Coach Andy Mac

DENTON – First year UNT men’s basketball head coach Daniyal Robinson on Wednesday hired veteran coach Kwanza Johnson to his staff as an assistant coach. Johnson joins the Mean Green after two seasons on Robinson’s staff at Cleveland State and with over 25 years of division one coaching experience. In his coaching career Johnson has won eight conference championships, won seven NCAA Tournament games and recruited and mentored numerous NBA draft picks who have gone on to win multiple NBA championships and an Olympic Gold medal. During his two years at Cleveland State with Robinson, Johnson helped lead the Vikings to back-to-back 20-win seasons. In his second season in Cleveland the Vikings won 23 games, their most single season wins in 14 years. CSU finished second in the Horizon league regular season standings and made the championship game of the 2025 CBI. CSU earned 10 total Horizon All-Conference honors in Johnson’s two seasons with the Vikings, including two first team honors in Tristan Enaruna in 2024 and Tevin Smith in 2025. Cleveland State in 2025 ranked in the top two in the Horizon in offensive efficiency and defensive efficiency. The Vikings won 13 straight games from Dec. 7, 2024 through Jan. 30, 2025, their longest win streak in over 28 years. Prior to his two years at Cleveland State, Johnson served on the staffs at California (2022-23), Tulsa (2019-22), Little Rock (2016-18), TCU (2013-16), Georgia (2009-13), Nevada (2006-09), Eastern Illinois (2005-06) and he got his coaching start at his alma mater Tulsa (1997-05) under Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Self. While at Georgia from 2009-13, Johnson mentored AP All-American Kentavious Caldwell-Pope who was the 2013 SEC Player of the Year. Caldwell-Pope was selected by the Detroit Pistons with the eighth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. He is a two-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 and the Denver Nuggets in 2023. During Johnson’s three-year tenure at Nevada from 2006-09, he coached eventual first round pick, three-time NBA champion and 2020 Olympic gold medalist JaVale McGee. In total so far, Johnson in his career has mentored nine players who have gone on to be drafted into the NBA: Luke Babbit, Caldwell-Pope, Nick Frazekas, Armon Johnson, Travis Leslie, McGee, Michael Ruffin, Ramon Sessions and Trey Thompkins. Johnson also coached current Oklahoma City Thunder Kenrich Williams while at TCU from 2013-16. Williams, whose number was retired by the Horned Frogs, wasn’t drafted but has played seven seasons in the NBA and in 2023 earned a veteran extension contract. Johnson got his coaching career started in 1997 on Bill Self’s first Golden Hurricane staff. Two years later, Johnson was part of the staff that led Tulsa to a historic 32-win season and reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament and finished the year ranked No. 18. An Oklahoma City native, Johnson played collegiately first at Rose State College where he was one of the top junior college players in Oklahoma. In 1993 he transferred to Tulsa to play for legendary head coach Tubby Smith. Johnson was a catalyst that ended the Golden Hurricane’s NCAA Tournament win drought as he led his team to two Missouri Valley Conference titles and to back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances as its captain and all-league performer. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from TU in 1995 before adding a Juris Doctor degree from the TU College of Law in 1999. He and his wife, Kim, have three children: Kaitlyn, Kendall and Kalli. Kwanza Johnson Coaching Career Tulsa (1997-2005) Eastern Illinois (2005-06) Nevada (2006-09) Georgia (2009-13) TCU (2013-16) Little Rock (2016-18) Tulsa (2019-22) Regular season champ California (2022-23) Cleveland State (2023-25) North Texas (2025-present) 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.

https://csuvikings.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/reece-robinson/4069

That’s what I thought when my sources told me that Daniyal Robinson is leaving Cleveland State to become the head basketball coach at North Texas. Robinson won 65 games in three seasons with the Vikings, winning 21-21-23 games. This past season, Robinson led the Vikings to a 23-13 record, 14-6 in the Horizon League. Furthermore, Robinson’s team had a 3.3 grade point average in the last grading period. They were 3.1 for his three years at the downtown Cleveland school. North Texas is in the American Athletic Conference with schools such as Memphis State, UAB, Temple and Florida Atlantic. North Texas was 27-8 this season, 14-4 in the conference. Head Coach Ross Hodge was hired as the new head coach of West Virginia. Hodge had a $500,000 base salary with $200,000 in media bonuses and other incentives. His contract at West Virginia is supposed to be the $3 million range per season. Odds are Robinson will at least receive a contract in the $750,000 range – if not more. North Texas is considered a good job and also a launching pad to major college opportunities. Before Hodge, the head coach at North Texas was Grant McCasland – now the head coach at Texas Tech. read more: https://www.cleveland.com/sports/college/2025/03/as-daniyal-robinson-leaves-what-next-for-csu-basketball-terry-pluto.html

Post Game Press Conference (UNT opponent discussion starts at 11:08)

