Skipper

Alex Lessard | Associate Sports Editor @alexjlessard Mean Green women’s and men’s basketball head coaches Jalie Mitchell and Tony Benford were all smiles at the penultimate episode of the coach’s show at Rudy’s BBQ on Monday. With the men extending its home winning streak and the women splitting a pair of road games, each team has things to be excited about with just two weeks left in the regular season. First Half: Jalie Mitchell Headed into a road matchup against Florida International University on a five game losing streak last Thursday, the Mean Green women posted one of its most impressive victories of the season, winning 58-40. The game included an 18-0 run over a span of more than 13 minutes and was the first time in 126 games North Texas held an opponent to 40 points or fewer. “Since I preach defense a lot, that was a ton of fun, just to have that kind of success,” Mitchell said. “We talk about defense. We practice defense on a daily basis. So when you have a game plan and you execute it well, those are the types of things that can happen.” Mitchell said the team’s three seniors have been great mentors on the defensive end all season. And with senior night looming on Saturday’s home matchup with Southern Mississippi University, Mitchell is beginning to reflect and be thankful for what the senior class has done for the program. “I really hate that I only have one year with them,” Mitchell said. “I really enjoy our senior class. That group really took seriously in my opinion trying to lay a foundation from a culture standpoint, and I’m really appreciative of them.” The gratefulness was reciprocated from senior guard and this week’s player guest Teadra Jones, who particularly enjoyed the way Mitchell treated the veterans when she first arrived to the program. “She was very inviting,” Jones said. “She didn’t judge us on things that she heard before. We all kind of got equal opportunities to show who we were and what we wanted to do.” Looking ahead, North Texas (9-15, 4-10) has only four regular season games remaining before the Conference USA tournament in Birmingham, Alabama. However, the Mean Green currently sit in 13th place in the standings, and only 12 teams qualify for the tournament. “I don’t really think you can look forward,” Mitchell said. “I just think you just have to put your best foot forward as far as winning out. Then, you sort of see where that takes you. I’m excited about our chances.” Second Half: Tony Benford The men’s team is coming off its second consecutive 2-0 home stand, earning its tenth home win of the season and further solidifying its position in the C-USA standings. Thursday’s win wasn’t easy, though, as the Mean Green trailed by 12 with around six minutes remaining. Thanks to one of junior guard Deckie Johnson’s eight threes in the game with under a minute left, North Texas pulled off a 77-75 comeback victory. Johnson finished with a career-high 32 points, including 19 in the final eight minutes of action. “Deckie just took over the game,” Benford said. “I tell you what, he hit some big-time shots, but we got stops and we got easy baskets in transition.” On Saturday, a balanced effort helped the Mean Green get back in the win column, downing Florida Atlantic University 70-62. Benford’s squad had control of the inside throughout, outscoring FAU 28-14 in the paint. “What we wanted to establish there was the paint,” Benford said. “We talk about paint touches. We wanted to establish that early on, and we did that.” Sophomore guard and radio guest Greg White-Pittman was one of the most vocal bench supporters of the week, and said the locker room after Thursday’s thrilling win had one of the most energetic atmospheres of the year. “We lost a couple games coming in, so it riled us down a little bit,” White-Pittman said. “We needed these wins to push us up.” North Texas (6-8, 11-16) now sits in seventh place in C-USA and will face Louisiana Tech University and Southern Miss on the road this week, two teams it has already beaten earlier this season. But those games were at the Super Pit, and the Mean Green still need to overcome its road woes, only having won one game away from Denton. “We’ve got to win on the road,” Benford said. “That’s the challenge for our guys, and we talk about that as a staff. The thing is, we’ve got to be consistent on the defensive end, especially in the second half.” View Full Article

Reece Waddell | Senior Staff Writer @ReeceWaddell15 North Texas men’s basketball has rolled out six lineups this season that have more than 30 minutes of playing time on the court together. Of those six lineups, only two have a positive plus minus rating. A plus minus rating is a metric used to measure how effective a team is with certain players on the court. For instance, a player with a high plus minus rating heavily contributes to the team on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. Conversely, a player with a low plus minus rating is usually someone who is on the court when the team is not performing well and is either struggling to score the ball or giving up lots of points. The lineup with the most playing time for the Mean Green this year has been its usual starting five: sophomore forward Jeremy Combs, junior guards J-Mychal Reese and Deckie Johnson, graduate forward Eric Katenda and freshman guard Ja’Michael Brown. “That group right there has been pretty consistent,” head coach Tony Benford said. But that lineup has been one of the only effective and stable groups for Benford. With a +34 rating, the starting five for North Texas has scored 327 points while allowing 293. Having played 160 minutes together and counting, Benford has frequently relied on this lineup to produce. North Texas senior forward Eric Katenda (20) passes the ball while driving the lane against WKU. Katenda 4-4 from the free throw line despite a team 58 percent from the line. Colin Mitchell | Senior Staff Photographer Unfortunately for the Mean Green, that same lineup with freshman center Rickey Brice Jr. in place of Katenda drops from a +34 to a staggering -7. “There’s a different skill set,” Benford said. “Eric has more experience than Rickey, but Rickey is going to get there in time. We’re really pleased with his progress. But he’s still got a way to go where he can really be effective for extended minutes.” Katenda himself has experienced firsthand the struggles on the court this season. A graduate transfer in his first and only season with North Texas, Katenda attributes a majority of the team’s struggles to chemistry, or a lack thereof. “It sounds like everyone has their own agendas,” Katenda said. “We just need to continue to grow. We’re running out of tomorrows. I talked about it earlier in the year. We have a lot of guys from different places. We have eight newcomers this year. The chemistry, […] it’s been a problem for us.” However, the decision of Katenda or Brice has not produced the worst statistical lineup of the year. The group of Combs, Reese, Johnson, Brown and freshman guard Allante Holston has been on the court for over 48 minutes and is a -28 together. The third most used lineup for the Mean Green this season has been Combs, Johnson, Reese, Holston and freshman forward Khalil Fuller. With more than 59 minutes of playing time together, this group has a -2 rating and has been most frequently used when Brown, Katenda or Brice get into foul trouble. North Texas sophomore forward Jeremy Combs (1) throws down a dunk off of a break away against WKU. Nathan Roberts | Contributing Photographer The same holds true for the fourth most used lineup in terms of minutes played, which is the starting five with Fuller in for Katenda. With a +1 rating, this is yet another group Benford has utilized to give Brice and Katenda a breather during games. Finally, the squad of Katenda, Reese, Johnson, Holston and Combs are the least used lineup of the six, having seen action on the court for 39 minutes exactly. This group holds a -9 rating. Aside from the occasional defensive breakdowns, three of the Mean Green starters have played more than 850 of a possible 1,080 minutes. Additionally, Reese leads the team in minutes played at just over 897 and ranks seventh overall in Conference USA. Despite the heavy workload, Reese said he has not felt any negative side affects. “My body is fine,” Reese said. “I’ve been doing this for awhile, and even if I do get tired, I’m going to push through it.” Named co-captains of the team prior to the start of the year, Reese and Combs have been a part of the eight most used lineups for North Texas. Ranked first and third on the team in total points scored, both have been a vital asset for the Mean Green and have become a mainstay on the court. “I feel like we bring a lot with leadership and just going out there every game, giving it our all and doing what we can to help the team win,” Reese said. Featured Image: North Texas freshman center Rickey Brice yells after he dunks on a fast break against Southern Mississippi. Colin Mitchell | Senior Staff Photographer View Full Article

Alex Lessard | Associate Sports Editor @alexjlessard A lack of balanced offensive production and struggling to finish out games have been the Achilles heels of the men’s basketball team all season. But in Saturday night’s 70-62 against Florida Atlantic University (7-21, 5-10), North Texas (11-16, 6-8) put an end to its bad habits. The Mean Green’s 11-2 run out of the gate and six consecutive clutch free throws down the stretch ultimately sealed the victory. Head coach Tony Benford was proud of his team’s balanced effort, as ten players received playing time in the home victory. “It was really important. You’ve got to win your home games,” Benford said. “We know we’ve given some away all year, but we’re moving forward.” All five starters scored single digit points in the first half, but freshman center Rickey Brice Jr. led the team with eight off the bench. The Mean Green offense was fluid and aggressive throughout the game, outscoring FAU 28-14 in the paint and finding its groove by sharing its looks among multiple players, especially when it mattered most. “We’re getting the ball in the right spots, taking good shots and moving the ball,” junior guard J-Mychal Reese said. “When we’re getting shots and we’re playing like that, we’re hard to beat.” Despite failing to get to the free throw line once in the first half, North Texas did not stop attacking the basket. The Mean Green couldn’t match Florida Atlantic’s efficiency from the charity stripe (87.5 percent), but finished the game 17-for-25. Those free throws proved to be a critical factor in closing out the game. North Texas found itself up by double digits on three separate occasions but seemingly had to thwart off runs from the Owls each time it began to get comfortable, including an 8-0 run late in the second half that cut the lead to three points with 1:04 remaining. “It was tough, but I feel like we always keep fighting,” sophomore forward Jeremy Combs said. “We was missing easy shots, but we kept playing hard and started getting calls in the second half.” Whether it was one of graduate forward Eric Katenda’s four blocks or one of many ferocious dunks from Combs, the crowd at the Super Pit gave the Mean Green the energy it needed. The squad rocked all-black jerseys for the first time this season, which brought a larger crowd than usual to support the team. “I thought we had a great crowd,” Benford said. “I thought they did a great job getting engaged, especially when we started getting stops. I thought they helped us, and our guys fed off of that.” North Texas will have to go back on the road for its next two games at Louisiana Tech University and Southern Mississippi University next week. With only four games remaining in the regular season, the Mean Green have only one road victory all year. Nevertheless, Benford is confident that his team is peaking at just the right time. “I think everybody’s starting to come together,” Benford said. “All we can do is just try and continue to get better every day of practices and every game. There’s a lot of basketball left.” View Full Article

