DRC Mens BB compared to DD in 4th year

OldTimer · January 7, 2005

Men's basketball: 4-mal change

Dickey revived Mean Green in fourth year; could Jones, UNT men be next?

08:58 AM CST on Friday, January 7, 2005

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

North Texas athletic director Rick Villarreal couldn’t help but feel a hint of déjà vu while watching the UNT men’s basketball team over the first few weeks of the season.

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Johnny Jones has led the UNT men to their best start through 11 games since the 1994-95 season in his fourth year, making some wonder if history could be repeating itself.

Villarreal saw the Mean Green roll to a series of solid wins in head coach Johnny Jones’ fourth season at UNT and was reminded in some ways of the fourth year in football coach Darrell Dickey’s tenure.

The UNT football team underwent a dramatic transformation in 2001 and broke through to win the first of four straight Sun Belt Conference titles. Jones’ team still has a long way to go to reach those heights, but has taken what appears to be a key step toward a breakthrough season heading into its Sun Belt Conference opener at 8:05 p.m. on Saturday at New Mexico State.

UNT (7-4) will enter conference play this weekend with its best record through 11 games since the 1994-95 season, not to mention more wins heading into league play than any team since the 1960-70 squad.

"There are a lot of parallels," Villarreal said of the two teams’ seasons. "The major reason Johnny is doing well this season is he has been here for a period of time where he feels comfortable and his kids feel comfortable. ... What excites me is that I know we can get better."

When Jones arrived before the beginning of the 2001-02 season, there was nowhere to go but up following a 4-24 finish in Vic Trilli’s final campaign. UNT immediately improved, winning 15 games.

That initial jump never resulted in a division or conference title in the Sun Belt or a run past the second round of the league’s postseason tournament. UNT is hoping its early surge is an indication that this could be the year the team can follow the path its counterparts on the football team blazed a few years ago.

"We have a lot of games to go and hopefully we can continue to get better as the season progresses and stay healthy," Jones said. "Some great things could be ahead for this team."

Jones’ feeling is based in part on finally having his players healthy and in place for the beginning of the season. Senior guard Leonard Hopkins, UNT’s leading scorer, entered the season at full strength after overcoming a series of injuries earlier in his career.

Hopkins is just one of several experienced players in UNT’s lineup that also includes guard Calvin Watson, another returning starter, and veteran forward Mike Jones.

The addition of highly touted junior college point guard Isaac Hines and freshman Quincy Williams also has been key.

Williams replaced junior Justin Barnett in UNT’s lineup when the Mean Green’s starting center was lost for 6-8 weeks with a hand injury just before Christmas.

"We are experienced and know what it takes to get to the next level," Hopkins said. "When you have experience on the floor, you have the ability to get it done."

UNT not only has the experience it lacked in the past, but it also has a more talented team.

The Sun Belt’s coaches named Hopkins to the first team of their preseason all-conference squad.

Mike Jones and Hines are former JUCO All-Americans who have seen their talent translate to the Division I level. Williams and fellow freshman Michael Sturns also have made an immediate impact.

UNT’s players are not only more talented; they also fit Jones’ system. The Mean Green’s current coaching staff brought in each player on the roster except Hopkins and Barnett, a pair of holdovers from the Trilli era.

"We have been fortunate to recruit some talented players who we have been able to plug in, and there were also some good players here when I arrived who have contributed," Jones said. "Leonard and Justin may not have been my guys when I got here, but they are my guys now."

The UNT football team underwent a similar transformation in 2001, although the Mean Green faced a more dire set of circumstances and an even tougher road.

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North Texas football coach Darrell Dickey led the Mean Green to a dramatic turnaround in the 2001 season, his fourth with the Mean Green.

UNT started Dickey’s fourth season with five straight losses and did not have the high percentage of veterans Jones is leaning on this season.

"That first year we had a young team," Dickey said. "The way the guys handled it after starting 0-5 was unlike anything I have ever seen in my coaching career."

UNT rallied behind current Tennessee Titans linebacker Brad Kassell and a handful of other veterans to finish in a tie for the Sun Belt title, earning a berth in the New Orleans Bowl. UNT went on to post its first winning campaign in seven seasons in 2002 and has been on a roll ever since.

Jones is hoping his team can take the first step toward a similar finish at New Mexico State. The Mean Green have not won a game in Las Cruces since knocking off the Aggies, 83-74, on Feb. 14, 1974, long before the players on UNT’s current roster were born.

Breaking a 10-game losing streak on NMSU’s home court does not appear to be an easy task. The Aggies are 4-8 on the season, but will be boosted by the return of legendary coach Lou Henson.

Henson’s right leg is paralyzed as the result of viral encephalitis, an acute inflammatory disease of the brain. He is expected to coach NMSU from a wheelchair and continue his pursuit of becoming only the fifth Division I basketball coach with 800 wins. Henson needs just 21 more wins to reach the milestone.

"They will definitely be ready to play with coach Henson coming back," Mike Jones said of NMSU.

The challenge of facing a fired up NMSU team is one UNT appears ready to face after reaching a series of milestones in non-conference play.

"There is something different about this team," said Hank Dickenson, UNT’s senior associate athletic director and longtime radio announcer. "It feels like they are making a breakthrough."

Jones watched from a distance while the UNT football team turned the corner and would love the comparison between the teams to become even stronger after a solid run through Sun Belt play by his squad.

"I have not taken a close look at what Darrell has done, but I would love to have the same kind of success," Jones said. "He has been sized for a championship ring every year since his fourth year."

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

SUMG · January 7, 2005

The Mean Green have not won a game in Las Cruces since knocking off the Aggies, 83-74, on Feb. 14, 1974.

Hey if the stinkin' Red Sox can end their curse........it's time for us to end this 31 year Las Cruces drought.

GMG!

Edited January 7, 2005 by SUMG

emmitt01 · January 7, 2005

"Breaking a 10-game losing streak on NMSU’s home court does not appear to be an easy task. The Aggies are 4-8 on the season, but will be boosted by the return of legendary coach Lou Henson."

No they won't. Henson is back in the hospital with pnemonia. NMSU may play up though, in tribute to their coach.

drex · January 7, 2005

There is no comparison between Jones and Dickey for a number of reasons...read between the lines.

Baby Arm! · January 8, 2005

You all better be careful. I've found making comparisons between Dickey and Jones on the basketball board will incur the wrath of e-bone.

<_<

I better get off of here and get my but back to the football board. It's been made abundantly clear to me before that me and my kind aren't welcome on the basketball board.

Edited January 8, 2005 by Baby Arm!

January 8, 2005

You all better be careful. I've found making comparisons between Dickey and Jones on the basketball board will incur the wrath of e-bone.
<_<
I better get off of here and get my but back to the football board. It's been made abundantly clear to me before that me and my kind aren't welcome on the basketball board.

How old are you again?

Also, if you ever want to come to the basketball board to talk basketball, then I think that is great and I welcome you.

Edited January 8, 2005 by e-bone

rcade · January 9, 2005

You can't ask for a better start to Sun Belt conference play than to go to Las Cruces and end a 31-year losing streak there. The Aggies have to be counting the days until they don't have to play North Texas in conference any more.

It's hard to follow the team over the radio, but I have been impressed with how resilient they are in these games. They're going to be tough to beat all year long, and I feel like we're going to be competing strong for the conference championship up to the end.

Edited January 9, 2005 by rcade