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Here's the article Knight admits to leaking information However, coach speaks out, regrets that it became public 03/13/2003 By BRIAN DAVIS / The Dallas Morning News Texas Tech coach Bob Knight said Wednesday he was the one who gave confidential information about former men's basketball player Nick Valdez to "people who needed to know" and expressed regret that it leaked into a public forum, possibly exposing Tech to violations of federal law. Speaking at a news conference at American Airlines Center, Knight addressed a myriad of issues, including the Valdez situation, in his own classic style. "I'm not surprised at all that he would tell the truth," Tech interim president Dr. Donald Haragan said. Colleges Knight admits to leaking information WFAA video: Bobby Knight's Wednesday news conference Tech opens inquiry Knight's TV kick led to inquiry Sherrington: Is Knight being gracious in defeat? Knight vows to return salary Big 12 tournament guide More Texas Tech Knight did not specify how many people he told or if those people were outside of the Tech athletic department. But the information was distributed March 4 at a Lubbock business leaders meeting where approximately 20 people attended, Tech officials said. A two-page document outlined Valdez's absences from team functions and other disciplinary incidents unrelated to men's basketball. Student academic records are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or what's known as the Buckley Amendment. Tech vice chancellor and general counsel Pat Campbell said no grade information was present in the documents. Knight began the session by challenging the accuracy of a Morning News report saying he kicked in a TV screen during halftime of a Feb. 5 game. Assistant coach Pat Knight, Bob's son, then walked in front of the assembled media, held up a broken clipboard and said "Maybe you guys [the media] can get about 1,000 words out of this." The Feb. 5 episode ended up in a campus police report after a campus officer working security at United Spirit Arena overheard a conversation between two graduate assistant coaches, Tom Geyer and Michael Lewis. They discussed seeing Knight kick the screen in during halftime. Knight said the story was full of errors. He had no other comment on that story. Next, Knight gave the media a condensed version of chronological events leading up to the one-game suspension of Valdez and teammate Andre Emmett on Feb. 17 against Texas. Knight said he compiled a list of things Valdez did during his senior season. He would not discuss what was on the list when Valdez quit Feb. 21. "I gave a list of that or discussed it with people that needed to know," Knight said. "The thing got out some way. I'm not sure why or how that it did. That was certainly not our intent in that way. But I talked to a very good attorney who's extremely familiar with the Buckley [Amendment], and he said there is absolutely not one single thing that involves the Buckley [Amendment] in any way." Haragan started a probe Tuesday to determine who leaked the information. Wells Fargo Bank president Gary Lawrence ran the meeting in question. He has not returned repeated messages left by The News. Joe Valdez, Nick's father, said the family is discussing their options but would not comment. Also Wednesday, Tech athletic director Gerald Myers echoed Dr. Haragan's earlier statement that the school regretted the information got out. "We don't mean any harm or negative toward Nick," Myers said. "We wish him the best toward finishing up the school year. "As far as I'm concerned, it's a closed issue." Haragan said: "I had a long, long talk with Nick Valdez's mother, and she felt her son has already paid a price. Nick is the real loser in all of this, having his name dragged through the mud." Skating past the Buckley Amendment may not be as simple as Tech administrators hope, though. Campbell said it would take him several days to determine if the information falls under the amendment's broad umbrella. The documents are typewritten, but they are not on any official school form, Campbell said. A person could interpret that the document is part of a person's academic record. "What I'm looking at right now looks like a fax of a fax of a fax," Campbell said. "You know how illegible they get after awhile? What I'm looking at right now I can't even read." Austin lawyer Sherry Rasmus is well versed in the Buckley Amendment. She handled former Texas player Luke Axtell's privacy-violation case when a former UT men's basketball assistant coach faxed Axtell's grades to an Austin radio station. As the Axtell case went through the court system from 1998-99, the Supreme Court altered the law. Rasmus said a student has virtually no recourse for a Buckley Amendment violation. Students still have some basic protections, but not many. The institution would lose federal funding if it was a repeat amendment violator. "My advice to the student would be to finish out his school year and get on with your life," Rasmus said. E-mail brdavis@dallasnews.com

Who would have records of late to practice dates and missing practice dates of a basketball player, missing breakfast, etc. This was an AP article published by the Star Telegram. Tech looks into release of player's records The Associated Press LUBBOCK - Texas Tech officials began an investigation Tuesday to find out how confidential records of a former men's basketball player got out to the public and if the records' release violates privacy laws. The documents were distributed to about 20 people last week at a gathering of Lubbock business leaders who were putting together an advertising campaign to honor men's coach Bob Knight and women's coach Marsha Sharp, both of whom garnered milestone victories this season. The two-page document about Nick Valdez, obtained by the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, details no-shows or late arrivals to practices and workouts going back to last season and lists allegations of student misconduct separate from the basketball program. Valdez quit the team on Feb. 21, four days after he and teammate Andre Emmett were given one-game suspensions for missing breakfast and the morning shootaround before Tech played at Texas. Emmett rejoined the team a few days after the incident. Federal law protects student records and their release can jeopardize an institution's federal funding. Under the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act, better known as the Buckley Amendment, a school may release "directory information:" a student's name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of athletic team members, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student. An attorney who represents the Avalanche-Journal told the newspaper the document is protected by Buckley because Valdez's name is on it. Katherine Garner, executive director of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that as a general rule, data other than directory information should not be released, though "this situation may be too fact-specific for me to comment on." Pat Campbell, vice chancellor and general counsel for the system, told The AP he did not have a copy of the document the newspaper obtained but has asked for it from the school "and surely it will come to me." "My task is to see if that information has FERPA implications," Campbell said. "The president [of the university] wasn't joking when he said, 'Look into this,' and I certainly will." In a statement, Donald Haragan, Tech's interim president, said no one at the university or in the athletic department ever intended to release the document publicly. "The last thing we as a university ever want to do is embarrass a student or cause concern to a student's family. Issues involving student athletes are best kept between the student and the coaching staff," he said in the statement. Calls to Tech basketball spokesman Randy Farley and Tech athletic director Gerald Myers by The Associated Press were not immediately returned.