Alex Lessard | Associate Sports Editor @alexjlessard In search of its fourth straight victory at the Super Pit, North Texas men’s basketball defeated Florida Atlantic University 70-62. The win helps the Mean Green improve to 10-6 at home this season. The Mean Green defense was impenetrable out of the gate, holding Florida Atlantic scoreless for the first three and a half minutes of action. Meanwhile, North Texas got off to a hot start on offense as well, taking an 11-2 lead after junior guard Deckie Johnson drained a three pointer on his first shot of the game. Freshman center Rickey Brice Jr. brought the Mean Green even more energy as the first player off the bench, scoring buckets on three consecutive possessions and leading the team with eight first half points. North Texas then went up 19-9 on a breakaway dunk by sophomore forward Jeremy Combs, taking its biggest lead of the half. Despite falling behind early, the Owls relied on 5-of-12 three point shooting to prevent a large halftime deficit. But North Texas still controlled the paint, outscoring Florida Atlantic 16-4 from inside to take a 30-25 lead into the intermission. The aggressive mentality of North Texas didn’t slow down one bit in the second half. Utilizing the fast break off FAU misses helped the Mean Green extend its lead, going up 39-30 with 14:40 remaining. Next, a sequence of defensive fouls allowed the Owls to climb back once again, including a technical foul from the North Texas bench that resulted in four made free throws. The Mean Green continued to fight through, going up 11 with less than three minutes to play after a top of the key three ball from Johnson and a mid-range jumper from junior guard J-Mychal Reese. Florida Atlantic’s Marquan Botley wasn’t about to let his team fall apart. Just when the game seemed out of reach, he hit two straight shots from deep to cut the lead to 3 with 1:04 remaining. Ultimately, the same clutch defense that gave the Mean Green an early lead fueled the victory. Once Botley missed a layup with under 30 seconds left, North Texas was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. The team shot all 25 of its free throws in the second half. The North Texas big three contributed the majority of the scoring. Johnson led the way with 19 points, while Combs posted 17 and Reese ended with 14. Next up will be a road matchup against Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana on Feb. 25. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. View Full Article

Brady Keane | Staff Writer @BradyKeane3 Even after breaking collegiate passing records and winning a Super Bowl, North Texas offensive coordinator Graham Harrell always knew he wanted to be a football coach. However, his journey to Denton did not go how he originally had planned. After shattering almost every passing record in Texas Tech University history as the Red Raiders’ quarterback under head coach Mike Leach from 2004-2008, Harrell spent three years in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers and was a member of the team that won Super Bowl XLV in Arlington. But after being cut from the Packers before the 2013 season, Harrell was forced to live out of hotels and travel bags across the country while vying for another chance with an NFL team. That’s when Leach, now the head coach at Washington State University, called. “I was still training to play when Coach [Leach] called and asked if I would be interested in coaching with him,” Harrell said. “After being all over the place, any sort of stability sounded great to me.” It was a foot in the door for Harrell, and one that would eventually provide an opportunity to rapidly advance through the coaching ranks. He spent his first year as an offensive analyst for the Cougars before being promoted to wide receivers coach last season. While Washington State was flourishing under the “Air Raid” system Leach and Harrell are known for, Seth Littrell, who was the running backs coach at Texas Tech during Harrell’s playing career, was announced as the head coach at North Texas. It didn’t take long for Littrell to make a phone call to Harrell asking him to come back to Texas. Less than two weeks after Littrell was introduced as the Mean Green head coach in December, Harrell was announced as the team’s offensive coordinator. “It was a really tough decision,” Harrell said. “The toughest thing was just leaving Coach [Leach]. I enjoyed working with and playing for him, but at the end of the day, you have to do what you think is best. Getting an opportunity to come home and work for coach Littrell and being here at UNT just felt like the right move.” The addition of Harrell, who now has the unique experience of both playing and coaching in the Air Raid offense, could help ease some of the pains the Mean Green has had at quarterback over the last few seasons. Since Derek Thompson graduated after the 2013 season, North Texas has rolled out four different quarterbacks over the last two seasons. The quarterback position is important in such a pass-oriented offense, and Harrell will play a key role in both recruiting and developing the team’s signal callers. “Year in and year out, we are going to go out and recruit quarterbacks,” Littrell said. “At the end of the day, you have to have a quarterback to make any system work, especially when you throw the ball around.” Harrell’s impact on recruiting quarterbacks was felt almost immediately after joining the Mean Green. Having only been in Denton a few weeks, he helped bring former Allen High School star and University of Alabama back-up quarterback Alec Morris to North Texas for his final year of eligibility in 2016. Harrell’s role as both a former star quarterback in the state of Texas and his knowledge of the Air Raid offense played a large role in Morris’ decision. “I grew up in Texas, so I watched him play at Texas Tech,” Morris said. “Obviously, I think any quarterback would be excited about jumping into this kind of system. You’re a quarterback, so that’s what you’re on the field to do. When you get to throw the ball a lot, it’s fun to do.” The simplicity of the offensive attack should help to take the pressure off of Morris and returning senior starter DaMarcus Smith next season. North Texas was dead last in Conference USA in scoring at less than 16 points per game last season – an issue the Air Raid provides a simple yet explosive answer to. “It’s a quarterback-friendly offense,” Harrell said. “We put a lot of responsibility on the quarterback, but we try to keep it simple for him too. That’s what we think gives you the best chance to win. If you’re not thinking, then you’re not hesitating. You’re just out there playing and having fun.” While Harrell’s expertise will help to take some of the pressure off of the quarterbacks, his status as a Texas football legend gives an immediate advantage on the high school recruiting trail with both players and coaches across the state. “It definitely helps just as far as getting in the door and people getting excited for you to come to their school,” Harrell said. “It just helps build a relationship with a guy if they have a base knowledge of who you are.” Despite getting a late start in December, the Mean Green finalized the first recruiting class under the leadership of Harrell and Littrell on Feb. 3, coming out with a class of playmakers on both sides of the ball. North Texas added 19 players in the class, with nine offensive players that include local star running back Nic Smith and back-to-back Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year quarterback Mason Fine. “I was really pleased with it from the offensive side,” Harrell said. “We signed a lot of really talented players and guys that we think can come in and compete right away and help us right away. And that’s the ultimate goal.” With the signing class in place, Harrell is one step closer to getting back on the field and leading an offense. Although his playing days are over, the former quarterback still has a fierce competitive nature and will to win. “Once we get on the field, it’s just going to be coaching and competing, which I love to do,” Harrell said. “At the end of the day, it’s just doing what you love out there, and I’m looking forward to getting back out with the guys and coaching.” View Full Article

Haley Yates | Staff Writer @haleysocoollike Elementary school taught us there are five food groups essential to our health and well-being. But one thing the public health system failed to elaborate on is soul food. I’m not talking about your mama’s homemade chicken pot pies or Grammy’s creole crawfish étouffée – I’m talking about pancakes. Pancakes are an overlooked, happy food that should be consumed at least once a week, if not more. We’ve scoped out the best places in Denton to nourish your soul and satisfy the food pyramid. Dix Coney Island Dix is a new addition to the Square and offers both breakfast and dinner foods 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can get your standard buttery flapjack at this joint, or you could opt for their signature chicken in a blanket. It’s exactly what it sounds like: chicken strips cut into pieces and folded into a giant pancake. When the server places the plate in front of your starving face, you may question whether ketchup or syrup should be drizzled over the masterpiece. Syrup is the obvious answer, and the sticky sweetness perfectly compliments the chicken. Seven Mile Café Seven Mile is a quaint café residing in an old church and offers upscale breakfast yums. This is the place to go when you need a pancake fix but can’t decide what flavors you want in your mouth. Its pancakes are made from scratch, and it has flavors like red velvet, cinnamon roll and peanut butter chocolate. Can’t decide? Seven Mile has a sampler plate where you can pick your three favorite flavors. You absolutely cannot get the sampler plate without trying the “s’moreo” pancake – melted gooey marshmallow fluff spread into a chocolate chip pancake with Oreo and graham cracker crumbles on top. Enough said. Old West Café Old West Café does not have pancakes. It has slapjacks. I do not know how the two differ, or what the hell a slapjack is, but I do know they are damn good. At Old West, you can get all sorts of goodies on your slaps. Stuff them with fresh blueberries or chocolate chips, or slather them in whipped cream or peanut butter syrup. Old West also has crumbled sausage cakes on the menu, but that honestly sounds like a tummy explosion waiting to happen. Featured Image: The Chicken in a Blanket at Dix Coney Island has chicken strip pieces folded into a warm pancake. Haley Yates | Staff Photographer View Full Article

