...Best UNT WBB team ever?

[Ross Hodgeson]

Jason Burton was a home run hire for the University of North Texas women's basketball program. It was clear from the moment the Mean Green hired Burton away from Texas A&M Commerce that he was the right person to lead the team into the American Athletic Conference.

Even knowing that, it's likely that no one expected North Texas to be as good as the team has been so far this season.

The Mean Green sit at 16-3 on the season and 6-1 in conference play. The only losses have been to Texas A&M, Montana State and Charlotte in the first game of AAC play. The team's won six in a row since, including victories over SMU and South Florida.

And those two wins are notable because the teams were expected to be the cream of the crop in the conference. USF was selected to win the AAC in the preseason poll, while SMU was picked to finish fourth. UNT? 12th out of the 14 teams, ahead of only UAB and FAU.

LINK:  https://www.texasfootball.com/article/2024/01/24/iso-spotlight-this-might-be-the-best-unt-team-ever?ref=article_preview_img

[MCMLXXX]

It may be but I will hold off on making that claim. Coach Burton certainly has the potential to be the best WB Coach ever as well.

[GrandGreen]

41 minutes ago, Ross Hodgeson said:

Jason Burton was a home run hire for the University of North Texas women's basketball program. It was clear from the moment the Mean Green hired Burton away from Texas A&M Commerce that he was the right person to lead the team into the American Athletic Conference.

Even knowing that, it's likely that no one expected North Texas to be as good as the team has been so far this season.

The Mean Green sit at 16-3 on the season and 6-1 in conference play. The only losses have been to Texas A&M, Montana State and Charlotte in the first game of AAC play. The team's won six in a row since, including victories over SMU and South Florida.

And those two wins are notable because the teams were expected to be the cream of the crop in the conference. USF was selected to win the AAC in the preseason poll, while SMU was picked to finish fourth. UNT? 12th out of the 14 teams, ahead of only UAB and FAU.

LINK:  https://www.texasfootball.com/article/2024/01/24/iso-spotlight-this-might-be-the-best-unt-team-ever?ref=article_preview_img

The season's not over, but based on their play thus far; I think they are the best ever.  The only team close would be the Reades and Mitchell teams.

I wonder if Quincy Noble now regrets her decision to transfer to Ok St.  She is currently averaging about 13 points and 3 rebounds for OSU (11-8, 4-4).  She was a NT great, but she might be getting more playing time at OSU than she would on this NT team.  

[GrandGreen]

18 minutes ago, MCMLXXX said:

It may be but I will hold off on making that claim. Coach Burton certainly has the potential to be the best WB Coach ever as well.

I think that accolade is just about in the bag.  Karen Aston's one year NT career would be the closest challenge.  

[NT80]

2 hours ago, Ross Hodgeson said:

And those two wins are notable because the teams were expected to be the cream of the crop in the conference. USF was selected to win the AAC in the preseason poll, while SMU was picked to finish fourth. UNT? 12th out of the 14 teams, ahead of only UAB and FAU.

 

Who were those preseason pollsters, lol?  UAB is second in the conference standings (5-1).  We host them Sunday at 2pm.

[wardly]

2 hours ago, GrandGreen said:

The season's not over, but based on their play thus far; I think they are the best ever.  The only team close would be the Reades and Mitchell teams.

I wonder if Quincy Noble now regrets her decision to transfer to Ok St.  She is currently averaging about 13 points and 3 rebounds for OSU (11-8, 4-4).  She was a NT great, but she might be getting more playing time at OSU than she would on this NT team.  

That 1988 team was really good.

[greenminer]

1 hour ago, wardly said:

That 1988 team was really good.

For those of us that were not around Denton yet, can you tell us about them?

[UNT86]

Until they make the NCAA, the 85-86 team is our best. 

[CMJ]

5 hours ago, UNT86 said:

Until they make the NCAA, the 85-86 team is our best. 

I'm not sure that should necessarily be the standard.  One could legit argue that in the last five seasons the men's team that WON a round in the NCAA tournament might be the weakest of the group.  They'll likely ultimately be remembered as the best on account of the Purdue win, but the squad that got robbed of an appearance the previous season by the pandemic was probably superior.  Perry's two teams were likely better as well.  And this season's squad is shaping up as another special group.

[Big Z]

Give Burton a raise!

 

[meanJewGreen]

I would hold off on this projection until the end of the season

[wardly]

8 hours ago, UNT86 said:

Until they make the NCAA, the 85-86 team is our best. 

Correct. I was off by a few years. The men won the SLCC in 1988 and lost to North Carolina in sub regional played at Utah.Judy Nelson, Corky's wife , was the women's coach and won the Southland Conference Championship, which I think is only women's basketball conference championship we have ever won. We lost in the 1st round but I forget to whom and where. I should remember that the team played 85-86 as the athletic department had no money for a banner, reached out to me, and I paid $500 for the one hanging in the Supper Pitt. I only mention this in order to let those not around at that time how cash strapped and under funded our athletic department was. While we have been criticized for dropping down to the Southland Conference it was a bus league which was all we we could afford at the time. We still are underfunded do to the lack of financial support by our alumni base. Granted we have had a few graduates with deep pockets step up to the plate to fund the new indoor football  and basketball practice facilities but our alumni giving lags all other D1 programs in Texas.

[Mo Green]

Karen, our old coach, has NutsaCK ladies playing pretty well as she has recruited pretty good players. Looking forward to the 31st in San Antonio. SA sports said that they would be able to jump up into a tie for first place in a couple of weeks.

GMG

[meangreenfaninno]

30 minutes ago, Mo Green said:

Karen, our old coach, has NutsaCK ladies playing pretty well as she has recruited pretty good players. Looking forward to the 31st in San Antonio. SA sports said that they would be able to jump up into a tie for first place in a couple of weeks.

GMG

I noticed that as well.  UTSA has stepped up on the men's side as well.  They are no longer an auto W and as we know they live to beat us.