Vilma’s big game UNT post’s career best can’t stop Lady Toppers 03/09/2003 By Tim MacMahon / Staff Writer BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — The best performance of senior post Vilma Grismanauskaite’s career was not enough for North Texas to pull off a monumental upset in the Sun Belt Tournament quarterfinals. * Western Kentucky outscored the Lady Eagles by 17 in the second half to extend the nation’s eighth-longest winning streak to 12 games with a 65-53 victory Saturday at E.A. Diddle Arena. The Lady Toppers (20-8), who have advanced to the finals each of the previous six times they hosted the conference tournament, won their 10th consecutive game on their home court. Grismanauskaite, who has been a contributor but not the star coaches envisioned after she transferred from Weatherford College, scored a career- and game-high 24 points on 10-of-16 shooting. The 6-4 native of Lithuania also grabbed 10 rebounds and provided an intimidating interior defensive presence, holding Sun Belt Player of the Year Shala Reese to eight points. "It feels good," Grismanauskaite said, "but it’s disappointing because we didn’t win." Grismanauskaite, whose previous top scoring effort was 22 in a Feb. 8 overtime loss at Western Kentucky, was absolutely dominant in the first half, scoring 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting and snatching seven rebounds. She had six points in an 8-2 run to end the half and give the Lady Eagles a 32-27 lead at the break. However, UNT (12-16) didn’t heed coach Tina Slinker’s demand to continue to feed Grismanauskaite in the second half. After scoring on an up-and-under move with 14:21 to play, Grismanauskaite only got two touches in the post the remainder of the game. The Lady Eagles shot 24 percent in the second half, half as accurate as their first-half total. The Lady Toppers took the lead for good with a 16-4 run early in the half and finished UNT off with an 18-6 spurt late. "They caused us some frustration, but our shot selection was not as good because we went away from Vilma," Slinker said. "We played very young. We played like we had a freshman point guard in the second half." Freshman wing Jamie Armstrong scored 12 points for UNT, and forward Emily Britt added 10. All-Sun Belt forward Kim Blanton got in early foul trouble and finished with two points in 15 minutes. Shooting guard Heather Trout, the Lady Eagles’ most experienced player, was scoreless in 27 minutes. Freshman point guard Erika Bobo had three points in 36 minutes. "We put a lot of pressure on our young kids," Slinker said. "I think Bobo would have been better if Heather or Kim would have played better." Guard Leslie Logsdon led Western Kentucky with 17 points. Guard Kristina Covington added 14 and forward Krystal Gardner had 10 of her 12 in the second half. The Lady Toppers hit five 3-pointers in the first eight minutes to jump out to a 21-10 lead. Their momentum was halted, however, when senior captain Covington injured her foot. UNT held the Sun Belt’s highest-scoring team pointless for a period of 8:08 while Covington, a senior captain who knocked down a pair of 3s in the opening minutes, was in the training room. The Lady Eagles reeled off 14 unanswered points — matching Covington’s jersey number — to take their first lead of the game. Grismanaskaite, Armstrong and Britt each contributed two buckets to the spurt. Covington came back to cap both of the Lady Toppers’ second-half spurts with 3-pointers. "When Kristina came back, it was very obvious that the emotion and intensity returned to the floor," Western Kentucky coach Mary Taylor-Cowles said. "That’s why she’s our senior captain. She means that much to this basketball team." Added Covington, who headed to the hospital for X-rays following the game: "There was no way I was going to sit out. I wanted to be that boost." TIM MACMAHON can be reached at 940-566-6870.

Women's basketball: Playing up Lady Eagles like to play to level of competition, face top-seeded Western Kentucky 03/08/2003 By Tim MacMahon / Staff Writer BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — North Texas survived the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament despite a sluggish effort against Arkansas-Little Rock, the league’s worst team. That won’t work against regular-season champion Western Kentucky, which hosts the Lady Eagles at 1:30 a.m. Saturday in Diddle Arena in the tournament quarterfinals. Western Kentucky (19-8) enters the tournament having won its last 11 games, the eighth-longest active winning streak in the nation. Nine of those 11 wins were by double figures. "It’s a great opportunity," UNT coach Tina Slinker said. "We really, truly have nothing to lose. With as well as they’ve been playing and the tournament at their place, they have a lot of pressure on them." The Lady Toppers aren’t likely to overlook UNT (12-15), however. The Lady Eagles eliminated Western Kentucky with a 32-point rout in the tournament semifinals last season and nearly pulled off a shocker at Diddle Arena on Feb. 8. UNT pushed the Lady Toppers to the limit, suffering an 89-85 overtime loss. It was Western Kentucky’s closest call at home during conference play. The Lady Eagles had a chance to win at the buzzer in regulation, but shooting guard Heather Trout didn’t get a call when she drew contact after driving to the basket. UNT had a four-point lead with 1:41 left in the extra stanza, but Western Kentucky shooting guard Leslie Logsdon scored the final eight points of the game. Logsdon, the league’s leading scorer (17.2 ppg), scored a career-high 29 points in that game. Power forward Shala Reese (16.4 ppg, 9.0 rpg) had a career-high 31 points and 14 rebounds. UNT post Vilma Grismanauskaite scored a career-high 22 points for the Lady Eagles. Point guard Erika Bobo added a then career-high 15 points. "That game gives a lot of confidence to us," said Bobo, who eclipsed her career high with 17 points in the first round. "We know that we can play with them. I think everybody knows we have a chance to beat them. I think they know we can beat them." The premier matchup Saturday will be at power forward, where UNT’s Kim Blanton will challenge Reese. Blanton (12.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg), the Lady Eagles’ lone All-Sun Belt selection, was dominated by Arkansas-Little Rock’s Eplunus Brooks in the first round. History does not favor UNT. Western Kentucky, which had a first-round bye, has played at least two games in 19 of its 20 Sun Belt Tournament appearances. The Lady Toppers have advanced to the finals each of the previous six times they served as tournament hosts. But the Lady Eagles lately have had a tendency to play to the talent level of their opponent. "This," Blanton said, "will be our biggest challenge." TIM MACMAHON can be reached at 940-566-6870.