Brady Keane | Staff Writer @BradyKeane3 After a short recruiting period under first year head coach Seth Littrell, the Mean Green completed the first phase of the rebuilding process by signing the 2016 recruiting class on Wednesday, Feb. 3. Although the Mean Green had a recruiting class ranked at the bottom of Conference USA before Littrell took over, the energetic coach and new staff were able to haul in enough talent to climb the ladder in the C-USA and national rankings. <iframe class=”twofourseven-embed” style=”max-width: 100%” frameborder=”0″ width=”600px” height=”200px” src=”http://247sports.com/Season/2016-Football/CompositeTeamRankings/Embed?Conference=C-USA”></iframe><script async src=”http://assets.247sports.com/Scripts/Shared/embed.js” charset=”utf-8″></script> Here is a look at the 19 players who North Texas added for next season and how they will fit into the new offensive and defensive schemes Littrell is installing. Mid-Term Transfers Bryce English, DT – Desoto, TX (Kansas State) After graduating from DeSoto High School, English chose Kansas State over offers from Southern Methodist University, the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Houston. The 5’11, 295 lb. defensive tackle spent last season as a redshirt, but decided to transfer to North Texas after his father was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer. English was a three-star recruit coming out of high school and will be a key part of the Mean Green defensive front in the coming years. He is definitely a big snag for Littrell and first year defensive coordinator Mike Ekeler. English is applying for a hardship waiver that would allow him to play right away this season, but there has not been a ruling on that at this time. T.J. Henson, OL – Plano, TX (Trinity Valley CC) The recruitment of Henson was a wild ride. The 6’5, 305 lb. was originally verbally committed to the University of Nevada, before de-committing and verbally committing to Eastern Carolina University in late November. Finally, Henson committed to the Mean Green and signed a Letter of Intent on Dec. 16. After graduating from Plano East High School, Henson played offensive line for the Trinity Valley Community College Cardinals for the last two seasons. Henson will join returners Chris Miles, Kaydon Kirby, Sam Rice and Jordan Murray on the offensive line next season. Alec Morris, QB – Allen, TX (Alabama) Morris graduated from local powerhouse Allen High School in 2012 and was ranked as the No. 26 pro style quarterback in that recruiting class by 247 Sports. Morris threw for 3,242 yards and 35 touchdowns as a senior at Allen but has spent the last three years as a backup at Alabama after most recently failing to beat out Jake Coker and Cooper Bateman. Morris gives head coach Seth Littrell another option at a position the team has struggled at since the departure of Derek Thompson. Morris will compete with DaMarcus Smith, who led the Mean Green in passing last season after starting six games and throwing for 1010 yards with eight touchdowns and five interceptions. Joshua Wheeler, DE – Grand Prairie, TX (Tyler JC) Wheeler graduated from South Grand Prairie High School before going to Tyler Junior College and joining the Apaches. Wheeler led the team and the conference in sacks with 16 last seasons and finished the year with 49 tackles as well. The Mean Green return three DE’s that started five or more games last season, including Jarrian Roberts, Malik Dilonga and Andy Flusche. There is already a solid amount of depth at the position, but a playmaker like Wheeler certainly provides depth and gives Ekeler options up front. High School Signees Chandler Anthony, OL – Tuttle, OK (Tuttle HS) Anthony is a massive offensive lineman that comes to the Mean Green at 6’7, 280 lbs. The Tuttle, Oklahoma native had four offers from schools including Illinois State University, the University of Memphis and the University of Wyoming before ultimately signing with North Texas. Anthony will add both size and depth to an offensive line that returns three out of the five starting positions from last season. Rico Bussey, Jr., WR – Lawton, OK (Eisenhower HS) Coming out of Lawton, Oklahoma, Bussey had 10 offers from schools across the country ranging from the University of Lousiana-Lafayette to the United States Naval Academy, but he eventually signed with the Mean Green. Bussey was an integral part of the offense at Lawton Eisenhower over the last few years, accounting for almost 3,000 total yards and more than 20 touchdowns. Bussey brings size to a receiving core that will be missing its top target from 2015 in Carlos Harris. With Darvin Kidsy’s status up in the air, receiver is certainly a position in need of depth in Littrell’s wide-open offensive system. Mason Fine, QB – Locust Grove, OK (Locust Grove HS) At Littrell’s introductory press conference, he mentioned the Mean Green would be going after a quarterback for every recruiting class. Fine is the guy for 2016. His stats in high school speak volumes, as Fine set the Oklahoma all-time state passing record last season and was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Oklahoma in each of the last two seasons. Over the last two years, the Locust Grove star threw for 9,233 yards and 124 touchdowns and ran for 1,164 yards and 20 touchdowns. The only statistic that held Fine back from bigger programs was his size, as the QB is just 5’10. However, Littrell has been a part of offenses that have found success with smaller quarterbacks in the past, as Cody Hodges (Texas Tech) and Tre Roberson (Indiana) both started at QB and were listed at or below 6′. The Mean Green have both Alec Morris and DaMarcus Smith for next season, but Fine is a playmaker who could develop into a gem for the future of the offense. Deion Griffin, WR – Fort Worth, TX (Arlington Heights HS) Deion Griffin, like Johnson, was a dynamic quarterback in high school but is undersized for the position at the collegiate level. Griffin will likely play with the Mean Green as a slot receiver and kick returner and certainly has proven to have the play making ability to make an impact. The former Arlington Heights star was named the MVP of District 7-5A in 2014 after accounting for 38 touchdowns. The Mean Green will be without breakout returner Tre Johnson next season after the walk-on left the program, so look for Griffin to fill that role of an impact player in the return game. LaDarius Hamilton, LB – Moscow, TX (Corrigan-Camden HS) Hamilton was a big pick up for the Mean Green on the defensive side of the ball. The Corrigan-Camden High School star did not announce his decision until signing day after originally committing and de-committing from Texas State University. Hamilton could play either defensive end or linebacker for the Mean Green, although linebacker is arguably the spot the team struggled at more last season. With the addition of Hamilton, first year defensive coordinator Mike Ekeler lands a three-star playmaker in the middle of the defense. Jameel Moore, CB – Cedar Hill, TX (Cedar Hill HS) Ekeler and Litrell were able to sway the local Cedar Hill prospect away from an early commitment to Rice University, and Moore will join a young cornerback group that delighted coaches last season. The Mean Green return both rising sophomores Nate Brooks and Ashton Preston. Khairi-Ali Muhammad, S – Desoto, TX (Desoto HS) Muhammad was one of the final commits for Littrell and the Mean Green offense, committing on the Sunday just before signing day after playing for DeSoto High School last season. Muhammad was the fifth leading receiver for the Eagles with 270 yards and two touchdowns in 2015 while also playing in the secondary on the defense. Muhammad will play on the defensive side of the ball for the Mean Green in a secondary that gained a lot of depth through the off-season. Joseph Ozougwu, DE – Alief, TX (Taylor HS) After graduating from Alief Taylor High School, Ozougwu passed on several opportunities at smaller colleges and universities to accept a grayshirt offer from the Mean Green. A grayshirt offer, according to Jeremy Crabtree of ESPN, is a delayed version of a redshirt. Basically, Ozougwu joined the program this spring after signing a Letter of Intent in February 2015, and he still has all of his eligibility remaining. Ozougwu has been out of football for a year but said last year he would be spending that time focusing on improving his speed and size. The DE graduated Alief Taylor at 6’3 205 lbs. and, like Wheeler, will provide the Mean Green with more depth on the defensive line. Nic Smith, RB – Arlington, TX (Martin HS) Smith was a big pick up for the Mean Green, as Littrell was able to sign both him and Tyler Wilson from Arlington Martin HS. Smith is a smaller running back at just 5’10, 175 lbs., but his speed (4.45 – 40 yard dash) and his skill earned him a three-star rating from 247Sports. Smith had interest from schools such as California University, Purdue University , SMU, Utah State University, Texas Christian University and Texas, but Littrell was able to close the deal for the Mean Green. At the running back position, Jeffrey Wilson will be entering his junior season after a nice year running the ball last season. Smith will find a way to fit into Littrell’s spread attack and could be an impact player down the road. Tyler Wilson, WR – Arlington, TX (Martin HS) Wilson was the high school teammate of star running back signee Nic Smith and will be another addition to the depth of the receiving core that the Mean Green will be in need of to execute Littrell’s offense. Wilson finished last season with 770 yards receiving and six touchdowns and was dangerous in the kick return game as well. Junior College Transfers Dontavious Baulkman, S – Bainbridge, GA (Arizona Western JC) After spending two years at Arizona Western Community College, North Texas was the only FBS program to offer Baulkman. The defensive back is a playmaker at both safety and cornerback, racking up 56 tackles, five tackles for loss and an interception last season. Ejodamen Ejiya, LB – Blaine, MN (North Dakota St. College Of Science) Ejiya was originally from Minnesota before attending NDSCS for each of the last two seasons. The 6’3, 215lb. linebacker will join the Mean Green in the fall after finishing his two-year degree. Ekeler and the Mean Green feel Ejiya’s skill-set projects well into the defensive scheme, and he could move around from linebacker to other positions. Ejiya finished last season with 62 tackles, four sacks and two interceptions. Cody Hayes, OL – Fort Worth, TX (Navarro JC) Hayes was a big win for the Mean Green on signing day, as the Navarro JC prospect had interest from both Houston and Lousiana Tech University as well. Hayes has good size at 6’5, 300 lbs. and could help fill the gap that will be left at tackle with the departure of Michael Banogu. William Johnson, LB – Pompano Beach, FL (Arizona Western JC) Johnson was a last minute pick up for the Mean Green on National Signing Day, after the Arizona Western JC product was originally committed to Nebraska before committing and de-committing from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Johnson was a three-star prospect with good size at 6’3, 220 lbs. and heads up a strong class of linebackers for Ekeler to work with in his inaugural season. Johnson finished last year with 50 tackles and three sacks for Arizona Western. Darius Turner, CB – Nashville, TN (Arizona Western JC) Turner rounds out the third of defensive signees from Arizona Western JC and is a well-sized corner that provides even more depth to that position in the secondary. The Mean Green are high on the young corners they have, but any additional talent will be important for Ekeler and the defense looking to bounce back from last season’s abysmal performance. View the full article

