Where do we go from here?

cousin oliver · March 25

Seems like we are leaving sort of a golden era of UNT basketball into the unknown. McCasland and many of his great players like Tylor, Javion, Mo, Geu, Kai, Drez, Bell, Reese, Ryan, Rosy, Mike, DJ and Jorden are gone now. We have no guarantee that this roster will stay as is. And half of the squad was basically sitting the bench and they deserve a shot to go play somewhere else if they cannot get minutes here. Ross is a good coach but can he recruit to the level that McCasland did? Will we stay primarily a defensive team or will we look to move more uptempo?

MeanGreenTexan · March 25

There's no recruiting dropoff. Hodge is likely more relatable than McCasland anyway.
Coach Hodge brought in Edwards, Noland, Buggs, Walker & Allen over the last cycle. Also, Phil Forte, who is a good coach/recruiter.
The two HS kids we have lined up appear to be nice players (Taylor ranked the #20PG in this class), and based on last year's success, I think it's safe to say he knows what he's doing when finding guys in the portal & JUCO.

Green Otaku · March 25

If this team stays together we need a legit big man with post presence and an athletic power forward in the mold of Thomas Bell. If we get these 2 positions we are going to be looking very good next year.

NorthTexasWeLove · March 25

We go up. That's where.

CMJ · March 25

Where do we go from here? One way ticket to the AAC champs.

May out at FAU? USF was great this season, but I need another year before I'm convinced. No one else scares me.

UNTLifer · March 25

2 hours ago, cousin oliver said:

Seems like we are leaving sort of a golden era of UNT basketball into the unknown. McCasland and many of his great players like Tylor, Javion, Mo, Geu, Kai, Drez, Bell, Reese, Ryan, Rosy, Mike, DJ and Jorden are gone now. We have no guarantee that this roster will stay as is. And half of the squad was basically sitting the bench and they deserve a shot to go play somewhere else if they cannot get minutes here. Ross is a good coach but can he recruit to the level that McCasland did? Will we stay primarily a defensive team or will we look to move more uptempo?

Did your girlfriend approve of the way Hodge addressed his players? I think this goes a long way in determining whether we are successful on the recruiting trail or not.

MeanGreenTexan · March 25

51 minutes ago, CMJ said:

Where do we go from here? One way ticket to the AAC champs.

May out at FAU? USF was great this season, but I need another year before I'm convinced. No one else scares me.

As long as Kennedy is at UAB, they will continue to be a thorn, and it doesn't look like Charlotte is going anywhere. Does Memphis do anything over the offseason?
It's nice to have a team that's always contending. We actually have to think about what the other contenders are doing to keep up/be better!

CMJ · March 25

3 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

As long as Kennedy is at UAB, they will continue to be a thorn, and it doesn't look like Charlotte is going anywhere. Does Memphis do anything over the offseason?
It's nice to have a team that's always contending. We actually have to think about what the other contenders are doing to keep up/be better!

UAB is an equal, but they don't scare me the way FAU did. I always thought the Owls were just flat better than us. I don't have that feeling about anyone else.

MeanGreen22 · March 25

2 hours ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

The two HS kids we have lined up appear to be nice players (Taylor ranked the #20PG in this class), and based on last year's success, I think it's safe to say he knows what he's doing when finding guys in the portal & JUCO.

Taylor’s size scares me but the kid is incredibly talented. I think Mason is going to be a stud that might push for minutes Year 1.

MeanGreenTexan · March 25

2 minutes ago, CMJ said:

UAB is an equal, but they don't scare me the way FAU did. I always thought the Owls were just flat better than us. I don't have that feeling about anyone else.

I always thought, each time we played them over the past 2 years, we could beat FAU... until "Davis time". Then:
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I'll be so glad when that guy is gone.

MeanGreenTexan · March 25

11 minutes ago, MeanGreen22 said:

Taylor’s size scares me but the kid is incredibly talented. I think Mason is going to be a stud that might push for minutes Year 1.