Men basketball: Lean green UNT’s season quickly turned into trip back to Sun Belt cellar 03/07/2003 By Tim MacMahon / Staff Writer BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — This is certainly not how coach Johnny Jones imagined his second season at the helm of the North Texas men’s basketball program would go. The Mean Green had reason for hope after returning four starters from a team that broke its recent tradition of bad basketball by finishing 15-14 a year ago, an 11-win turnaround from the previous season. Early-season wins over Weber State and Winthrop — teams that went on to win their respective conferences’ regular-season titles — added to the optimism. * But it’s been a quick trip back to the cellar for the Mean Green, which is in the midst of its fifth 20-loss season in the last six campaigns. UNT (7-20, 2-13) has lost seven straight and 13-of-14 entering Friday’s first-round matchup against Arkansas-Little Rock (17-11, 8-6), 8 p.m., at Western Kentucky’s E.A. Diddle Arena. "There are a lot of areas we could point to, but we don’t look for excuses," Jones said. "We look for results. Unfortunately, we haven’t had good results this year." There are a slew of statistics that are indicative of UNT’s struggles. The Mean Green ranks last in the Sun Belt in several categories, perhaps the most important being scoring defense (78.0 points per game) and turnover margin (minus-3.6). UNT’s average margin of defeat (7.9 ppg) is more than twice as much as any other team in the league. Another number that makes Jones shudder: 55, the total amount of games UNT players missed this season because of injury or illness. "We’ve had a whole lot of bad luck," said senior swingman Chris Davis, who is doubtful to become the school’s all-time leading scorer after being sidelined two games by the flu last month. (He needs 58 points.) The Mean Green’s most costly injury occurred when shooting guard Leonard Hopkins’ season ended because of a broken foot suffered late in a Dec. 23 loss at Colorado. Hopkins, UNT’s second-leading scorer, was the only player on the team besides Davis who could consistently create off the dribble. Without Hopkins, the Mean Green’s offense is stagnant and predictable, running solely through Davis. Other key players to miss significant time because of injuries were starting center Will Smith and reserve point guard Scott Roniger. Smith, UNT’s most experienced post player and best interior defender, was sidelined the entire month of January because of a sprained ankle and foot infection. The season ended for Roniger, whose 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio is easily the best on the team, when he tore his meniscus Dec. 21. As a result of the injuries and ineffectiveness of several players who were forced into larger roles, the Mean Green has had 13 different starting lineups. "We’ve had a chemistry problem," Jones said. "Last year, we kind of got set in a pattern with our rotation. We haven’t been able to do that this year. We’ve had to scramble and try to find guys." The few players in the rotation that have been healthy all season — forward Michael DeGrate and guards Lee Green and Jerome Rogers — failed to live up to expectations. DeGrate, a junior college player who was supposed to make a significant immediate impact, is averaging 8.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. While he is an excellent jump shooter, DeGrate has played passively and been prone to foul trouble. Green and Rogers are shooting 37 and 35 percent from the floor, respectively. They have combined to record as many turnovers as assists. "It’s been a disappointing year, but I know we’re better than our record indicates," said Davis, whose scoring average (19.0) and shooting percentage (43) have dropped significantly from last season. "The season’s not over yet, though." TIM MACMAHON can be reached at 940-566-6870.

UNT's season ends with heartbreaker, 74-73 03/08/2003 By TIM MacMAHON / Denton Record-Chronicle BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – North Texas swingman Chris Davis didn't want his college career to end Friday night. Despite a heroic effort down the stretch, the 6-5 senior couldn't do enough to earn the privilege of playing another game. The Mean Green suffered a 74-73 loss to Arkansas-Little Rock in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament at E.A. Diddle Arena. Colleges North Texas-Arkansas-Little Rock box score Sun Belt Conference scoreboard More colleges "I'm just hurting that it's over," said a teary-eyed Davis, who finished 38 points shy of breaking the school scoring record. Davis, who scored nine of his game-high 20 points in the final six minutes, dished to forward Michael DeGrate for a go-ahead jumper with 9.1 seconds remaining. Trojans guard Mark Green, who also scored 20 points, made both free throws after being fouled with 3.5 seconds left for the deciding points. With Davis double-teamed on the wing, UNT point guard Jerome Rogers' spinning runner bounced off the rim at the buzzer. "We couldn't even think about getting the ball to Chris," UNT coach Johnny Jones said. "I know it's tough emotionally for him to not be able to make that play." The loss was the eighth in a row and 14th in the last 15 games for the Mean Green (7-21). Rogers and freshman forward Ron Harris each scored 13 points for UNT, which played most of the game without senior forward Jermaine Green (knee). Arkansas-Little Rock (18-11), which advances to play New Mexico State in the quarterfinals Sunday, got 19 points off the bench from guard Nick Zachary. Forward Jamal Holden added 13 points. Davis picked up his fourth foul with 11 minutes remaining. When he returned at the six-minute mark, the Trojans had a four-point lead, their biggest of the night.

Golf: UNT’s Gauthier wins third straight tourney 03/06/2003 Staff report GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Picking up where she left off in the fall, senior Randi Gauthier won the Bobcat Desert Classic by one shot at the Palm Valley Country Club. Gauthier, who was tied for the lead heading into the final round, shot a final-round 71 to win her fourth tournament of the school year. Gauthier ended the fall season with two straight victories and has now won three straight tournaments. As a team the Lady Eagles finished second out of 11 teams with a score of 618. Northern Arizona captured the tournament with a two-round total of 609. Andra Lancaster also had a top 10 finish for North Texas as she fired a two-round total of 153 to finish tied for ninth. Laura Rakel just missed out on a top 20 finish by one shot, as she finished with a two-round total of 159, good enough for a tie for 23rd.

We played W. KY into overtime before losing on their home court, so NT can do it if they play up to W. KY status...We play good against better teams, down when we play lower teams.