Alex Lessard | Associate Sports Editor @alexlikechexmix Although both the men’s and women’s basketball teams failed to earn a victory last week, the weekly coach’s show made its return on Monday at Rudy’s BBQ. Women’s head coach Jalie Mitchell and men’s head coach Tony Benford each spent time going over recent games and did not deny that their teams have a lot to work on in order to qualify for the Conference USA tournaments next month. First Half: Jalie Mitchell With a chance to take advantage of two critical home games last week, the Mean Green women (8-14, 3-9) failed to come out on top in either matchup. Sluggish starts put North Texas in early holes it couldn’t climb out of in each game, trailing 20-10 after the first quarter Saturday against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and facing a 37-13 halftime deficit against Old Dominion University. “I don’t like excuses,” Mitchell said. “I definitely feel like we can find a way to win still with everything going on. Every team is in the same position at the end of the year.” North Texas came back strong in the second half on Thursday, outscoring Old Dominion 35-28 to avoid its largest losing deficit of the season. However, Saturday’s matchup with Charlotte was a completely different story. The Mean Green had put together a ferocious comeback, but gave up 36 fourth quarter points on the way to its fifth consecutive loss. “Honestly, we just ran out of gas,” Mitchell said. “We gave up way too many points on the defensive end, but I think that was due to us being tired. I was trying to have us buckle down and get stops.” Always alongside Mitchell on the bench is associate head coach Bobby Brasel, this week’s guest during the first half of the show. Mitchell had a lot of candidates vying for a spot on her staff when she arrived, but didn’t have much trouble convincing the well-known Texas recruiter to come to North Texas. “I could feel after spending one afternoon with her the excitement, the passion and that the tide was going to turn,” Brasel said. “I really wanted to be a part of something that was going to erupt and be something special. It was a no-brainer for me.” Brasel and Mitchell will look for the Mean Green to bounce back in two road games this week. Currently sitting in 12th place out of 14 teams in the C-USA standings, North Texas doesn’t have a large margin for error if it wants to qualify for the 12-team C-USA tournament. “Our kids are fighting and trying to fight through being tired, being in the end of the season and injuries, that kind of thing,” Mitchell said. “We’ve just got to pull it together and make it happen.” Second Half: Tony Benford Coming off consecutive home wins the week prior, The Mean Green men (9-16, 4-8) suffered two blowout losses on the road against Old Dominion and Charlotte, its sixth and seventh losses of the season by at least 20 points. North Texas was ahead by three points at the intermission Thursday, but Benford said not getting 50-50 balls and paint touches proved costly down the stretch. “I thought their offensive rebounding really hurt us in the second half,” Benford said. “They’re the best offensive rebounding teams in our league. It got away from us at about the four-minute mark, and just couldn’t ever get back in it.” Meanwhile, rebounding was overshadowed by bigger team issues in the Mean Green’s 103-79 loss to Charlotte on Saturday. Benford’s squad found itself down 21 points at halftime on its way to giving up over 100 points for the second time this season. “If you give up ten threes in the first half and 56 points, you’re not going to beat anybody, especially on the road,” Benford said. “We just didn’t do a good job defensively.” One player that hasn’t gotten a chance to improve the North Texas defense is senior guard Todd Eaglin, who only played five minutes combined in the team’s last two games. This week’s player guest has seen a steep drop in playing time from 13.7 minutes per game last season to 3.6 this year, but still takes on the role of a key cog in the locker room. “I want to play, but its more about the team than myself,” Eaglin said. “Going hard at [Reese and Brown] in practice, it’s going to make them better and do what it takes to win.” North Texas will return to the Super Pit this week with matchups against Florida Atlantic University and Florida international University, two teams that sit just a sliver ahead of the Mean Green in the C-USA standings. “This is a huge week for us,” Benford said. “We’re a half game behind FAU and two games behind FIU, so we’ve got a chance to take care of home. I’ve talked to the guys about this, to position ourselves going into the tournament in the top eight to get the seed and the first-round bye.” View the full article

Staff Reports Eric Jamal Johnson, 20. The man who allegedly shot and killed Sara Mutschlechner was indicted for murder last week by a Denton County grand jury. Eric Johnson, 20, was the only person arrested in connection with the New Year’s day shooting that caused Mutschlechner to die. Denton police said Johnson admitted he fired a handgun at Mutschlechner’s car. One bullet hit Mutschlechner in the head while she was driving, causing her to lose control of the vehicle and crash into a light pole. Johnson, a former Marine, was driving his mother’s car after leaving a party — the same one Mutschlechner attended — when he pulled up next to the 20-year-old sorority sister’s car while driving on Elm Street. The people in Johnson’s car, police said, were shouting at Mutschlechner and her passengers. The situation escalated, and Denton police allege Johnson shot two rounds at her car before speeding away. He was later arrested in Yuma, Arizona, by U.S. Marshals. He was brought back to Denton Jan. 21. View the full article

Torie Mosley | Staff Writer @toriemosley Despite North Texas men’s basketball’s sluggish start after losing seven of its last 10 games, the Mean Green has seen consistent elite play from its star player all year. Sophomore forward Jeremy Combs is averaging a double-double with 15.5 points and 10.6 rebounds a game this season, thanks to his aggressive ball skills and speed up and down the court. While he is one of the team’s two captains, he isn’t known for talking about his own accomplishments. “I’m feeling good [about season start],” Combs said. “But hopefully I can get even better.” Combs has started all 24 games for North Texas so far this season while dominating on both sides of the ball. North Texas sophomore forward celebrates after a dunk against Idaho University. Colin Mitchell | Senior Staff Photographer In averaging a double-double on the season, Combs posted a seven-game double-double streak that lasted a month and ended just last week in the 70-54 home stomping of Southern Miss. He was only one rebound away from extending the streak, had head coach Tony Benford not pulled Combs in the final minute with the game already out of hand. Losing the streak didn’t upset Combs that much. Before a practice this week, he laughed when remembering getting taken out of the game to watch the streak slip away. “I’m not going to lie, I knew I was one [rebound] away,” Combs said. “I didn’t want to say anything because there was one minute left and I didn’t want to look selfish. I’ll just get the streak started again.” Sophomore guard Greg White-Pittman bursted out laughing next to Combs when he mentioned the moment. The two joined the Mean Green roster together as members of last year’s recruiting class, and the guard said Combs’ effort makes him want to play at his best. “The best thing about Jeremy is he works hard,” White-Pittman said. “He doesn’t really take plays off, so you never have to worry about his effort.” North Texas sophomore forward Jeremy Combs (1) pump fakes the defender then goes up for a layup against Louisiana Tech. Nathan Roberts | Staff Photographer Benford also found humor in forgetting about the stat line when he took Combs out of the game after North Texas had a comfortable lead late in the game. “I did not know,” Benford said. “If I was aware of it I would have put him back in to go get another rebound.” The fourth year Mean Green coach said it’s been a joy to coach Combs. “When you have a guy like that, you really appreciate it because he gives you 100 percent every day,” Benford said. Graduate forward Eric Katenda echoed White-Pittman’s thoughts about Combs’ effort, saying it makes it easier for him when fighting opponents off the board in the paint. “I feel like I don’t have to worry about every board because he goes after every board,” Katenda said. “We had a couple we really had to fight for the ball. Sometimes I’m like, ‘Box a dude out for once.’ But there’s not really that much to complain about.” Katenda added Combs’ attitude adds a level of excitement to go out on the court with him every night. “He’s the ultimate junkyard dog,” Katenda said. “He’s going after every rebound and loose ball. His motor doesn’t stop, and that’s what we all respect him for.” Katenda has roomed with Combs since joining North Texas this season, and while Combs is relatively soft-spoken in public, Katenda said he talks a lot more than the media and Mean Green faithful think. “He’s pretty cool, but he doesn’t shut up,” Katenda said. “He’s always trying to tell you what he knows more than you – but I just brush it off and say, ‘Okay, you won’.” The camaraderie Combs has with his teammates and coaches is helping keep North Texas together in the middle of a 9-15 season. But on the court, Benford said Combs has excelled in taking over as the face of Mean Green men’s basketball. “There’s not many guys in college that have a motor and enjoy playing,” Benford said. “He’s a great representative of what we want our program to be all about.” Featured Image: North Texas sophomore forward Jeremy Combs dunks against Western Kentucky University. Colin Mitchell | Senior Staff Photographer View the full article

Torie Mosley | Staff Writer @toriemosley North Texas men’s basketball just can’t seem to win on the road. After picking up two straight wins at the Super Pit, the Mean Green (9-15, 4-7) dropped the sixth of its last eight games 67-47 on the road against Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. To start the game, North Texas came out firing on all cylinders in a back-and-forth first half against Old Dominion (14-10, 7-4), the fifth place team in the Conference USA standings. The Mean Green led 24-21 after the first half before the Monarchs took over in the second. “We had a rough second half,” head coach Tony Benford said. “We didn’t do a good job getting stops on defense, and we couldn’t score at all.” North Texas struggled offensively against the more aggressive Old Dominion team. The Mean Green only shot 31.4 percent from the field and 15.8 percent from three-point range. Mean Green three-point specialist and junior guard Deckie Johnson turned his ankle at the four minute mark of the first half, but still put up 30 minutes of action for the team. “Deckie going down with his ankle injury definitely affected us on the perimeter,” Benford said. “We didn’t make the shots we should have made to keep us in the game.” On the defensive end, North Texas battled hard in the first half before falling behind early in the last 20 minutes of the game. The Monarchs scored the first eight points after the break and went on a 20-6 run to start the second half. Graduate forward Eric Katenda said he was proud of the way the team played in the first half, but the Mean Green failed to keep up with the Monarchs towards the end of the game. “We played way better in the first,” Katenda said. “In the second half, [Old Dominion] hustled more than we did. They controlled the paint with their big men and forced us to take tough shots.” Spreading the ball on offense was a big challenge for North Texas throughout the matchup. The Mean Green only connected on five assists the entire game. Sophomore Jeremy Combs had his eighth double-double in 11 games, but it wasn’t enough to lead the team to victory in its tough road contest. “We let the ball stick too much on offense tonight,” junior guard J-Mychal Reese said. “We couldn’t find an outside shot, and they doubled Jeremy every time he had the ball.” Old Dominion’s control of the paint fueled the 20-point loss for the Mean Green. Katenda fouled out in the second half, making matter worst for North Texas. “We couldn’t drive the ball as much in the second half,” Reese said. “We got beat in the post on the boards and on offense.” Old Dominion out-rebounded the Mean Green 44-36 in the game, an area Benford looks to improve on headed into the team’s next game. “They beat us on the glass tonight, and that’s always tough,” Benford said. “Our defense needs to play more up tempo if we want to get better.” Next up for North Texas is another road matchup against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Tipoff is at 3 p.m. View the full article

