Mean Green searching for identity

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Young Mean Green Searching For Identity - Friday, January 2, 2004

LSU Transfer Playing Strong For North Texas

By Izzy Gould

The Morning News/RazorbackCentral •igould@nwaonline.net

FAYETTEVILLE – We've heard this song. We've seen this dance.

Like so many of Arkansas' nonconference opponents, North Texas is a youthful team hoping to gain experience when facing the Hogs on Saturday afternoon in Bud Walton Arena.

North Texas (4-6) is Arkansas' final nonconference opponent before the Hogs (7-3) open Southeastern Conference play with a potential powder keg – a nationally televised game at home against bitter rival Louisiana State on Tuesday night.

But Arkansas cannot afford to glance past the Mean Green.

Third-year North Texas coach Johnny Jones is aware of how Western Carolina stole a 62-59 overtime victory out of Fayetteville on Dec. 22. But he also knows Arkansas is refocused after winning at Tulsa on Tuesday, 81-74.

North Texas has been in some battles of its own, the latest a 79-70 loss to Indiana.

But it was close.

"We actually won the game, unfortunately the score didn't indicate that," Jones said. "It was a tight game throughout. We had an opportunity to cut their lead to two points, but didn't do what we needed at that moment. Indiana's a very good basketball team and our guys understand what they've done in the past. Just like Arkansas, they've won national championships. But our motivation is for us to continue to get better.

"Our guys understand we lost against Indiana, but we continued to grow. We felt like we got better in that game."

North Texas is beginning to adjust to LSU transfer Shawnson Johnson, who joined the team after the fall semester. Due to NCAA transfer rules, Johnson was forced to sit out one academic year after enrolling at North Texas in January 2003.

The 6-foot-9, 250-pounder has been a pleasant surprise for Jones and the Mean Green. Johnson's started four of the five games he's played in and is the team's scoring leader, averaging 16 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.

He led the Mean Green with 21 points and 11 rebounds against the Hoosiers.

"He's a very good post player," Jones said. "He is our center. Again, he just became eligible at the break. He's played in five games and has been a tremendous asset for us.

"We have some guys who are very capable on the perimeter, but we haven't shot the ball as well as we would like."

Mean Green junior guard Leonard Hopkins has helped on the perimeter and ranks second in scoring averaging 9.7 points per game.

North Texas is shooting 43.7 percent from the floor, and 28.7 percent from 3-point range.

With a healthy rotation of nine to 10 players, Jones continues to search for consistency.

"We're a young basketball team in the sense we lost three guys who started for us last year," Jones said. "We lost our top two scorers and rebounders. In a sense, we have a lot of new guys still learning the system.

"We're excited about our team. We think we're talented and once our chemistry comes together we feel we will be a very good basketball team."

One of the tougher parts of playing for a school like North Texas is the demanding road schedule.

Through 10 games, the Mean Green have played six road games. That includes playing four of their last five games on the road. Overall, they are 1-5 in road games, the lone win coming against Texas-Pan American, 87-81 on Dec. 17.

"When you're here, unfortunately you have to go on the road a lot," Jones said. "It's been difficult for us, but at the same time that's a growing process for our team.

"I think it will help us grow stronger."

NORTH TEXAS AT ARKANSAS

WHEN: Saturday; Tip-off at 12:30 p.m.

WHERE: Bud Walton Arena