UNT men see second chance with tournament By Chad Conine Special to the Star-Telegram North Texas basketball coach Johnny Jones has a handy list of teams that have done what the Mean Green would like to do at the Sun Belt Conference tournament. That is pull off an improbable run to get in the NCAA Tournament. Jones said he saw a low-seeded Mississippi team make a surprising march to win the Southeastern Conference tournament when he was a player at LSU in 1981. Similarly, Jones was an assistant at LSU when the 1986 Tigers became the lowest seed ever to advance to the Final Four. "There are a lot of those," said Jones, who also referenced N.C. State's miracle run to a national championship under Jim Valvano in 1983. "It can happen and we certainly hope it happens for us." The Mean Green fit the long shot role going into the conference tournament, having lost 13 of their past 14 contests. But there might be a glimmer of hope. UNT (7-20, 2-13 Sun Belt) faces Arkansas-Little Rock (17-11, 8-6) in the opening round of the tournament at 8 tonight in Bowling Green, Ky. Earlier this season the Mean Green took the Trojans to overtime in Denton before falling 88-80. If UNT advances to the second round at Western Kentucky's Diddle Arena, it would meet New Mexico State. Although the Mean Green lost to the Aggies in Las Cruces, N.M., 80-66 on Saturday, it defeated New Mexico State 82-75 in Denton on Feb. 1. "The draw is very good for us," Jones said. "We get to play at a neutral site against a team we led here for most of the game during the regular season." Jones said he also thinks senior guard Chris Davis' recent illness could be an advantage at the conference tournament. Davis recovered from a virus that forced him out of UNT's final two home games in time to play at New Mexico State. He will be available at the conference tournament and he still has a chance to become the career scoring leader at UNT, especially if the Mean Green can extend their season to three more games. Davis, who averages 19 points per game, needs 58 points to set a school mark. "Hopefully, Chris has gotten some rest," Jones said. "The seniors want to continue to play. By doing that, we will give Chris a chance. But his big goal is to get into the [NCAA] tournament." Sun Belt Conference • Today-Tuesday, Diddle Arena, Bowling Green, Ky. • Regular-season champions: Western Kentucky (21-8, 12-2) and Louisiana-Lafayette (20-8, 12-3) • Tournament dark horses: New Mexico State (19-8, 9-6), Arkansas-Little Rock (17-11, 8-6), Middle Tennessee (14-13, 9-5) • NCAA Tournament bid: 1 (conference tournament champion) • Fast breaks: Western Kentucky won at Louisiana-Lafayette on Feb. 26 in what might have been a conference tournament championship preview. That the Hilltoppers host the tournament and enter on a nine-game winning streak might make them the favorite to defend their 2002 conference tournament championship. Today's games Denver vs. Arkansas State, 3 p.m. Fla. International vs. New Orleans, 5:30 p.m. North Texas vs. Ark.-Little Rock, 8 p.m. -- Chad Conine

UNT women get first-round scare 03/07/2003 From Staff and Wire Reports BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The North Texas women's basketball team narrowly avoided an embarrassing end to its season in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament. The Lady Eagles struggled to put away Arkansas-Little Rock, which was winless in league play, before emerging with a 70-59 win Thursday night at E.A. Diddle Arena. "When we learn not to play down to the level of our opponent, we'll be a lot better off," said UNT forward Emily Britt, who scored 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting off the bench. UNT (12-15), the No. 4 West seed, advances to play East top seed and host Western Kentucky at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Arkansas-Little Rock (5-23) was up four, 32-28, at the half. It was the Lady Trojans' first halftime lead over a Sun Belt opponent this season. The Lady Eagles took the lead for good near the 14-minute mark on a 19-foot jumper by Britt, which began a spurt of eight unanswered points. Point guard Erika Bobo (team-high 15 points) capped the run with layups off steals at midcourt on consecutive possessions. UNT shooting guard Heather Trout, who had a game-high nine assists, scored 12 of her 14 points in the second half. UNT didn't lead by more than seven until the final minute of the game. Arkansas-Little Rock senior forward Eplunus Brooks, a Wichita Falls Hirschi product, led all players with 27 points and 15 rebounds to keep the Lady Trojans in the game. Tim MacMahon

Sun Belt All-Conference Team 03/06/2003 Men * DRC/Hiroyuki Komae North Texas swingman Chris Davis North Texas senior swingman Chris Davis was named first-team All-Sun Belt, which was released Wednesday by the conference office. It is the second consecutive first-team selection for Davis, who averaged 19.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game this season. — Tim MacMahon First Team Player Cl. Pos School Chris Davis Sr. G North Texas Tommy Gunn Jr. G Middle Tennessee James Moore Jr. F New Mexico State Hector Romero Sr. F New Orleans Patrick Sparks So. G Western Kentucky Second Team Brad Boyd Jr. F Louisiana-Lafayette David Boyden Sr. F Western Kentucky Jibrahn Ike Sr. G Arkansas-Little Rock Michael Southall So. C Louisiana-Lafayette Brett Starkey Jr. C Denver Third Team Eulis Baez Jr. F Florida International Anthony Johnson Sr. F Louisiana-Lafayette William Pippen Sr. F Middle Tennessee Mike Wells Sr. G Western Kentucky Demetrice Williams Sr. G South Alabama Player of the Year: James Moore, Jr., F, New Mexico State Defensive Player of the Year: Mike Wells, Sr., G, Western Kentucky Freshman of the Year: Anthony Winchester, Fr., G, Western Kentucky Newcomer of the Year: Chris Young, Jr., G, South Alabama Coach of the Year: Kermit Davis, Jr., Middle Tennessee Women * DRC?Hiroyuki Komae North Texas forward Kim Blanton. North Texas junior forward Kim Blanton is included on the All-Sun Belt team, which was released Wednesday by the conference office. Blanton, a first-team selection, averaged 13 points and 5.6 rebounds per game this season. — Tim MacMahon First Team Player Cl. Pos. School Kim Blanton Jr. P North Texas Cormisha Cotton Sr. P Florida International Sinnamonn Garrett Jr. G New Mexico State Patrice Holmes So. G Middle Tennessee Leslie Logsdon Jr. G Western Kentucky Jolie McKiernan Sr. F Arkansas State Shala Reese Sr. F Western Kentucky Taneisha Russell Sr. F South Alabama Mandy Shafer Sr. G. Florida International Monique Taylor Jr. G New Orleans Honorable Mention Ashley Atkinson Sr. G Denver Kristina Covington Sr. G Western Kentucky Casie Lowman Sr. G Arkansas State Lora Ruddy Sr. F New Orleans Mari Sanchez Sr. G New Mexico State Player of the Year: Shala Resse, Sr., F, Western Kentucky Defensive Player of the Year: Patrice Holmes, So., G, Middle Tennessee Freshman of the Year: Tiffany Porter-Talbert, Fr., G, Western Kentucky Newcomer of the Year: Monique Taylor, Jr., G, New Orleans Coach of the Year: Mary Taylor-Cowles, Western Kentucky