Reece Waddell | Senior Staff Writer @ReeceTapout15 Last season, the North Texas men’s basketball team lacked a true point guard. Without a floor general, the Mean Green utilized a “point guard by committee” style of play, meaning players with little to no experience facilitating and distributing the ball were often asked to run the offense. North Texas ranked last in Conference USA in 2014 in assists per game as well as assist to turnover ratio. With this in mind, head coach Tony Benford has put an emphasis on recruiting what he calls combo guards—players that can run the point as well as play the wing. “It’s the way the game is trending,” Benford said. “I think that’s the way it is. With the new rules, you can’t guard guys now. It’s tough to guard off the dribble. We want to make sure we have guards who can dribble, shoot and pass it. When you make up your roster, you want to have heavy seven guards and six [big men].” Since the end of last year, junior guard J-Mychal Reese regained eligibility. Listed at 6’2, Reese has started every game at point guard for North Texas this season and is second on the team in scoring, averaging 15.1 points per contest. The Mean Green also acquired junior guard Deckie Johnson and freshman guard Ja’Michael Brown in the offseason. Johnson, a 6’4 wingman has provided the offense with much needed floor spacing and gives the team a shooting threat on the perimeter. In the middle of this season, North Texas picked up Southern Methodist University transfer guard Keith Frazier, a former McDonald’s High School All-American and the first ever to play at North Texas. Now, the Mean Green have jumped three spots this year in both assists and assists to turnover ratio, ranking 11th in C-USA in each category. “It’s going to help us more,” Reese said. “It’s going to help us be a fast paced team and put up more points. There are a lot of teams around the country that play four guards and one big man, spreading the floor like that and breaking people down.” The advantage of having a handful of guards on a team is twofold. Along with having depth on the bench, a surplus allows coaches to alter the lineup in accordance with size advantage or disadvantages. It’s the same reason Benford favors combo guards, particularly the 6’5 Frazier. “I think if you have a lot of guards who can play multiple positions, it’s only going to help your team,” Frazier said. Even more intriguing is the outlook for next season. With each guard on the team returning in 2016, as well as picking up a yet-to-be-announced high school commit, the backcourt at the Super Pit has the potential to be crowded next year. Nevertheless, neither Frazier nor Reese mind the competition, instead insisting the logjam will improve the team as well. “It will be like second nature when you get into the game,” Reese said. “When you’re going against good competition, it makes playing in the game [easier].” Although Benford has made a point to recruit guards, he has not neglected other positions. But with the trend of small-ball prevalent throughout college basketball, he wants to make certain his team is prepared to adapt and compete. “You have to have great guard play,” Benford said. “If you look at the game, that’s where it’s at right now. I feel like we have really good guards here. But you still have to have a balance and good post players. You want to have that versatility.” View the full article

Austin Jackson | Staff Writer @a_jack17 It’s not a world tour or their girl’s tour, but the Mean Green men’s golf starts spring ready to go back-to-back. After finishing out fall with a breakout win at Quail Valley, head men’s golf coach Brad Stracke is looking to lead his senior-less squad of over-performing freshman and veteran leaders to consecutive C-USA titles for the second time in five years. “We didn’t play quite like we should have, but we ended up playing great at the end of the year,” Stracke said. “After winning that last one, I’m expecting big things out of them by the end of spring.” With a winter regiment consisting of workouts, range sessions and six practice rounds per week, Stracke has the Mean Green working hard to live up to expectations. The spring season begins Monday, Feb. 8 with a trip to San Antonio to face off against No. 10 Oklahoma University, last year’s winner Baylor University and conference foes at the UTSA Oak Hills Invitational. After Oak Hills, the team will play five tournaments leading up to the C-USA championship at Texarkana Country Club on April 24-27. After the Mean Green lost their two best players on their C-USA championship team to graduation, Stracke replaced former standouts Juan Munoz and Jason Moetz with two international freshman. “I think some of the other teams thought we weren’t going to be as good this year,” Stracke said. “But I knew we had a good class coming in and the guys returning. We’re good. I think we’re actually going to be a little stronger this year.” Freshmen Thomas Rosenmueller and Ian Snyman proved Stracke right in the fall, stepping up as two of the team’s best players. Rosenmueller became the team’s ace, living under par all year by carrying a scoring average of 71.16. That is almost two strokes better than Munoz, the team’s former ace. “It was an amazing first season, especially as a freshman,” Rosenmueller said. “But there’s a lot of things I can take to a higher level.” In the fall, Rosenmueller finished 12th at the Memphis Intercollegiate and second at the Windon Memorial, but he saved his best play for last at Quail Valley. In his final tournament, Germany’s No. 2 ranked amateur stormed to a blistering nine-under 63 in the second round, finishing the tournament on top of the leaderboard at 12-under. Snyman, the Mean Green’s other freshman phenom, has goals to defend the team’s C-USA title and make a run at the NCAA championship, but said his sole focus is on the present. “I feel like my game is getting better,” Snyman said. “I just need to put a good score on the board and come out guns-a-blazing at Oak Hills.” The South Africa native held the team’s second best scoring average, 72.66, after the fall season and was named C-USA player of the week after finishing fifth at the Memphis Invitational – the best Mean Green freshman debut since 1999. Sophomore Michael Cotton tied Snyman in scoring average, but had mixed results in the first two tournaments of the fall. Cotton finished seventh at the Bayou Classic then posted a team-best 68 in the final round at Quail Valley, securing the Mean Green’s first victory of the season. In the final round of the Texas Amateur Championship, he wobbled, turning a two-stroke lead into a two-stroke deficit after going four over par through eight holes. But instead of imploding, Cotton showed resilience by draining putt after putt to go eight-under in his final 10 holes, ascending three strokes ahead of the runner-up to win Texas Amateur Championship. The big stage brings out the best in junior Cory Churchman as well. With the 2015 Conference-USA title on the line, Churchman sank a five-foot birdie putt, sealing North Texas’ fourth conference title in eight years. After sweeping UAB in match play, he took over as team captain. But fresh off his post-season heroics, Churchman began his junior year in a funk. In his first two tournaments, the Mean Green captain failed to string three cohesive rounds together, finishing outside of the top 50. “At the start I didn’t play well. It was rough,” Churchman said. ”I’m one of the older guys. I should be the one everyone can count on to put a good score up there.” By the third tournament, Churchman righted the ship, finishing 12th at the Bayou Classic and sixth at Quail Valley. North Texas men’s golf enters spring ranked No. 66 nationally, second in conference behind No. 27 ranked University of Alabama at Birmingham. Churchman said the ranking didn’t stop them from winning a title last year, adding that rankings that really matter come after the season is over. Churchman, Cotton, Rosenmueller and Snyman started every tournament in the fall with the fifth spot being shared between four other players. The fifth man rotation included sophomore Ross Martens and juniors Alejandro Villasana, Colin Pearson and Nick Rodriguez. Each posted rounds outside of the top 50 in tournament play, leaving the door open for junior Andrew Hudson and freshman Kyle Berkshire to make their first tournament appearance this spring. Martens said the competition for the fifth spot has galvanized the team. “It’s different than any other sport, really,” Martens, the team’s only lefty, said. “We’re all great friends off the course and you want your teammates to do well, but you want to play.” Stracke is bringing six players to compete at Oak Hills: Churchman, Cotton, Rosenmueller, Villasana, Snyman and Pearson. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a tight golf course or wide open. My best players are my best players,” Stracke said. “They can play anywhere.” View the full article

Reece Waddell | Senior Staff Writer @ReeceTapout15 The silent assassin struck again. Junior guard Deckie Johnson had 19 second half points, including a four-point play which brought the 4,000 plus crowd at the Super Pit to its feet in the Mean Green’s upset victory. He finished the game with 21 points and seven rebounds. Despite shooting 1-of-4 from the field for two points in the first half, Johnson exploded in the second half, taking over the game with his shooting and ability to create off the dribble. Johnson even had an exchange with junior guard J-Mychal Reese one time up the floor, when the junior college transfer clapped his hands together demanding the ball. “I let the game come to me,” Johnson said. “I try to not do too much. I don’t force anything. [Reese] is the point guard, I trust him. I wasn’t mad.” North Texas shot 14 percent from beyond the arc in the first half, making just one three on seven attempts. With the Bulldogs primarily playing a zone defense to force the Mean Green to shoot from the outside, North Texas relied heavily on sophomore Jeremy Combs to keep it in the game before the solo cavalry of Johnson arrived in the second half. “I just hit my first shot and I started to feel it,” Johnson said. “My teammates did a good job finding me. It was a confidence thing.” Once Johnson began knocking down perimeter shots, the offense started to find a rhythm and began the second half on a 17-6 run. “It turned the game,” head coach Tony Benford said. “It was huge. He hit that first one and it just started to open up. He’s one of the best shooters in our league.” Johnson scored 15 of the team’s 17 points during the aforementioned run, which gave North Texas a lead it would only relinquish one time. The Mean Green shot 71.7 percent from beyond the arc in the second half, forcing the Bulldogs to close out on North Texas shooters, especially Johnson. The result was inside scoring opportunities for sophomore forward Jeremy Combs and graduate forward Eric Katenda, who finished the game with 16 points and six rebounds, including several crucial free throws down the stretch to seal the game. “They started to help a lot more, so of course it makes it a lot easier for us,” Katenda said. “It definitely opens up the floor for everyone. It didn’t take us long to realize [Johnson] was feeling it.” And according to Benford, the difference in the game was apparent. “[We had] Deckie Johnson,” Benford said. View the full article

