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I’m getting ready to head to the airport to catch a flight to Indiana, but before I do, it’s time to circle the bases and hit on a few items of note from around UNT. First off this really isn’t news, but I find it fascinating and suspect many UNT fans will as well. The New York Times came out with a map that shows what percentage of people living in every zip code in the country are fans of every college football team based on Facebook “likes” One can click on every zip code and see what the percentages are. The conclusion? Read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2014/10/friday-notes-including-a-fascinating-map-of-fans-by-zip-code.html/

During his year with Gillette College, Ahmeds New York-sized heart and intensity were on full display. On several occasions when opponents went on scoring runs, the Bronx bruiser would be the one to respond, whether it be with a long-range bomb or a rim-rattling slam. Division I coaches were paying attention. Denton, Texas, population 113,383 Among those watching were the coaches at North Texas. But they turned their attention to him well before Ahmed became a fixture in Region IX. They were recruiting me the whole year, Ahmed said. They showed that they were really interested and wanted me. I was their No. 1 overall recruit and the first one they brought onto campus. The Mean Green coaches, in part, can thank their association with Gillette College assistant coach Tony Schamber. He and North Texas assistant coach David Anwar both coached at Nebraska when Iowa State assistant Doc Sadler was the Huskers head man. North Texas coach Tony Benford and Anwar also gave Ahmed the impression that they needed the many skills he possessed, friendship between the two staffs or not. (It was) not just that they wanted me. They needed me also, he said. They said that they were missing a player like me to help them get to the tournament. The tournament that Ahmed refers to is the NCAA Tournament, which started Final Four play on Saturday. His longtime goal has been to play in it and he is willing to do what it takes for the Mean Green to go from 16-16 to Conference USA champs, which would give them an automatic berth into the field. The goal is to make the tournament, he said before correcting himself, to help them make the tournament. In his travels from New York City to Gillette, Ahmed has met plenty of players who have already taken part in that tournament. He knows Daytons Scoochie Smith another player with a New York pedigree who helped propel his team to a first-round upset of Ohio State and a Sweet 16 appearance less than a month ago. Hes also crossed paths with players from UConns Final Four team. Many of those hes met he has stayed in contact with, as hell do with his Pronghorn teammates. But Ahmed just wants the chance to follow their lead and fulfill the dream all major college basketball players have, to go dancing figuratively as a part of March Madness. North Texas gives him that chance, but his travels across the country havent hurt, either. I feel like everywhere that Ive went, Ive improved, he said, looking every bit the 6-foot-7 Division I-player hell soon be while sitting in a small coaches office in northeast Wyoming. All my coaches, everywhere, helped my game. His game made its mark on Gillette College hoops too. No question. Read more: http://www.gcpronghorns.com/newsdetail.php?id=175

DENTON - The word Ramadan comes from the Arabic term for scorching heat or dryness, which is ironic considering what North Texas basketball newcomer Muhammed Ahmed has recently been introduced to. A native of the Bronx, New York, who spent the last two years traipsing through the snow at Gillette Community College in Wyoming, Ahmed has joined his teammates in the near triple-digit temperatures of Denton as they prepare for the upcoming basketball season. From medicine ball work to full-field sprints on the Apogee Stadium turf, Ahmed has been put through the ringer by the North Texas strength and conditioning staff and hes done it all on an empty stomach. Ahmed is a devout Muslim, and during the holy month of Ramadan he joins millions worldwide in fasting and prayer. That means no food or drink from dawn until sunset, despite the fact that Ahmed and his teammates undergo strenuous workouts both in the morning and afternoon. "I dont know too many kids that could do this and remain as focused as hes been during training," said E.J. Hairston, the associate athletic trainer at North Texas. "Hes a pretty special kid, and he seems to be handling it really well. Obviously, we monitor him more closely than the other players, but he hasnt taken more than one or two reps off since we started a few weeks ago." Hairston and Co. have kept their eyes on Ahmed during workouts, looking for the tale-tell symptom of dehydration and heat exhaustion: cramping, slurred speech, dizziness and nausea. Preventative maintenance, Hairston says, will be Ahmeds best weapon for staying healthy and hydrated. Read more: http://www.meangreensports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/071814aaa.html

This signing shows the value of Assistant Coach Tony Schamber of the Pronghorns. Schamber was brought on by Neary for not only his coaching abilities, but his recruiting contacts as well. Schamber was the director of player development at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln the same time David Anwar was on the coaching staff. Anwar is now an assistant coach with the University of North Texas. Head Coach Tony Benford of the UNT Mean Machine mentioned how Assistant Coach Anwar boasted about Ahmed's character, attitude, and work ethic. In the team's press release, Coach Benford mentioned that Ahmed is a versatile inside-out player that can fill multiple roles on the court. In a phone interview with Basin Radio Network, Benford elaborated on how Ahmed will be used. "We see him play the [small and power] forwards. He'll be able with his ability to step right in and help us right away." Read more: http://www.basinsradio.com/Ahmed-officially-signs-with-UNT/18839726