UNT women say bye-bye to bye Lady Eagles will need four Sun Belt wins to secure NCAA berth 03/06/2003 By TIM MacMAHON / Denton Record-Chronicle The North Texas women's basketball team finds itself playing in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament for the first time since joining the league three seasons ago. UNT had become accustomed to securing a bye by finishing among the top two teams in its division. But power forward Kim Blanton, one of a handful of players back from last season's league runner-up, has a somewhat familiar feeling entering the tournament. "Last year, nobody wanted to play us because we were expected to be in the championship game," Blanton said. "This year, we may not be chosen to be in the championship game, but nobody still wants to play us." UNT, the No. 4 seed from the West Division, opens tournament play against East Division fifth seed Arkansas-Little Rock at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at E.A. Diddle Arena on the campus of Western Kentucky. The Lady Eagles are soaring with confidence after finishing the regular season with a 20-point rout of West Division top seed New Mexico State. With the exception of a home loss to Louisiana-Lafayette last week, UNT played its best basketball of the season in the last month. The Lady Eagles began the stretch with an overtime loss at East Division champion Western Kentucky, the closest the Lady Toppers came to losing at home during Sun Belt play. South Alabama, which shared the West Division title with New Mexico State, suffered its only conference home loss at the hands of UNT on Feb. 22. "The top teams know that we're some competition, and it makes them a little nervous," said point guard Erika Bobo, one of eight freshmen on UNT's roster. "We're the team to look out for." Assuming UNT can defeat Arkansas-Little Rock, which was winless in Sun Belt play, the Lady Eagles will encounter a fresh Western Kentucky team on its home court in the second round Saturday. "We have to play as fearless as we did the other night [against New Mexico State] and with as much emotion and energy," coach Tina Slinker said. "When we play hard and aggressive, we're so much better." Slinker believes her team is at its best when the expectations aren't high, which explains UNT's success against the Sun Belt's elite teams. The Lady Eagles' play of late and the fact that UNT has only one healthy senior has the coach encouraged about the program's future. Advancing past the second round, Slinker said, would be a bonus. "At the same time," Slinker said, "I would be doing my players a disservice if I didn't go thinking we could win four games."

Women's basketball: Lady Eagles draw UALR 03/03/2003 Staff report The Sun Belt Conference announced pairings Sunday for its women’s basketball tournament that begins Thursday and runs through March 11 at the E.A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Ky. North Texas received the No. 4 seed in the West Division and will face the University of Arkansas-Little Rock, the No. 5 seed in the East Division at 5 p.m. Thursday. The winner of that game will advance to face Western Kentucky, the No. 1 seed from the East, at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. North Texas defeated Arkansas-Little Rock, 71-46, on the road in the teams only meeting this season. North Texas was defeated, 89-85, by Western Kentucky the only time the teams played this season.

North Texas women upset Sun Belt West leader 03/02/2003 From Staff Reports DENTON – North Texas enjoyed its best shooting performance of the season in an 88-67 upset of New Mexico State, the Sun Belt West Division leader. "When you play to the level of the competition it's probably a problem," said North Texas coach Tina Slinker. "It's also a characteristic of being young. This win should give us some momentum heading into the conference tournament, but we have to be careful and not have a letdown." The seeding for the Sun Belt Conference tournament, which will be held March 6-11 at the E.A. Dibble Arena in Bowling Green, Ky., will be announced Sunday. The Lady Eagles shot 54.1 percent from the field, including a 61.8 percent in the second half. A pair of freshmen recorded career-high performances in the win to pace North Texas' offensive attack. Freshman guard Jamie Armstrong notched a career-high in scoring and rebounding with a team-high 19 points and nine boards. Guard Erika Bobo, a freshman from North Garland High, also added a career-high 17 points. North Texas 87, New Mexico State 67 NEW MEXICO STATE (16-11, 10-5) – Ford 2-4 2-5 6, Cherizard 0-1 1-2 1, P. Moore 5-8 0-0 12, Sanchez 2-6 0-0 5, Garrett 11-18 3-3 30, Jones 0-1 0-0 0, Dimitrova 2-9 0-0 4, K. Moore 3-7 0-3 6, Clift 0-2 0-0 0, Overman 0-0 1-2 1, Black 0-1 2-2 2. Totals 25-57 9-17 67. NORTH TEXAS (11-15, 6-9) – Blanton 6-12 6-7 18, Britt 3-10 1-2 7, Grismanauskaite 1-4 4-4 6, Bobo 6-9 3-3 17, Trout 7-11 1-3 15, Brown 0-0 0-0 0, Armstrong 9-11 3-3 19, Williams 2-3 0-0 5, Wilson 0-0 0-0 0, Carter 0-1 0-0 0, Haskin 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 33-61 18-22 87 Halftime – North Texas 33-27. 3-point goals – New Mexico St. 8-22 (P. Moore 2-2, Sanchez 1-4, Garrett 5-8, Jones 0-1, Dimitrova 0-5, K. Moore 0-2), North Texas 3-10 (Bobo 2-3, Trout 0-3, Britt 0-2, Williams 1-2). Fouled out – New Mexico St., Ford. Rebounds – New Mexico St. 29 (P. Moore 6), North Texas 39 (Armstrong 9). Assists – New Mexico St. 7 (Sanchez, Jones 2), North Texas 16 (Bobo 5). Total fouls – New Mexico St. 16, North Texas 18. A – 410.