Reece Waddell | Senior Staff Writer @ReeceTapout15 In a pivotal Conference-USA showdown with postseason implications, North Texas erased a 10 point first half deficit to defeat Louisiana Tech University 80-69. It is the second straight year the Mean Green (9-14, 4-6) have beaten the Bulldogs (17-6, 6-4) at home. Behind 19 second half points from junior guard Deckie Johnson, North Texas fed off the energy of the largest crowd at the Super Pit all season. The official announced attendance came in at 4,610. Johnson scored 12 of the Mean Green’s first 15 points of the second half, including a four-point play which gave the Mean Green its first lead of the afternoon at 47-46. Johnson took over the game in the second half, aggressively calling for the ball each time down the court and winning his isolation matchups with defenders. He finished the game with 21 points and seven rebounds. Although the team jumped out to an 11-point second half lead, it was not all easy for North Texas. The Bulldogs made it increasingly difficult for the Mean Green offense to get anything going in the first half. Louisiana Tech was able to stymie the North Texas three point shooters, as the Mean Green shot just 14 percent from beyond the arc in the first half. With the outside shots not falling, North Texas resorted to a pick-and-roll game with sophomore forward Jeremy Combs and freshman center Rickey Brice Jr. Several times throughout the first half, the Mean Green got easy layups off give and go’s to the basket. Johnson even had a fantastic no-look pass to Combs, who finished with a ferocious slam dunk. With the reliance on the pick-and-roll game came several offensive fouls. The Mean Green were whistled for at least three moving screens in the first half which killed momentum. One foul negated freshman guard Ja’Michael Brown’s three, which would have pulled North Texas to within four. To make matters worse for the Mean Green, junior guard J-Mychal Reese picked up two early fouls and was relegated to the bench for the final seven minutes of the first half. Despite not leading in the first 20 minutes, North Texas refused to go away and entered the locker room trailing 40-30. A different Mean Green squad emerged from the tunnel in the second half and began to find a rhythm offensively. With Johnson knocking down the outside shots, the paint opened up for dribble drives and layup attempts around the basket. This allowed for Combs and graduate forward Eric Katenda to post up in the paint and got the Bulldogs in early foul trouble. Louisiana Tech refused to go away, however. The Bulldogs held the Mean Green scoreless for a 2:49 stretch in second half and got to within four points with under three minutes remaining. Fouls proved costly down the stretch for Louisiana Tech, as North Texas shot 75 percent from the charity stripe to thwart off any hope of a Bulldog’s comeback. Next up: North Texas travels to take on Old Dominion University on Thursday, Feb. 11. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. View the full article

Torie Mosley | Staff Writer @toriemosley North Texas swimming and diving is making the 2015-2016 season a year to remember. At 7-3 in dual meets so far this season, the Mean Green is off to its best start in school history. The seven victories also mark the second-most in team history, the seventh coming in a dominating 180-120 win on senior day against Texas Christian University last Friday at the last North Texas home dual meet this season. “It’s overwhelming,” senior Bianca Bocsa said. “I’m really proud of this team. [People] have no idea how much work we put into this. We woke up [Friday] morning with the thought of ‘We’re going to beat TCU.’” The Mean Green blew past TCU early in the meet before going on to win each of the first 10 swimming events, winning 12 of the 16 total events overall. Junior Samantha Scheck and senior Jasmine Abercrombie shined on the boards for North Texas, with Scheck placing second and third in the one and three meter competitions and Abercrombie finishing fourth in both events. Scheck’s scores of 263.92 on the 1-meter and 254.10 on the 3-meter are the best by a Mean Green diver this season. Abercrombie’s 1-meter score of 249.22 and 3-meter 249.97 score was the second-best by a North Texas diver all season. The win was just the fourth North Texas victory against the Horned Frogs in 23 all-time meetings. “TCU is a good rivalry for us,” head coach Brendon Bray said. “We need meets like this to make us swim our fastest.” Bocsa has swam fast for the Mean Green all season. The senior was a part of three of the wins against TCU and took first place in meets against University of the Incarnate Word, Liberty University, Rice University and the University of Houston. “Bianca’s really hard-working and a really good leader for our team,” Bray said. “She works hard in practice and always leads by example.” The Mean Green honored Bocsa along with Abercrombie, Nichelle Balcaen, Gaby Colunga, Haley Goertz, Zoe James, Sarah Manning and Ashley Payne on senior night. But it was freshman Rebekah Bradley who stole the show, earning Conference USA Swimmer of the Week honors for her performance against TCU, where she finished first place in both the 100-yard and 200-yard strokes. She said helping send the team’s seniors off with a win in the last home meet made this season even more special. “I’ve never experienced something like that before,” Bradley said. “It was cool that all the parents came out and supported. The seniors really deserved to go out like that.” Bradley joined the team in January and has had first place finishes in every meet with the Mean Green so far. Bradley and Sophomore Sarah Vaisse combined for two of the last three C-USA swimmers of the week. Vaisse also said she felt proud to be a part of the senior’s last home win. “All the seniors did really well all season,” Vaisse said. “That was the best gift that we could give them. I’m really glad the seniors get to end their career at UNT with a win. It’s the only way to end it right.” Although the Mean Green started the season with a 1-3 start, North Texas has gone on a 6-0 win streak, with its last lost at Rice in November. Preparing the squad for the conference tournament later this month is the main thing on Bray’s mind from this point forward once the team plays Southern Methodist University at 5 p.m. on Saturday Feb. 6. “We just want to be at our best at the tournament,” Bray said. “That’s all that matters.” Featured Image: North Texas swimming and diving is off to its best start in history with 7-3 in dual meets so far this season. File Photo | North Texas Daily View the full article

Torie Mosley | Staff Writer @toriemosley After a close first half, North Texas men’s basketball scored 41 second half points to blow out the University of Southern Mississippi 70-54 at home for its first win in over three weeks. The Mean Green had dropped five games in a row headed into tonight’s matchup, three by double digits. Adding to the team’s woes, North Texas lost freshman center Rickey Brice Jr. after being elbowed in practice by a teammate just days after losing 81-76 to Western Kentucky University. Brice then failed a concussion test, causing the 7-foot-1 center to miss a required 10 days of action due to NCAA rules. Brice returned to the court tonight with a dominant 11 point, five rebound and three block performance. Head coach Tony Benford said the freshman did a great job stepping back into his role as a dominant big for the Mean Green. “We really missed Rickey,” Benford said. “He plays with a lot of energy and passion. He’s just got to quit looking at the crowd every time he scores and get back on defense.” Brice played more minutes in the second half after freshman forward Khalil Fuller left the game when a collision with a Southern Miss player sent him crashing to the floor. “Khalil really changed my attitude,” Brice said. “Seeing him in pain, I told him before the [second] half, ‘I’m going to play for you and give it all I got.’” The center did just that in the second half, hitting a couple key shots and throwing down a two-handed dunk that sent the Super Pit into a frenzy to help North Texas pull away with the lead. Two second-half Brice blocks added to the great overall defensive play by the Mean Green. “It was amazing,” Brice said. “It’s horrible sitting and not helping on the court, so it was a great experience. I’m glad I’m back.” At 8-14, North Texas has nine games left to try and climb the Conference-USA standings from its current 12th place rank. With Louisiana Tech University (17-5, 6-3) coming to the Super Pit on Saturday, junior guard J-Mychal Reese felt great to help get the five-game losing streak off the team’s back. “It always feels good to get a win,” Reese said. “Tonight we played defense, rebounded the ball and kept them out the lane, and that really helped us.” View the full article

Torie Mosley | Staff Writer @toriemosley North Texas men’s basketball is back in the win column after clinching a key conference victory tonight at the Super Pit. The Mean Green (8-14, 3-6) defeated the University of Southern Mississippi University 70-54 in its first home game since mid-January, putting an end to its five-game losing streak. North Texas went 47 percent from beyond the arch, and got big performances from junior guard J-Mychal Reese (19 points) and sophomore forward Jeremy Combs to fuel the victory. Combs scored 14 points, but came one rebound short of his eighth straight double-double. The team’s chemistry showed on the court with energetic play throughout the game. Fresh off a three game road trip, the Mean Green played an up-tempo game with Southern Miss (7-13, 4-5) early on, going on a 17-6 run to start the first half. A 9-0 Southern Miss run would cut the lead to two before freshman guard Ja’Michael Brown hit back-to-back threes to make the score 23-15 with just over five minutes left in the first half. Freshman center Rickey Brice Jr. turned the ball over four times in his first seven minutes, but helped the Mean Green out defensively off the bench with three blocks, including the Mean Green’s only swat of the first half. Southern Miss took advantage of those turnovers and put the pressure on the Mean Green with an 11-6 run to end the half. With 1:26 left in the first half, freshman forward Khalil Fuller fell to the ground hard after a big collision with a Southern Miss player and did not return. North Texas headed to the locker room up 29-26 at the break, but came out firing on all cylinders in the second half. A two-handed Combs dunk off a Reese assist brought life to the Super Pit and put North Texas up 35-33 early in the second half. Brice threw down another two-handed flush, followed by a mid-range jump shot a couple of possessions later to give the Mean Green a 39-34 lead in the tight matchup. Then, the Mean Green’s long range shooting heated up again. Junior guard Carrington Ward drained a trey to put the home team up 48-37 with 8 minutes left. Reese connected on a three a few possessions later to put North Texas up 58-45, and a Deckie Johnson made three just a minute later stretched out the Mean Green’s lead to 61-47 with 3:32 left to cap off the win. Next up for North Texas is a Saturday matchup at the Super Pit against Louisiana Tech University (16-5), the third ranked team in Conference USA. Tip-off is at 3 p.m. View the full article

