DRC trip to Beaumont familiar for NT Jone's

[OldTimer]

Basketball: Trip to Beaumont will be familiar for UNT’s Jones

Mean Green coach went to Lamar games as child

08:05 AM CST on Saturday, November 29, 2003

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

North Texas men’s basketball coach Johnny Jones will make a familiar journey Saturday when the Mean Green take on Lamar in their second game of the season.

Jones once attended Lamar’s home games when his brother Trennis played for the Cardinals from 1970-73. Billy Tubbs was beginning his coaching career as an assistant at Lamar at the same time.

Tubbs will be waiting to meet Jones once again Saturday. The legendary coach, who has also guided the TCU and Oklahoma men’s basketball teams, returned to his alma mater this year to coach the Cardinals.

"Coach Tubbs is an old friend," Jones said. "I have followed his career through the years and have a great deal of respect for him."

Tubbs’ team figures to provide UNT a gauge for how far the Mean Green have progressed this season.

UNT beat Northwestern Oklahoma State in its season opener, 57-47, at home.

"This game will give us the opportunity to see what our weaknesses are and work on them," Jones said. "We will get a chance to see how good we will be defensively in the post."

The UNT women will face a test of their own across the country. The Lady Eagles will look to build on a win over Sam Houston State on Tuesday when they travel to New York for the Binghamton/Time Warner Classic.

UNT will open the event with a game against Canisius, which beat rival Buffalo for the first time since the 1993-94 season in its opener.

The Lady Eagles (2-1) have already posted an impressive win over Indiana State earlier in the season. UNT’s only loss came against Indiana in the Indiana Tournament.

Senior forward Kim Blanton is averaging 15.7 points a game to pace UNT, while junior guard Jill Medlock is averaging 12.7 points a game.

Junior forward Michael Jones led the UNT men in its first game of the season with 13 points, while senior forward Michael DeGrate scored 12.

The Mean Green might have a chance to increase their output against Lamar and Tubbs, a coach who Jones says likes to push the ball up the floor.

Jones’ style differs in some ways from Tubbs, but he said he has learned a great deal while watching his brother’s former coach from afar.

"He is still out there recruiting like he is an assistant coach," Jones said. "You would think he is still in his 20s the way he works. I have always admired him and the way his teams play."

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870.

UNT basketball

Men vs. Lamar, 7 p.m., KWRD-FM 100.7, KNTU-FM 88.1

Women vs. Canisius, 2 p.m., KNTU-FM 88.1