LINK: https://ucirvinesports.com/news/2025/3/26/mens-basketball-no-1-seed-uc-irvine-wins-nit-quarterfinal-in-thrilling-overtime-fashion.aspx IRVINE, Calif. – Forward Devin Tillis scored five of his game-high 22 points in the final 1:23 and grabbed a big rebound with three seconds left in No. 1 seed UC Irvine's 81-77 victory over UAB in the quarterfinal of the National Invitation Tournament Wednesday at the Bren Events Center. A 6-0 run by UAB gave the Blazers a 77-74 lead with 1:33 to play before Tillis drained a three-pointer to tie the game at 77 all with 1:23 left. The Blazers were a perfect 13-13 from the line until a miss with 51 seconds left opened the door for UCI. Center Bent Leuchten hit a jumper in the paint with 31 seconds on the clock then on the other end UAB missed two layups, the second rebound was pulled down by Tillis who was fouled with two seconds left solidifying the win with a pair of free throws, 81-77. Tillis recorded his sixth double-double of the year, with 22 points and team-high 11 rebounds. The redshirt senior went 7-15 from the floor, including three three-pointers, and 5-6 from the line. He added three assists and a steal in his 34 minutes on the floor. UC Irvine advances to the semifinals April 1 against North Texas at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. The Anteaters improve to 31-7, tying the school record for most wins with the 2018-19 squad who went 31-6. UCI, who made 15 of their free throws in tonight's win, broke the school record of free throws made in a season with their 617 over 37 contests. The previous standard was held by the 1971-72 team who made 616 of their 873 attempts in 28 games. INSIDE THE NUMBERS > Center Bent Leuchten recorded his 19th double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds, seven coming on the defensive glass > Leuchten went 6-10 from the field and 5-6 from the line > Guard Jurian Dixon scored 10 of his 16 points in the first half, totaling five rebounds and two assists > Guard Myles Che knocked down three three-pointers and finished 13 points > Che dished five assists and grabbed five rebounds. > Sophomore Kyle Evans was important off the bench, going 3-4 from the floor and 2-2 from the line with three blocks > Guard Justin Hohn was quiet offensively with four points but had eight rebounds, five assists, and a steal > The Anteaters shot 41.4 percent (29-70) from the floor and 71.4 percent from the line (15-21) while the Blazers shot 40.5 percent (30-74) from the field and 92.9 percent (13-14) from the line > UCI hit eight three-pointers (8-24, 0.333) and the Blazers went 4-20 (0.200) > UAB (24-13) was Christian Coleman had a team-best 21 points with 14 rebounds, while Yaxel Lendeborg recorded 13 points and a game-high 17 rebounds FIRST HALF > Myles Che drew the defense to the middle of the court, finding a way to pass out to Jurian Dixon (18:45) who knocked down the three-pointer to put UC Irvine up slight, 3-2, but UAB scored nine unanswered to go ahead 11-3 at 15:21 > The Anteaters brought it within two, 13-11, on a 8-2 run that saw a layup from Devin Tillis (15:09), a basket and two free throws from Kyle Evans (14:32, 13:58), and a Justin Hohn (13:29) run and score > Dixon grabbed the defensive board and took it all the way down the court, got fouled while in the air, the ball fell through the hoop, and he made the extra shot to draw to 17-16 at 11:35 > The Blazers two triples were countered by four total makes from the line, two from Bent Leuchten and two from Che, 23-20 (10:01) > Both teams went scoreless for three-minute periods, but two straight scores from UAB put them up, 29-22 (5:22) > Leuchten had an answered for the Blazers shot, hitting a corner three-pointer then hooking it over the defense at 2:12, 33-29 > Ofure Ujadughele played furious defense and poke the ball away, driving down the court and drop the ball off. A missed layup would land in the hands of Dixon for the put-back with 13 seconds left. UCI went into the break trailing 31-36 at the half SECOND HALF > Tillis scored five of the Anteaters first eight points out of the break, three were free throws and the last a backdown hook shot at 14:53, 44-39 > UCI put up eight straight scores on a soft hook by Leuchten, a Dixon hanging layup from a long Tillis lead pass, another layup by Dixon and a final layup by Evans to give the Anteaters a 47-44 lead (12:12) > UAB scored the next four to knot the score at 50-all at 9:31 > Following four UAB free throws, Tillis knocked down a three-pointer as the shot clock expired, 57-56 (6:41) > The teams traded baskets until Che (2:33) stopped and popped from three, 62-60 > Consecutive layups by UAB was followed by a fallaway jumper by Che moving to 64-64 (1:11) > The teams exchanged three-pointers before UAB went ahead on a pair of free throws with 41 seconds left, 69-67 > Tillis worked his way under the basket for a layup with 17 seconds left to tie the game, 69-69 > A UAB travel gave the Anteaters possession with 3.7 on the clock. After pushing the ball up the court Hohn called timeout with 0.7 left, but the Anteaters couldn't score out of the break, sending the game to overtime OVERTIME > Leuchten put one in down low then was fouled and stepped to the line on the next possession and hit the first of two, 72-69 (3:59) > A UCI turnover led to a Blazer layup (3:20) before Leuchten battled for a rebound and was fouled, adding two more points from the stripe at 3:07, 74-71 > UAB had two from the line then had a rebound put-back and jumper to move in front, 77-74 (1:33) > Tillis poured in a three from up top then Leuchten went down the paint and floated one in from four feet with 31 seconds left, 79-77 > A UAB shot went out of bounds then the Anteaters threw the inbounds play away giving UAB the ball with eight seconds remaining > The Blazers missed two layups with Tillis pulling down the rebound and getting fouled on the last with two seconds to go. He stepped to the line and deposit them both for the 81-77 final score NOTES > UC Irvine improves to 3-1 in overtime contests > UCI is the first team to reach the NIT semifinals since the 1983 Fresno State squad that won it all > The Anteaters are tied third in the nation in win total (31) > UCI is a combined 23-4 record when either one or both of them dishes out four or more assists a game (Hohn 13-4, Che 10-0). > It is the fourth time Tillis and Leuchten have recorded double-doubles in the same game > Justin Hohn ranks fifth in all-time career steals (148) > Hohn moves to fifth all-time with 203 career made three-pointers, needing 19 more to match assistant coach Michael Widler (224, 2009-13) for fourth > Devin Tillis is now 13th in the all-time rebounding list with 684, just one away from meeting Tommy Rutherford (685, 2016-20) for 12th, while Bent Leuchten holds the 15th spot with 658 > Leuchten is now three rebounds away from matching Kevin Magee (337, 1980-91) for second all-time rebounds in a season > Leuchten ranks sixth nationally and first in the Big West with 19 double-doubles > At the free throw line, Leuchten has made 200 free throws this season, ranking sixth nationally, setting the new single season record in made shots at the line. It was previously held Jerry Green with 196 (235 attempts) in 2000-01 > Hohn (11th--1,351), Leuchten (26th--1,151), and Tillis (34th--1,044) keep moving in the 1,000-career point scoring list UP NEXT No. 1 seed UC Irvine will make the trip out to Indianapolis for the NIT semifinals where they are pitted against North Texas on Tuesday Apr. 1 at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT). Print Friendly Version