Clay Massey | Staff Writer @Clay_FC Woeful offense and 26 turnovers got the best of North Texas in a conference clash with the University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles, as the Mean Green fell 57-38 in Hattiesburg, MS. North Texas (8-11, 3-6) has now lost four of its last five. Senior forward Achiel Tac led the way for the Mean Green with 12 points and seven rebounds, but the rest of the offense struggled, helping the Golden Eagles remain undefeated at home. “We can’t beat anybody with 20 turnovers,” head coach Jalie Mitchell said. “I thought they punished us inside, and I thought that’s where we lost it a little bit. They made a conscious effort to take it inside on us.” North Texas took a while to get going and never led for the entire game. Candice Adams sparked a 6-0 Mean Green run with her 78th career three-pointer, moving her into 8th all-time on the North Texas career three-point list. “It’s great to have, but I’m still going to play the game,” Adams said. “I’m not going to worry about that until we accomplish a bigger goal, which is to make it to the tournament.” The 6-0 Mean Green run put them within five of Southern Miss, but North Texas went cold at the end of the first half, making just one of its last eight field goals. Southern Miss, on the other hand, finished strong to take a 33-23 lead into halftime. The game only went downhill from there for the Mean Green. North Texas only scored four points in the third quarter, their second worst quarter-mark of the season. The Mean Green shot only 15.4% from the field in the third quarter, taking over six minutes to get on the board. The shooting woes continued into the fourth quarter, as North Texas scored only 15 points in the entire second half. North Texas also struggled from the free throw line, going 6-15 for 40 percent on the night. Southern Miss freshman phenom Caitlin Jenkins, a candidate for Conference USA Freshman of the Year, helped widen the margin in the second half, coming out firing for a 12 points in the third and fourth quarters after going after North Texas shut her out in the first half. The Golden Eagles also made the most of North Texas turnovers, with 24 points coming off Mean Green mishaps. “They’re scoring half their points off our turnovers. So if we cut our turnovers, then maybe it would have been a different game,” Tac said. “We didn’t give ourselves opportunities tonight on the offensive end.” North Texas returns to action with a Saturday night road contest at Louisiana Tech University. Tipoff is at 6 p.m. “Hopefully we can make shots,” Mitchell said, “especially lay-ups and free-throws.” View the full article

Reece Waddell | Senior Staff Writer @ReeceTapout15 The North Texas football team released its 2016 schedule Friday afternoon, and the Seth Littrell era will officially begin on Sept. 3 with a home game against rival Southern Methodist University. It is the second season in a row North Texas will open with a game against the Mustangs. Seven of the Mean Green’s 12 opponents competed in a bowl game last season, with the toughest match-up of the season likely coming when North Texas travels to play the University of Florida in Gainesville on Sept. 17. It is the second meeting of all time between the two schools. Unlike last season, the Mean Green will have six home games at Apogee Stadium. Along with SMU, North Texas will also play host to Bethuane Cookman University, Marshall University, Middle Tennessee State University, Louisiana Tech University and the University of Southern Mississippi. The Mean Green also do not have a Thursday game this season and play all of their games on a Saturday. North Texas will play the same conference opponents as it did a year ago and will have a mid-season bye, as opposed to one to begin the year. The bye comes on Oct. 15 in between a home game against Marshall and a road contest at Army, giving them an extra week to prepare for Army’s triple option offense. Featured Image: The football team stands at the entrance to Apogee Stadium before a game against Western Kentucky. Dylan Nadwodny | Staff Photographer View the full article

Reece Waddell | Senior Staff Writer @ReeceTapout15 Courtney Anderson | Staff Writer @CPaigeA23 Cookies, drinks and bags of green and white balloons filled the third floor HUB Club at Apogee Stadium Wednesday night, with flat-screen TVs scattered across the venue looping highlights of the 19 new North Texas signees. The North Texas athletics department hosted a Signing Day Meet and Greet, open to all Mean Green fans, for supporters to forget about last year’s dismal 1-11 season and look ahead to the future. Hundreds of North Texas alumni and fans mingled and chatted about all things UNT football, with free appetizers and a cash bar accompanying them. This was an event designed for fans to interact with head coach Seth Littrell and his new coaching staff. Even UNT president Neal Smatresk stopped by to offer his support. “I look at this coach and I see the next UNT dynasty,” Smatresk said. “I see a team that’s going to do great things. I see a new energy and a new attitude.” But the event was not only designed for fan interaction. Fundraising was also an important part of the planning and thought process that went into making the occasion possible. “[We wanted to] get early ticket sales, to be honest with you,” deputy athletic director Hank Dickenson said. “We wanted to get people fired up and want them to know we’re selling tickets now.” With this past football season showing record-low attendance at home games, there is a strong push for fans to back the football program. Long-time donor and the man UNT’s softball field is named after, Don Lovelace, had only positive words for what he believes will be the turnaround for North Texas football. “I think we’re going to be a consistent winner and put a team on the field where we as fans can be very proud of,” Lovelace said. “The more we win, the more fans will come. So I’m very confident in the future of this program.” The outpouring of support for the team and its new head coach was apparent, with several donors and alumni expressing their encouragement for the future of North Texas football. One season ticket holder, UNT class of 2004 alum Bryan Waddle, is even renewing his Mean Green Club membership. “The lack of urgency in general is what led me to cancel my membership, the fans and boosters not demanding more,” Waddle said. “There needs to be an expectation of winning. But I intend to renew my membership tonight for this season.” Another Mean Green Club member, UNT class of 2004 alum Curt Garner, said he has been coming to this event every year since he’s graduated from North Texas. The level of excitement showcased at the Meet and Greet gives Garner optimism, especially considering the Mean Green’s lack of success in recent seasons. “I really like seeing the spirit behind this program and people being enthused,” Garner said. “It’s nice to know that there are people who still have that passion for UNT football despite the last two years. To have an event of this size with a new coach, it really says a lot for the support that’s out there for the program.” Head Coach Seth Littrell talks with students during the signing day meet and greet at Apogee Stadium. Colin Mitchell | Senior Staff Photographer The amount of people that descended upon Apogee even surprised North Texas athletic director Rick Villarreal, who saw supporters he had never seen before. “Sometimes you don’t realize the numbers you have,” Villarreal said. “Our base is bigger than we know it is. Having an event like this with the excitement surrounding Coach Littrell, and seeing the new faces and some old faces come back is really important. It makes a statement that people believe we are in a position to take our rightful place where we ought to be.” Before the main festivities began, Littrell introduced each assistant coach during a brief presentation, so fans could put faces to the names. Senior associate athletic director John Nitardy said it was important to give fans a face-to-face experience with the ones who will be leading the Mean Green next season. “To have people come out and meet with these coaches and talk to these coaches one-on-one is just great,” Nitardy said. “The coaches have come in on such short notice and have been kind of running around trying to settle in. I think it’s a great opportunity.” The next time North Texas will take the football field publically will be in April for the team’s annual spring game, followed by the team’s season opener against Southern Methodist University on Saturday, Sept. 3. Littrell said he’s looking forward to getting back to work and putting on a show for North Texas fans. “The support I’ve seen tonight is awesome,” Littrell said. “I can’t wait for the season to start and to show everyone what this team can do.” Featured Image: Hundreds crowd around Dave Barnett and Seth Littrell during the signing day meet and greet. Colin Mitchell | Senior Staff Photographer View the full article

Reece Waddell | Senior Staff Writer @ReeceTapout15 Nineteen signees were a part of the 2016 North Texas recruiting class when the faxes started coming in on Wednesday morning. Headlined by graduate quarterback Alec Morris and redshirt freshman defensive tackle Bryce English, the Mean Green picked up nine offensive and 10 defensive players when the dust settled. Since his hire in December, head coach Seth Littrell and his staff have hit the road hard, looking for recruits at the high school, junior college and collegiate levels. Littrell has taken it upon himself to rebrand the team, including starting a new Twitter page, #UNTouchable, and coining the phrase #SoarWithTheMeanGreen, in hopes of turning the program around. “In talking with everyone, they see the brand and they see the vision,” Littrell said. “You drive down I-35, and you see this stadium. It’s an unbelievable place, and there is a lot to talk about.” Senior transfer quarterback Alec Morris stands for a portrait at Apogee Stadium. Colin Mitchell | Senior Staff Photographer Littrell’s vision is one Morris and English admired when considering UNT as a school to transfer to. For English especially, it was the selling point to why he chose to suit up for the Mean Green. “Coach Littrell, everyone, they just had a big vision of turning this program around,” English said. “The culture, the atmosphere, everything. They’re making it all about UNT football.” Along with Morris and English, Littrell and his staff managed to recruit three high school wide receivers: Rico Bussey Jr., Deion Griffin and Tyler Wilson. With wide receivers playing a large role in Littrell’s spread offensive scheme, improving depth at the position was one of Littrell’s many goals. New offensive coordinator Graham Harrell, an air raid disciple of Mike Leach during his playing career at Texas Tech University, is excited to implement the spread offense at North Texas. Nevertheless, he anticipates a few obstacles along the way. “The way you practice and the way you do everything is going to be totally different,” Harrell said. “It’s going to be a challenge, but the thing about what we’re going to do is we’re going to keep it simple. We’re not going to make it complicated for the guys. We don’t want them thinking, we just want them playing and reacting.” Another recruit the Mean Green picked up was quarterback Mason Fine from Locust Grove, Oklahoma. A two-time Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year, Fine came to North Texas despite an offer to walk-on at the University of Oklahoma. Although Fine will only be a freshman in the fall, Littrell was adamant Fine would compete for the starting quarterback job with Morris and incumbent starter DaMarcus Smith. “I tell every one of these guys, no one is guaranteed anything when they come here,” Littrell said. “You’re going to have to earn everything you get on the field. So for me to sit here and say which individuals have the better opportunity, I don’t know. We’ll find out when they get here. Whoever the best guys are will play.” Redshirt freshman transfer Bryce English stands for a portrait at Apogee Stadium. Colin Mitchell | Senior Staff Photographer Morris, a two-time national champion with the Crimson Tide, agreed with his coach. “No position is ever guaranteed in this game,” Morris said. “If someone is better than somebody, they should be playing. No questions asked.” At Alabama, Morris primarily saw action in a pro-style offense, which is more centered around a run game and balanced passing attack. So when the idea of leading an offense that throws the ball almost exclusively came about, Morris jumped at the opportunity. “I think any quarterback would be really excited to jump into this kind of system,” Morris said. “The opportunity to throw the ball, however many times a game, is something that no quarterback is not going to like.” North Texas has 212 days to prepare for its first game of the 2016 season—a clash with rival Southern Methodist University at Apogee Stadium. And while the first snap is months away, Littrell is confident the team is already on the right track. “I feel like we have laid a great foundation with this class,” Littrell said. “We have addressed some immediate needs at certain positions, and we look forward to developing all of these guys to get our program to where we want it to be.” Featured Image: Head Coach Seth Littrell answers questions during a press conference on National Signing Day. Colin Mitchell | Senior Staff Photographer View the full article

