DRC article on Lady Eagles today

OldTimer · December 10, 2003

Lady Eagles need help inside

Slinker seeks complement to Medlock

08:18 AM CST on Wednesday, December 10, 2003

The North Texas women’s basketball team enters its game against Texas this week looking for a little balance.

Junior guard Jill Medlock has gotten off to a blazing start in her first season at UNT and is providing the Lady Eagles a scoring threat from the outside. What UNT now needs is additional scoring inside to balance its offense and make defenses pay for following Medlock everywhere she goes on the floor.

Medlock is averaging 12.7 points a game to lead UNT.

"We have to establish more of a post game to help Jill get more opportunities to score," UNT coach Tina Slinker said.

Senior All-Sun Belt Conference forward Kim Blanton is averaging 12.3 points a game, while sophomore forward Jamie Armstrong is adding 10 points a game. Both players score most of their points around the basket.

The Lady Eagles would like to have another threat inside. Kelsie Edwards showed signs that she could be that player in a game against Texas A&M. The freshman forward scored a career-high 20 points in a 72-62 loss to the Aggies.

The total was the highest for UNT freshman since Jalie Mitchell scored 20 points in a game against Cal-Poly on Jan. 23, 2000.

Added scoring inside could help Medlock continue her surge early this season. Medlock has already made 17 3-point shots and is shooting 47 percent from behind the arc.

She is on pace to shatter the UNT record of 60 3-point shots made in a single season. Medlock is also a perfect 19-of-19 from the free throw line.

UNT will likely need all the scoring it can muster when it takes on Texas on Sunday. The Longhorns are ranked second in the Associated Press top 25 poll.

Briefly ...

North Texas outrebounded Texas A&M 43-34 in its last game. It marked the third time in the last four games that UNT has grabbed more rebounds than its opponent. ... UNT has a 21-70 record against Big 12 teams. The Lady Eagles last win over a Big 12 school came against Baylor on Nov. 24, 1999 at the Super Pit. ... Seven of UNT’s first eight games are on the road this season.