The North Texas basketball team booked a spot in the NIT after winning 24 games and finishing second in the AAC standings. After three straight postseason victories, their season continues. The Mean Green’s most recent contest came with a minor hiccup. Luckily, it wouldn’t cause the campaign to come to an end. North Texas entered the NIT bracket as a two-seed. That gave them an opportunity to host their first two games. Unlike the NCAA Tournament, games are held on campus sites of the more highly ranked seeds up through the semifinals. Then, teams move onto Indianapolis. The Mean Green played, and beat, both Furman and Arkansas State in their home arena in Denton, TX. When No. 1 seed SMU went down in regional play, it gave them an opportunity to again host Oklahoma State in Game 3 as opposed to having to travel to Dallas to face the Mustangs. A scheduling conflict interfered. Despite being the better seed, they had to hit the road to Stillwater. read more: https://brobible.com/sports/article/north-texas-basketball-scheduling-conflict-nit/

Two opponents have bested the North Texas Mean Green men's basketball team this season. One was an in-state rival -- the other was a staff appreciation lunch. A university-scheduled luncheon forced the Mean Green to hit the road for their NIT quarterfinal game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Tuesday, according to the Denton Record-Chronicle. Despite NIT appearances in three previous years, including a 2023 championship win, the university didn't feel the need to block off the UNT Coliseum, better known as the Super Pit, in case it was needed for postseason play. North Texas athletic director Jared Mosley told the Record-Chronicle that the school worked to explore alternative venues but weren't able to find any. "There is no guarantee even if the staff appreciation luncheon could have been moved that we would have been selected to host due to other planning the NIT does and not knowing if television would have slotted our game for Tuesday or Wednesday," Mosley said. read more: https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/44418072/north-texas-mean-green-nit-tournament-unable-host-appreciation-lunch

"The UNT Community is proud of our Mean Green's men's basketball team and their success advancing in the NIT," the university said in a statement. "While we would have loved to host the quarterfinal round in the Super Pit, pre-existing commitments – including a campus-wide event and a long-term external contract – are taking the men's team on the road to face Oklahoma State [Tuesday] at 8 p.m." "While it is not uncommon for higher seeds to travel during the first three rounds in the NIT to accommodate facility availability, we hope our passionate Mean Green fans cheer on the team as they fight to advance to the semifinal round in Indiana," the university added. read more: https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/ncaa/ncaab/unt-unable-to-host-nit-quarterfinal-due-to-pre-existing-commitments/287-842990ba-9107-447d-8da2-a0981083f40b