Frosh already in mix

[MeanGreen61]

Frosh already in mix for UNT

Several newcomers pay big dividends for women

05:30 PM CST on Thursday, November 24, 2005

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

North Texas coach Tina Slinker expected one of her best recruiting classes in recent memory to contribute to the Mean Green at some point in the 2005-06 season.

She just didn’t expect it to be this soon.

UNT is sitting at 2-0 heading into the Hew Hampshire Tournament this weekend partly because of a few key plays made by Tricia Lee and Sanetra Jackson in a win over Stephen F. Austin and a breakout performance by forward Amber Jackson in a win over Southern Arkansas.

All three players are part of a five-player freshmen class that has quickly found a prominent role on a veteran-laden team.

“You don’t know until you get freshmen here and in a Division-I game situation how they will play,” Slinker said. “They were highly billed and have shown that they can help us right away.

Lee and Sanetra Jackson both made key 3-point shots in one of the Mean Green’s biggest non-conference wins in the last few years, a 71-65 win over Stephen F. Austin in UNT’s regular season opener.

Jackson hit her 3-pointer just before halftime while Lee made hers late to put UNT up 55-45 with 9:57 left in the second half.

UNT was able to hold on for its first win over SFA in the 26-game series thanks in large part to the lift Lee’s late trey gave the Mean Green.

“I am a little surprised I am playing this much,” Lee said. “I was a shooter coming in, so it felt natural to take a shot in that situation.”

The freshmen built on that performance in a win over Southern Arkansas on Tuesday.

Sanetra Jackson and Lee finished with seven points and five rebounds apiece while Amber Jackson posted a breakout performance.

UNT waited a full season to see what Amber Jackson could accomplish after the former Indiana standout missed last season with a knee injury. Jackson flashed her potential against Southern Arkansas when she finished with 10 points and eight rebounds, coming up just short of a double-double.

UNT’s freshmen finished with 30 points in the Mean Green’s second win of the season.

“I am just excited to play,” Amber Jackson said. “I feel comfortable on my knee again.”

UNT is hoping the start its freshmen have produced is a sign that they will supplement a core of returning players and help the Mean Green capitalize on what is expected to be a breakout season.

UNT was picked to win the Sun Belt Conference’s West Division in the preseason coaches poll largely because the Mean Green returned all five starters from a 14-14 team and all but one of their major contributors.

Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference pick Erika Bobo and fellow senior guard Mian Williams have led the way so far for the Mean Green. Both are receiving a little help off the bench from a group of freshmen that has begun to live up to its potential.

Sanetra Jackson and Lee were key parts of UNT’s signing class last season that included four players ranked among the top 35 high school seniors in the state by Texashoops.com. The group also included forward Ashley Vation and Jo Hall.

Adding Amber Jackson to the group only helped bolster what has been a surprising group of newcomers that has made an immediate contribution for the Mean Green.

“We have been able to give the team a boost off the bench,” Lee said. “We have learned a lot from the upperclassmen. We are fitting in well. The older players have welcomed us in.”