His height is probably what is keeping a lot of bigger programs away, but last time we picked up an undersized PG from a neighboring state that everyone else passed on (way back in 2007), we wound up with a HOF'er. 🤞

MCMLXXX · March 25

2 hours ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

As long as Kennedy is at UAB, they will continue to be a thorn

Will it be better if he is at SMU?

I kid, I am sure they believe he is beneath them.

MeanGreenZen · March 26

One thing Ross can do is recruit. He essentially recruited our entire team last year. Rubin and Scott to stay and Edwards, CJ, Allen, Buggs and Walker to come.
We might have a ton of roster turnover, but Ross knows how to stock the shelves.

Edited March 26 by MeanGreenZen

Glory to the Green · March 26

We’ll be fine. Hodge definitely knows what this team needs. I’m excited to see what this team looks like next year. And I’m looking forward to seeing some of our younger guys getting some playing time.

Matt from A700 · March 26

1 hour ago, Glory to the Green said:

We’ll be fine. Hodge definitely knows what this team needs. I’m excited to see what this team looks like next year. And I’m looking forward to seeing some of our younger guys getting some playing time.

But can he coach them to hit their free throws in the clutch, and to finish those bunnies at the rim!

NT80 · March 26

11 minutes ago, Matt from A700 said:

But can he coach them to hit their free throws in the clutch, and to finish those bunnies at the rim!

Lots of missed opportunities this season. We were streaky within most games. Easy layups would have been great instead of the circus slam dunks that failed. Out-of-control ball handling into the paint for a turnover, an extra muffed pass causing the shot clock to expire, poor free-throws that would have sealed a win, etc. Ross hopefully will clean up much of it.

The team needs more play-ready reserves, 3 Bigs instead of 2, 3 power forwards instead of 1, more inside game instead of just outside. Year 2 will be interesting from the roster makeover and retention standpoint.

MrAlien · March 26

year 2 will be interesting, players move around a lot now. I think with every class you need to find at least 1 big. UNT has also had good luck recruiting at the juco level.

Matt from A700 · March 26

1 hour ago, NT80 said:

Lots of missed opportunities this season. We were streaky within most games. Easy layups would have been great instead of the circus slam dunks that failed. Out-of-control ball handling into the paint for a turnover, an extra muffed pass causing the shot clock to expire, poor free-throws that would have sealed a win, etc. Ross hopefully will clean up much of it.

The team needs more play-ready reserves, 3 Bigs instead of 2, 3 power forwards instead of 1, more inside game instead of just outside. Year 2 will be interesting from the roster makeover and retention standpoint.

I'd like to have an actual 3 as well. Someone Aaron's size but a little stronger, who can handle the ball well, and can threaten to get some easy points at the hoop just as well as he can threaten to make a 3.

Matt from A700 · March 26

1 hour ago, MrAlien said:

UNT has also had good luck recruiting at the juco level.

Let's keep targeting the Kansas colleges! We need a contingent of Mean Green fans to support the team in Wichita.

Jonnyeagle · March 26

I feel like we must land at least one decent big. Every program worth anything has that. Heck Seton Hall had several.

Shark84 · March 26

20 minutes ago, Jonnyeagle said:

I feel like we must land at least one decent big. Every program worth anything has that. Heck Seton Hall had several.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Big Z · March 27

We need more players to come off the bench and score.

keith · March 29

We are not going to get the 4* or 5* recruits out of high school. If a high school recruit doesn’t have a chance to contribute and get minutes as a freshman, I don’t think we can “afford” to have him on the bench for a year. Where we are right now as a program, we need to get older via the portal. I will take a bunch of one and done players to establish our brand as a winning program over multiple years to the point where we do have a shot at the high end recruits.

NorthTexasWeLove · March 29

2 minutes ago, keith said:

We are not going to get the 4* or 5* recruits out of high school. If a high school recruit doesn’t have a chance to contribute and get minutes as a freshman, I don’t think we can “afford” to have him on the bench for a year. Where we are right now as a program, we need to get older via the portal. I will take a bunch of one and done players to establish our brand as a winning program over multiple years to the point where we do have a shot at the high end recruits.

We're 154-80 over the last 7 years. Not refuting your point. Just saying.