Women's basketball: Time runnning out 03/01/2003 By Tim MacMahon / Staff Writer North Texas coach Tina Slinker thought she landed a star when Vilma Grismanauskaite spurned an offer from Purdue to sign with the Lady Eagles. Vilma Grismanauskaite Grismanauskaite, who will play her final game at the Super Pit on Saturday night against New Mexico State, had the size, skills and shooting touch Slinker dreams about in post players. However, the 6-4 native of Lithuania admits that she hasn’t come close to fulfilling her potential. "I could have done better," Grismanauskaite said with a shrug, "but it’s kind of too late to look back now." Grismanauskaite, who transferred from Weatherford College, has not been a complete bust. She has provided an inside defensive presence — blocking 91 shots the last two seasons — that UNT hadn’t had in Slinker’s tenure. But Slinker had much bigger plans for Grismanau-skaite, who the coach saw as the Lady Eagles’ top offensive threat after losing five seniors off of last season’s team. Despite repeated tries to make Grismanauskaite the focus of the offense, she is averaging less than eight points per game this season. "She’s had an impact on our program," Slinker said. "It’s just not as great as I thought it would be." Slinker believes that Grismanauskaite has enough physical talent to play in the WNBA, though she does not have the mentality. According to Slinker, Grismanauskaite’s passive nature has prevented her from becoming a dominant post player. "To do that, you have to have a passion for the game," Slinker said. "I think Vilma likes the game, but I don’t know if she loves the game." The most frustrating thing for Slinker is that Grismanauskaite has shown flashes of greatness. For example, she scored a career-high 22 points Feb. 8 to nearly lead the Lady Eagles to an upset win at Western Kentucky. She followed that by failing to score in double figures in the next four games. "One day, it just comes like that," Grismanauskaite said. "The other day, it’s hard." For the Lady Eagles to pose a legitimate threat in the Sun Belt tournament, Grismanauskaite will probably have to be at her best. "I will try," she said, "but I don’t know what can turn me on." Added Slinker: "For her own sake, I’d like to see her leave the program feeling good about herself. For ours, too." TIM MACMAHON can be reached at 940-566-6870.

Women's basketball: UNT owes Louisiana-Lafayette Lady Eagles seek revenge for one-point loss against Ragin’ Cajuns 02/27/2003 By Tim MacMahon / Staff Writer The North Texas women’s basketball team is looking for a little payback against Louisiana-Lafayette. DRC/Hiroyuki Komae Forward Kim Blanton has led the Lady Eagles to two wins in their last three games. The Lady Eagles suffered a 58-57 loss Jan. 30 to the Ragin’ Cajuns, snapping Louisiana-Lafayette’s 17-game losing skid in Sun Belt play. The teams meet again at 7 p.m. Thursday night at the Super Pit. "We owe them a lot of something," UNT power forward Kim Blanton said. UNT (10-14, 5-8) played without point guard Erika Bobo in the first meeting against the Ragin’ Cajuns, which the Lady Eagles lost on a four-point play with one second remaining. Bobo sat out the game because of a suspension for a violation of team rules. "She’ll make a big difference," coach Tina Slinker said. "We’re more settled offensively with her at the point, and the matchups are much better." The Lady Eagles, however, will have to replace senior wing Angel Lewis, who will miss at least the remainder of the regular season with a torn meniscus. UNT, which will play at home for the first time since Feb. 6, has won two of its last three games in large part because of Blanton’s play. The 6-1 junior has averaged 21.0 points and 10.7 rebounds per game during that stretch. "We’ve been playing better as a team," Blanton said. "Everybody thinks, ‘Kim’s taking over,’ but I wouldn’t score without my teammates passing me the ball. Everybody is playing their role." Slinker said Blanton’s emergence as UNT’s go-to offensive threat has given the team confidence. The coach added that the Lady Eagles have shown signs of maturation recently. "We’re starting to learn in tight situations how critical each possession is," Slinker said. "The difference between [a win at] South Alabama and [a loss at] New Orleans is that we hit those big shots down the stretch. We hit a lot of critical shots." TIM MACMAHON can be reached at 940-566-6870.

Men's basketball: Ragin’ Cajuns hammer UNT, 94-60 02/25/2003 Staff report LAFAYETTE, La. — Without the services of senior guard Chris Davis and his 19 points per game for the second straight outing, North Texas suffered a 94-60 setback against Louisiana-Lafayette in a Sun Belt Conference West Division game Monday. Davis, out with the flu, leads the Mean Green (7-19, 2-12) in scoring, rebounding and assists. UNT’s Michael DeGrate was the only Mean Green player to reach double figures in the game, finishing the contest with 12 points. "With Chris out, we didn’t really have a go-to guy tonight," said North Texas head coach Johnny Jones. "That wasn’t the difference in the game, but I think it had an effect on how competitive we were. Louisiana-Lafayette has a very talented basketball team and they defended us very well." The Ragin’ Cajuns (20-7, 12-2) pushed the ball up the court on offense and used a high-pressure defense to start the game as it raced out to a double-figure lead within the game’s first four minutes. UL-Lafayette outscored the Mean Green 37-11 over the game’s first 10:18, getting 13 points from Brad Boyd during that span. UNT cut the lead back to 18 points, 40-22, with five minutes remaining in the opening period, but the Ragin’ Cajuns went on a 9-2 run to close the half with a 49-24 lead. The Ragin’ Cajuns extended their lead to 32 points, 62-30, at the 14:46 mark of the second half. While the Mean Green got within 75-52 of UL-Lafayette with 7:03 left in the game, it couldn’t get any closer. North Texas shot just 38 percent from the field, while UL-Lafayette connected on 53 percent of its shots and outrebounded the Mean Green 45-28. UL-Lafayette had four players score in double figures, including Laurie Bridges, who had a game-high 19. North Texas will play its final regular-season game of the year this Saturday at New Mexico State. The game is set to get under way at 8 p.m.