Reece Waddell | Senior Staff Writer @ReeceTapout15 Practice didn’t start for another few hours, but there stood Mean Green junior guard Deckie Johnson all by himself in the echo chambers of the Super Pit. The squeak of his shoes and the bounce of the basketball reverberated off the vacant seats, with the only sound accompanying him being that of a rebound machine that fires basketballs back at him after he shoots. Always the first one in the gym and the last one out, it is Johnson’s relentless work ethic that has propelled him to be North Texas’ third leading scorer at 14.1 points per game. In only his first season with the Mean Green, Johnson describes himself as a silent assassin. “I have a chip on my shoulder,” Johnson said. “Every night I play as hard as I can. What I love to do is shoot. So I am ready to shoot at all times, and I always think the next one is going in.” Junior guard Deckie Johnson (10) follows through on a three point shot late in the game against Western Kentucky. Dylan Nadwodny | Staff Photographer Not the most vocal player on the court or in the locker room, Johnson prefers to let his actions speak for themselves. Some of those actions are hustle plays that do not always show up on the stat sheet, like taking charges and diving for loose balls. “I like to lead by example,” Johnson said. “But I try to talk more on the court when I need to.” A transfer from Angelina College last offseason, Johnson was a first team all-conference selection in his sophomore campaign and scored over 1,000 career points for the Roadrunners. After spending two years in Lufkin, Texas, Johnson transferred to UNT. The reason behind his decision to come to Denton, according to Johnson, was a matter of commitment. “I took the first chance I got,” Johnson said. “UNT was the first program to look at me, and I wanted to repay that loyalty. I was really close with the coaching staff and talked to them almost every day when I was at junior college.” The go-to player for Angelina in 2014, Johnson averaged 18.7 points per game in his final year at Lufkin. During his two seasons at the junior college level, Johnson became a versatile player who could not only score, but defend as well. Junior guard Deckie Johnson (10) laughs at something a teammate says during a practice. Dylan Nadwodny | Staff Photographer Despite the transition from junior college to tougher D-1 competition, Johnson’s game has not dropped off. In fact, Johnson’s presence has only strengthened the Mean Green, especially after the departure of Jordan Williams last season. With the need for a combo guard in the lineup, Johnson has filled the void Williams left for North Texas. “He’s not only a shooter or a scorer. He’s a complete player,” head coach Tony Benford said. “He studies the game and is always coming to get tape. That’s what I really respect about him. He takes his craft seriously and wants to be the best. We’re lucky to have him.” A key player in the Mean Green’s offensive scheme, Johnson has missed only one game this year and provides more than just offense. His ability to shoot threes efficiently and create off-the-dribble forces defenses to close out on him, which opens up shots for teammates. “He’s been really big for us this year,” sophomore forward Jeremy Combs said. “He’s able to make outside shots, which takes pressure off me, [J-Mychal Reese] and other guards, too.” Johnson had a white-hot month of December, setting a career high for points on three separate occasions. He also finished two three-pointers shy of the North Texas school record for most threes in a game in a contest against Mississippi Valley State University. But those three career games are not the ceiling for the Memphis native, according to Benford. “I think it’s unlimited,” Benford said of Johnson’s potential. “With a guy like him, he can not only shoot it, but he can dribble it and pass it too. He’s a guy where you can look up and he has a triple-double. He has that kind of ability.” Junior guard Deckie Johnson (10) gets in position to recieve a pass from a teammate against Western Kentucky. Dylan Nadwodny | Staff Photographer The one element Johnson had to adjust to coming from junior college is the tempo of the game. Accustomed to a quicker pace at Angelina, Johnson credits his coaches and teammates for preparing him to play at a high level in a more competitive environment. “When I was at junior college we played fast, but right now we play in the half-court a whole lot more,” Johnson said. “I live in the gym. My coaches and teammates have helped my transition both on the court and off it as well.” While Johnson may live in the gym to perfect his craft, there is still one area off the court he needs to brush up on. “I beat him in NBA 2K all the time,” Combs said. “I play with the Warriors and he uses Cleveland. He has LeBron so it’s an even match up. I’m just a better 2K player.” Reluctantly, Johnson agreed with his teammate. “He beat me a few times last year, but it’s a brand new year,” Johnson said. “I think I’m getting better, but yes, he’s probably better than me right now.” But on the court, where it’s win or lose, Johnson is making his impact felt, with the potential for even brighter days ahead. “He has a great attitude and works hard every day,” Benford said. “ He’s a winner and he’s going to keep getting better.” Featured Image: Junior guard Deckie Johnson (10) looks up at the scoreboard late in the game against Western Kentucky. Dylan Nadwodny | Staff Photographer View the full article

Staff Reports The University of North Texas is now ranked among the United States’ top 115 universities, which is important to UNT administrators, faculty and students alike because it signals UNT’s progress and gives the school a boost in higher education. The Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education, which added UNT, University of Texas at Arlington, University of Texas at Dallas and Texas Tech University Monday, is one of the most respected voices in higher education, meaning the university can now position itself as a top-ranked university, a goal school officials have long sought on the way to becoming a nationally recognized research university. The official classification is “Doctoral University: Highest Research Activity (R1).” There are many other categories in which top universities are recognized by Carnegie, but this one is among the best, UNT president Neal Smatresk said Tuesday, officially announcing the news in an email. Tier-one universities, Smatresk has said, attract top students and faculty, and push innovation and technology into high-level research and scholarship, he explained. The ranking also means regional and state businesses and research organizations might now look to UNT with greater respect. This is considered the most significant step in the development of a research university, Smatresk said. “We moved up in the Carnegie Classifications by staying true to our roots as an institution focused on creativity and educational activities,” Smatresk said. UNT officials have noted the latest Carnegie rankings give strong consideration to UNT’s impact as a broad-based research institution that awards a large number of doctoral degrees each year. The university consistently leads the region and ranks among the state’s top universities for the number of doctoral degrees it awards annually. Smatresk stresses that while reaching tier-one status is a big milestone, there is still work ahead to help UNT increase its national reputation. This report was written by staff writer Evan McAlister and news editor Dalton LaFerney View the full article

Reece Waddell | Senior Staff Writer @ReeceTapout15 A lack of bench production doomed North Texas on Saturday night, as the Mean Green (7-14, 2-6) got just three points from its reserves in a 95-87 loss to Rice University on the road. Over the past four games, the North Texas bench has been outscored 138-18, a staggering deficit which has often dug the Mean Green into holes it has not been able to climb out of. “We’re relying heavily on our starters, and that’s tough,” head coach Tony Benford said. “Guys have to come in and take advantage of the opportunities they have. They have to be ready when we put them in.” Sophomore forward Jeremy Combs recorded his seventh consecutive double-double before the first half ended and finished the night with 25 points and 13 rebounds. But late foul trouble and halftime adjustments by the Owls (7-14, 2-6) limited Combs’ production in the second half, as the Dallas native had just eight points and two rebounds in the final 20 minutes. “I thought Jeremy played his heart out,” Benford said. “It’s unfortunate we’re not winning, because he could arguably be up for player of the year the way he is playing.” The first half was a game of runs, as Rice went on an 11-0 run to take a 30-21 lead. But North Texas matched the Owls’ run with one of its own, going on a 12-2 run to retake the lead at 33-32. The see-saw affair continued until halftime, and the Owls entered the locker room up 40-37. Rice stormed out of the gate in the second half, making its first seven shots to push its lead back to nine points. Unlike the first half, Rice was determined to not let Combs beat them down the stretch, frequently double-teaming him and going to a zone defense to prevent easy baskets in the paint. “They really didn’t do anything special,” Combs said of Rice’s second half adjustments. “I got caught up in the game and was just trying to do whatever I could for my team.” Other players for the Mean Green stepped up when the Owls took Combs away, most notably graduate forward Eric Katenda and junior guard J-Mychal Reese. They finished with 16 and 23 points, respectively. The Mean Green looked poised to get back into the game when Combs threw down a backdoor alley-oop slam dunk, which propelled North Texas to make eight of its next 10 shots to pull to within 64-59 midway through the second half. But the Mean Green defense failed them in the waning moments, as the Owls shot 56 percent from the field and 48 percent from beyond the arc to seal the game. “The ball is going in the basket, that’s not the problem,” Katenda said. “They scored 95 points. We’re just allowing too many points against us.” Next up: North Texas hosts the University of Southern Mississippi Thursday Feb. 4 at the Super Pit. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. View the full article