Womens BB Opens Season Tonight

[Eagle-96]

http://www.meangreensports.com/ViewArticle...0&ATCLID=210316

Mean Green Opens Basketball Season With Exhibition Game Tonight

Courtesy: University of North Texas

Release: 11/02/2005

DENTON (11/2/05) - The North Texas women's basketball team will take to the court for the first time in the 2005-06 season with an exhibition game against the Houston Jaguars tonight at 7 pm in the Super Pit.

On Tap

North Texas opens the exhibition season with a battle against the Houston Jaguars. This will be the first of two exhibition games for North Texas before the regular season begins on November 18.

Some Old, Some New

The North Texas roster is filled with six uppperclassmen along with three sophomores and five freshman. The Mean Green has all five starters returning along with nine letterwinners from last season. North Texas has four seniors on the roster for the first time since the 2001-02 season.

Mean Green Picked To Win The West Division

With all five starters and nine letterwinners returning, the North Texas women’s basketball team has been tabbed as the favorites in the Sun Belt Conference West Division. North Texas received seven first place votes in the poll conducted by the leagues head coaches. Louisiana-Lafayette was picked to finish second in the West Division, getting three first-place votes. South Alabama was selected third, Denver fourth, conference newcomer Troy fifth, and New Orleans rounded out the West Division at sixth. Western Kentucky was the preseason favorite in the East Division getting seven first place votes. Arkansas State picked up two first-place votes and was picked second while defending conference champion Middle Tennessee received one first-place vote and was picked third. Florida International and Arkansas-Little Rock rounded out the East Division. Western Kentucky’s Tiffany Porter-Talbert was named the Preseason Player of the Year.

Thirty Years of Basketball

The 2005-06 season marks the 30th year of North Texas women’s basketball. Since the start of the program in 1976, the Mean Green has won 341 games, made the NCAA tournament in 1986, and had two WNIT appearances. The most wins in a single season came in 2001-02 when North Texas had 21 victories. Over the years North Texas has had 21 players named all-conference. Cherri Rapp was the head coach of the Mean Green in its first season in 1976 and is still the school’s all-time leader in winning percentage.

[mhow2]

DENTON (11/2/05) – The North Texas women’s basketball team defeated the Houston Jaguars, 87-56, behind a balanced attack in the Mean Green’s first exhibition game of the 2005-06 season on Wednesday night in the Super Pit.

The Mean Green won its first exhibition game after losing to the Jaguars in the opening preseason game of the 2004-05 season.

Nine North Texas players scored six points or more, and five Mean Green athletes pulled down six or more rebounds. Erica Howard was the leading scorer with 14 points, including eight points from the free-throw line. Erika Bobo followed with 12 tallies.

The Mean Green dominated on the boards with freshman Ashley Vation leading the charge with nine rebounds. She also chipped in eight points. As a team, NT outrebounded the Jaguars, 64-39.

North Texas jumped out to a 7-0 lead and never looked back. Natalie Mireles started the game with a three-pointer and sank a second one to make it 10-2. She finished the game with eight points.

The Mean Green quickly sped out to a double-digit lead and entered half ahead, 43-21. After a free throw by Howard, NT held its largest lead of the game, 66-29, with 10:21 left in the second half.

NT coaches used 12 players in the game and tried out various lineups during the second half. In addition to the start by Vation, freshmen Sanetra Jackson and Jo Hall both saw playing time.

North Texas returns to action on Friday, November 9 when it faces the Oklahoma Flyers at 5 pm in the Super Pit

[GrandGreen]

This is the same Houston Jaquar team that lost last night to UCONN by only 65-71.

Obviously playing back to back games half way across the nation, had its effects; but still a very impressive victory by the Green. These exhibition games are always misleading, but an excellent start.

Anyone know why Amber Jackson and Tricia Lee did not play in the game?