Men's basketball: No Davis, no win Senior falls ill as Mean Green falls, 70-60 02/23/2003 By Tim MacMahon / Staff Writer North Texas senior swingman Chris Davis watched the final home game of his college career from the sideline Saturday night at the Super Pit. DRC/Hiroyuki Komae North Texas guard Rusty Chiles, right, fights for a rebound against South Alabama's Marques Ivy in the first half of the Mean Green's 70-60 loss at the Super Pit Saturday. Davis did not play in the Mean Green’s 70-60 loss to South Alabama because he was suffering from flu symptoms. The 6-5 swingman, who needs 76 points to break the school’s career scoring record, dressed out and was honored along with the other seniors in a pregame ceremony but never removed his warmups. "I had a hard time holding back tears on the bench," said Davis, who leads UNT in points, rebounds and assists. "I cried a whole lot when I realized I wasn’t going to play. I wanted my fans to see me play one more time for North Texas, but it wasn’t meant to happen." It was the first time Davis, who went to the hospital because of dehydration after playing 36 minutes in UNT’s loss Thursday night to New Orleans, missed a game since receiving a medical redshirt as a true freshman. Davis said he decided not to play after feeling extremely sluggish when he tried to warm up about an hour before the game. "I’ve known him to play hurt and sick before," UNT coach Johnny Jones said. "It had to be something that was really tough for him not to go. You could see in his eyes how bad he wanted it." The Mean Green (7-18, 2-11), which has two regular-season games remaining before the conference tournament, clinched last place in the Sun Belt West Division with the loss, its 11th in the last 12 games. A 3-pointer by senior point guard Lee Green gave the Mean Green its final lead of the game, 40-39, with 14:16 remaining. The Jaguars (12-13, 6-8) responded with a 20-6 run, during which forward Richard Law had eight of his 14 points. South Alabama power forward Henry Williams had game highs of 20 points on 9-of-10 shooting and 10 rebounds. Guard Chris Young added 19 points, including a pair of 3-pointers during a run of 11 unanswered points in the first half. Senior forward Jermaine Green led UNT with 13 points, five of which came in an 12-4 spurt that cut the lead to four with 1:58 to play. South Alabama scored the last seven points of the game. "We made bad decisions, shots didn’t go down and we allowed that team to get out of here with a win tonight," Jones said. Jermaine Green and Lee Green, the two other scholarship seniors, refused to use Davis’ absence as an excuse. "Everybody’s got to be ready to step up," said Lee Green, who had eight points on 2-of-9 shooting. "We didn’t do that. We didn’t step up as a team." TIM MACMAHON can be reached at 940-566-6870.

Women's basketball: Blanton leads Lady Eagles 02/23/2003 Staff report MOBLILE, Ala.— Kim Blanton scored 20 points as North Texas handed South Alabama a 60-57 loss at the Mitchell Center. The Lady Eagles (10-14, 5-8) won for the second time in three games on the road and handed the Jaguars (8-5, 16-9) their first loss of the season at home. "I think that we are really relieved and I also think that we finally got over the hump in some of these close games," said North Texas head coach Tina Slinker. "Kim was great tonight and she just continues to surprise me on the offensive end." North Texas played tenacious defense in the first half holding the Jaguars to just 15 percent shooting and climbing out to a 29-18 lead. North Texas was able to maintain its lead throughout the second half, but the Jaguars closed to within one point at 55-54 with under three minutes to play. Vilma Grismanauskaite was able to score and extend the North Texas lead. The Lady Eagles return home Thursday for a 7 p.m. battle with Louisiana-Lafayette at the Super Pit.

offs. Kelsie scored 15 pts (highest scorer was 16 pts...Coach Morrow spreads her offense scorers around instead of one or two doing all the scoring) and a game high 13 rebounds as Mansfield beat El Paso Coronado (20-10) 79 to 57..team advances to regional finals against Duncanville

UNT Notes Forward parts ways with basketball team By Chad Conine Special to the Star-Telegram DENTON - Coach Johnny Jones announced Tuesday that junior forward Unjel Masters has left the men's basketball team for personal reasons. Jones said Masters phoned him about 30 minutes before UNT was to leave for its latest road trip to Denver with his decision. The 6-foot-9 Masters had started nine times for the Mean Green this season and was averaging 2.8 rebounds and 3.1 points in a little more than 14 minutes per game. Masters dressed but didn't play against Western Kentucky on Feb. 8, his last game with the team. The recent emergence of Justin Barnett in the UNT frontcourt had cut down on Masters' playing time. However, Barnett is questionable for the Mean Green's game against New Orleans on Thursday because of a recurring back injury. Jones said Masters' departure will be permanent despite Masters having one remaining season of eligibility.

Major article on Kelsie including half page picture in Mansfield newspaper. "When Mansfield Summit needed a score during the regular season, Kelsie E. usually had the answer. The senior post (5-11) would post up and make a layup over a taller defender, or she'd draw a fould and make a pair of free throws. If defenders were crowding the basket, E would step outside the lane and hit a jumper" ..."Edwards who was the offensive focal point for last seasons state championship Mansfield squad." ..."E who averages 16.2 pts a game"...per Coach Samatha Morrow..."she was the leading scorer on a state champship team" Summits wins first play off game..led Summit with 21 points as she took charge and led her new school to the first ever girls basketball playoff win. She was the only Summit player in double figures.

