973. The following year, the team had a new home, the Coliseum, which students dubbed the "Super Pit." from the north texan

Thanks for reminding me. Thse mid-season games before we started to tank the Pit was rockin. I felt like we willed them in a win against Denver. that bad lost against s. alabama hurt attendance. After we go 14-2 before the jan. 11 game against Lou. La. La. there will be even more buzz then last year.

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer North Texas’ season opener had a familiar feel for Michael Sturns on Friday night. The junior guard came off the bench in UNT’s first game of the season just like last year. He had a big offensive night for the second year in a row as well. That is where UNT hopes the comparisons between last season and this year end for the talented but at times troubled guard who helped lead the Mean Green to an 85-47 win over Cameron at the Super Pit. Sturns was one of UNT’s top offensive players early last season before he was dismissed from the squad for not conforming to team standards late in the year. UNT head coach Johnny Jones reinstated Sturns during the offseason and watched him take advantage of the opportunity for at least one night against Cameron, a member of the Division II Lone Star Conference. Sturns scored 18 points and was one of three UNT players to finish in double figures. Senior guard Kendrick Davis led the Mean Green with 19 points. “It felt like coming back home to be out there again,” Sturns said. “I developed a family-type relationship with the guys. I was happy to be back and help the team.” Sturns was particularly helpful after UNT got off to a slow start, missing its first eight shots while falling behind 8-1. Jones sent Sturns into the game and saw UNT go on an 18-4 run a short time later. Sturns and Davis combined to score all of UNT’s points during the surge that gave the Mean Green a 26-21 lead. UNT built its lead to 40-26 at halftime and coasted the rest of the way in what amounted to Sturns’ welcome back party. The former Crowley standout played in 18 of the Mean Green’s first 19 games last season and was the leading scorer among reserves in the Sun Belt Conference with an average of 9.7 points a game when he left the team. UNT went on to lose eight of its last 10 games of the season without Sturns. “Mike brings a lot of energy to the court,” Davis said. “That is what he did tonight. … He is a great scorer, but it’s the other things he does that people don’t notice. He got some offensive rebounds, steals and ran the team. I am not saying losing him is the reason we slumped last year, but he will help us a lot. He brings too much to the table. We need him.” Sturns showed that potential in UNT’s season opener last year against Hardin-Simmons when he scored 14 points off the bench and began to earn a role as the Mean Green’s top bench player. Jones was forced to adjust his rotation after dismissing Sturns from the team following a trip to Louisiana-Lafayette and New Orleans. Despite missing the last half of the season, Sturns finished as the Mean Green’s fourth-leading scorer, behind only Davis, Calvin Watson and Jeffrey Simpson. Davis and Watson were Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference selections, while Simpson was recently selected in the NBA Developmental League Draft. UNT will look to Sturns to serve as the Mean Green’s backup point guard behind junior college transfer Ben Bell. He will also see time at the shooting guard spot. Jones believes Sturns is capable having a solid season off the bench after rejoining the team largely because of the way he has grown as a person. “Mike has a better understanding of what we need from him in terms of giving us energy,” Jones said. “He has matured and is continuing to mature as a player and a person. I like his approach to what he is doing and what he gave us tonight. We hope that he will continue moving forward. … Once he settles in and plays in the team concept, he does great things.” Briefly … Davis played with a sore ankle after spraining it in the Mean Green’s exhibition game against Texas College on Tuesday. He said the injury was painful, but he was able to play through it. … Cameron counted its game against the Mean Green as an exhibition. BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com. North Texas 85, Cameron 47 Cameron – Bernard 1-3 1-2 3, Mitchell 1-7 3-4 5, Reid 4-14 7-7 16, Smith 1-5 1-2 3, Bolden 3-9 2-2 9, Green 0-0 0-0 0, Cubit 1-5 2-4 4, Ison 0-2 1-2 1, Mercer 2-2 2-6 6, Tisdale 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 13-51 19-29 47. UNT (1-0) – Stewart 2-6 2-3 6, Wooden 3-7 2-6 8, Bell 3-6 0-0 6, Davis 7-10 2-3 19, Watson 2-8 5-7 10, Ruffin 0-1 0-0 0, Sturns 7-11 2-3 18, Young 1-2 1-2 3, Edwards 0-2 0-0 0, Mangrum 1-5 0-0 2, Jackson 1-2 0-0 2, Reinking 2-2 1-1 5, Williams 1-4 0-0 2, Howerton 0-1 4-9 4. Totals 30-67 19-34 85. Halftime UNT 40-26. 3-point goals – Cameron 2-20 (Mitchell 0-5, Reid 1-7, Smith 0-2, Bolden 1-2, Cubit 0-2, Ison 0-1, Tisdale 0-1), UNT 6-18 (Bell 0-1, Davis 3-5, Watson 1-5, Sturns 2-3, Young 0-1, Mangrum 0-3). Fouled out – none. Rebounds – Cameron 26 (Mercer 6), UNT 61 (Stewart 11). Assists – Cameron 6 (Reid, Smith 2), UNT 11 (Young 4). Total fouls – Cameron 22, UNT 22. A – 1,047.

I will be at my first volleyball game ever.

Something is clearly wrong with scrappy. I even have a picture of him at the football game walking around by himself with his head down.

The new seating system sucks. i need to helckle anything connected to the opposing team. I need to get to the bottom of this! Their is nothing wrong with Wooden he just has had some minor knee problems over training camp because he is a big man who sat out a whole year, the same goes for Jackson who has been sitting for half a year.

He is the best player on the team if he could stay focused. Jones said that he has matured so we will see if his potential can come out?

Tulsa and Texas STate should pull some nice crowds.

Dont try to get one right after the game the line can get pretty long.

Oh the pit might not get full but we get nasty. Messege me because i am allways looking for more students who care. We sit were the old pit crew did next to the lame talons.

I can't complain though. With Jones' recruiting style we got KD, Wooden, and Bell. Oh yea next year, Im not even going to think about next year!

With Wooden in the post look for KD and Watts to knock down a lot of threes. Bell can shoot too. So i expect Wooden to be big early then teams will double him just to open the rain clouds.

When do we start to recruit. 19-20 year olds?

First off it was just an exhibition. But you are right we have more then enough students to fill it up but who knows where they are. The games before and during christmas usually are empty but once conference gets started in january the attendence picks up. Last year we were getting some good crowds that were loud until we started to tank. This will be the year to test "if they win we will come".

Wow was he 12 in that pic?

Am I the only one who likes Mean Green Eagles? Caaaaaaaaaw!

Not to knock on his highshool coach but he seems to lack post fundamentals. He has the size and his new body looks like he is dedicated and from playing with him in the rec he is pretty athletic for. I dont expect much more then rebounds and blocks. i dont think he will play with Wooten though.