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Men's basketball: On the rise

Mean Green seniors hope roller-coaster ride turns up at season’s end

07:45 AM CST on Monday, February 23, 2004

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

When Johnny Jones took over the North Texas men’s basketball program three years ago, he knew a monumental challenge awaited.

Fortunately for Jones, Will Smith and Jerome Rogers were there to help him meet it. Both players were sophomores when Jones took over for Vic Trilli in 2001. Each helped smooth the transition for Jones, who is still in the process of rebuilding UNT’s program.

DRC/Hiroyuki Komae

UNT's Jerome Rogers

Both Rogers and Smith have played four tough years at UNT and will reach a milestone in their careers tonight when they play their final home game against Louisiana-Lafayette (15-7, 10-2).

The pair has seemingly seen it all in four years, from a 15-game losing streak under Trilli to a solid first year under Jones when UNT went 15-14.

"We have been up and down like a roller coaster," Rogers said. "We are looking to bring it back up at the end."

UNT (11-13, 6-6) enters the Sun Belt Conference contest in the thick of the race for one of eight spots in the league’s postseason tournament with three games left in the regular season.

Rogers and Smith helped UNT arrive at that spot not only by playing this season but also by sticking with the team through a coaching change and a series of disappointing campaigns.

"Those two guys have been through a lot," Jones said. "They helped their teammates and the staff and were very productive. They gave us stability and also helped us in recruiting."

Both Smith and Rogers were recruited by Trilli, UNT’s former coach who led the team from the 1997-98 season through the 2000-01 campaign.

UNT endured some tough seasons under Trilli, including a 4-24 campaign in his final year.

"It was tough to work so hard and loose so many games at the end," Smith said. "Those games were tough."

Jones has gradually rebuilt UNT’s program since taking over for Trilli.

UNT posted a winning season in Jones’ first year and appeared as if it would cruise to an even better finish this season before falling into a funk the last three weeks. The Mean Green has lost five of its last seven games.

UNT has just three games left in the regular season and could improve its chances of earning a berth in the Sun Belt’s postseason tournament with a win or two to close the season. UNT is tied for third place in the Sun Belt’s West Division.

The top two teams from each division, plus the teams with the four next best records, will advance to the tournament.

The Mean Green enters its game against Lafayette in a logjam in the middle of the conference standings. UNT is among four teams in the league with 6-6 records. Those four teams are in position to grab the fifth through eighth seeds in the tournament.

New Mexico State is looming just one game back at 5-7 and could make a late run to get into the tournament.

DRC/Hiroyuki Komae

UNT's Will Smith

"I want to make sure that we finish strong so that we can have a winning season," Rogers said. "We have a chance to finish well if we practice hard and bring it to the game."

UNT will need a solid performance to knock off Louisiana-Lafayette. The Ragin’ Cajuns lead the Sun Belt’s West Division and were the first team in the league to clinch a conference tournament berth.

Lafayette is one of the most athletic teams in the conference and has seven players averaging at least nine points a game. Antoine Landry is leading the Ragin’ Cajuns with an average of 13 points a game.

UNT struggled to contain Lafayette in a 94-81 loss in the first meeting between the teams, when the Ragin’ Cajuns used their athletic ability to get into the open floor and score points in transition.

Changing its fortunes against Louisiana-Lafayette could be a challenge for UNT, but not nearly as daunting as the task Rogers and Smith faced while trying to help rebuild the Mean Green’s basketball program.

UNT lost its final 15 games of Trilli’s last season and six of the first seven games of Jones’ first campaign.

Rogers’ performance has helped bring the Mean Green back from the depths of that skid to move into position to post a solid 2003-04 season. UNT’s starting point guard is averaging a career high 10.6 points a game and leads the team with 60 assists.

Smith has started 12 games and has provided a key spark off the bench late in the season. He is averaging 4.0 points and 3.8 rebounds a game.

What has been even more satisfying for Rogers than his career season is the state of the team.

"The program is in a lot better shape than when I came," Rogers said. "We are going forward and are improving."

Rogers and Smith are hoping to put that improvement on display tonight and help the Mean Green secure a spot in the Sun Belt Tournament with a win or two in the final two weeks of the season.

"I am looking forward to our last home game," Rogers said. "I want to give fans a great memory of Jerome Rogers."

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

Zeke Collaborator

Zeke

Posted
Posted (edited)

"It was tough to work so hard and loose so many games at the end," Smith said. "Those games were tough."

Ok, when I see one of the GMG board members screw this up it is tough for me to take. But when the local sportswriter can't get this I am baffled. It's loose and lose.........it's not hard.

Loose

Edited by Zeke

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      Eric Morris needs to go

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      Eric Morris needs to go

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