Women's basketball: It’s Bobo’s time Freshman point guard has big shoes to fill 02/06/2003 By Tim MacMahon / Staff Writer North Texas coach Tina Slinker had become accustomed to her point guard providing a sense of serenity. DRC/Hiroyuki Komae Freshman point guard Erika Bobo has been getting experience as the starter for the Lady Eagles, but causing her share of freshman headaches for UNT coach Tina Slinker, too. That’s the result of having Rosalyn Reades, a prototypical pass-first point guard, running the show the last four seasons. But the reins have been handed over to freshman Erika Bobo, whose similarities with Reades start and end with the position they play. "You can’t compare them, that’s for sure," Slinker said. "But in the long run, I think Erika can be as good as Rosalyn in a different way." Reades, a Rhodes Scholar who graduated as UNT’s all-time leader in assists and steals, relied on wisdom more than athletic ability to lead the Lady Eagles to 77 wins over her career. Her steadiness had a calming influence on teammates and coaches. Bobo, who did not play basketball as a high school senior because she had to concentrate on academics in order to graduate, is as wild as Reades was wise. While Bobo is trying to grasp the concept of playing within a system, her nature is to just get the ball and go. "Rosalyn was just so intelligent," UNT junior shooting guard Heather Trout said. "She knew the game so well and thought about every situation. Bobo has so much talent. She just doesn’t know what to do with it yet." Bobo spent much of her free time in the fall watching film of Reades, trying to pick up pointers from her predecessor. "I want to play like her, but I know that we have two different types of playing styles," said Bobo, who ranks fourth in the Sun Belt in steals (2.28 per game) and ninth in assists (3.72). "But I’m really trying to step up and be a leader and fill her shoes as fast as I can, because I know it’s hard on coach Slinker having a young point guard." There have been several times this season when the point guard’s play has tested Slinker’s patience, such as when Bobo failed to run time off the clock with UNT clinging to a lead late in an overtime loss to New Orleans. Slinker has also been occasionally irritated by Bobo’s tendency to take quick shots instead of attempting to get her teammates involved. "It’s been a huge adjustment," Slinker said. "There are times that I’ve been extremely frustrated, because I’m used to having a point guard do certain things for you. I need to adjust to that. It’s me learning to coach her in the best way possible." Slinker doesn’t have any doubt that strong discipline is best way to deal with Bobo off the court. Slinker suspended Bobo for the Jan. 30 loss at Louisiana-Lafayette after the point guard committed what the coach called a minor violation of team rules. "She needs to be in a disciplined environment," Slinker said. "I think a lot of kids need that." Bobo committed to UNT in the summer before her senior year after her third trip to the Lady Eagles’ basketball camp. But Bobo got sidetracked by what she said was "regular teenage stuff — just getting into a lot of trouble" and withdrew from North Garland before basketball season started. Bobo moved to Fort Worth to live with her godmother and enrolled at Eagle Charter Academy. When Bobo managed to graduate on time and made the necessary score on the SAT, Slinker was waiting with a scholarship. "I feel like I’m blessed to be here," Bobo said. "I’m grateful that the whole coaching staff didn’t give up on me. We have a bond. She [slinker] feels that I’m going to be really good. That’s why she’s so hard on me. "When she doesn’t say anything to me, that kind of makes me nervous. We have a pretty good relationship right now. It’s going to get better as the years go on." Bobo realizes that Slinker is strict on her because the coach wants the freshman to succeed. "I just need that extra push to do things," Bobo said. "I kind of can get lax and hang off to the side sometimes. Discipline is good, as far as I go." As far as Bobo’s game goes, Slinker is still trying to figure out the right approach. TIM MACMAHON can be reached at 940-566-6870.

NORTH TEXAS Former LSU forward may join Mean Green DENTON – Power forward Shawnson Johnson, who quit LSU at halftime of a Dec. 3 game, visited the Mean Green's practice Friday and said he will probably enroll at UNT this semester. The 6-9, 242-pound Johnson, a junior who would become eligible next December if he immediately enrolls at UNT, played three games at LSU before leaving the team, averaging 5.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. He said he quit because he "wasn't on the same page" with LSU coach John Brady. UNT coach Johnny Jones declined to comment, citing an NCAA rule that forbids coaches from discussing potential transfers. Tim MacMahon

UNT Notebook Walk-on point guard Boxell plays well despite loss 01/17/2003 By Tim MacMahon / Staff Writer Walk-on point guard Lance Boxell provided a silver lining in North Texas’ 88-80 overtime loss Thursday night to Arkansas-Little Rock. Boxell, a freshman point guard from Ponder who had a total of 15 minutes of college experience entering the game, gave the Mean Green steady play in 24 minutes off the bench. He finished with four points on 2-of-3 shooting, four assists, three rebounds and two steals. Boxell entered the game with 4:19 to play in the first half and immediately keyed an 8-3 spurt. He had a steal that he converted for a layup and an assist during the run, earning additional playing time. "He played well," UNT coach Johnny Jones said. "I was actually getting him in to get the other guys some rest, but I thought he was playing the best of our point guards tonight." Though Boxell’s game is based on fundamentals, he had a couple of plays worthy of the highlight reel. He juked UALR guard Tony Travis so badly on one play that the Trojan fell to the floor. He also made a pair of beautiful passes from halfcourt, including one that set up Michael DeGrate’s game-tying free throws in the final second of regulation. Mixed results with 1-3-1 The Mean Green gave UALR a different defensive look by playing a 1-3-1 zone for a few minutes in the first half, appearing to confuse the Trojans. UNT didn’t have such success when it went back to the 1-3-1 in overtime. UALR guard Jibrahn Ike was wide open on the right side for a 3-pointer with 21 seconds remaining that slammed the door on UNT. "That shouldn’t have been a weak spot," UNT coach Johnny Jones said. "We just didn’t cover it well and unfortunately they knocked it down. It [the 1-3-1] was a new wrinkle that we put in. It’ll work better next time, hopefully." Two technicals for UNT UNT forward Jermaine Green and center Unjel Masters were each whistled for technical fouls during the second half Thursday. The Mean Green’s only other technical this season was called on coach Johnny Jones at Tennessee Tech. UALR forward Jamal Holden was also called for a technical for shoving Masters in the back. Green was called for his technical when he responded by getting into a confrontation with Holden. "I told him, ‘Don’t ever do that again,’" said Jones, who grabbed Green by the jersey and lectured him after his technical. Masters was called for a technical for talking trash. The referee told Jones that he warned Masters on several occasions. "All they have to do is tell me once," Jones said, "and I can stop it." Davis among top 10 thieves Swingman Chris Davis’ steal in the first half gave him 83 for his career, tying Deon Hunter (1986-89) for 10th place in UNT history. Davis joined Ratliff as the only players to rank among the school’s top 10 in career points, assists and steals. Davis needs 27 rebounds to move into the top 10 in that category, in which Ratliff ranks third. DAVIS COUNTDOWN Tracking North Texas senior swingman Chris Davis’ progress toward the all-time school scoring record: Points vs. UALR: 25 Season average: 18.0 Points this season: 270 Career points: 2,030 Points needed for record: 261