DRC large article on men and womens

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Basketball: UNT men, women picked 2nd in SBC

Davis, Watson selected to all-conference team

11:26 PM CDT on Monday, October 23, 2006

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

LAFAYETTE, La. – North Texas head coach Johnny Jones spent most of the first five years of his tenure with the Mean Green as an underdog in the Sun Belt Conference.

That situation officially changed Monday during the opening session of the league’s annual media days at Louisiana-Lafayette.

The UNT men were not only picked to finish in a tie for second with New Orleans in the league’s West Division in the preseason coaches poll, they also received four first-place votes out of 13. Only New Orleans had more votes with five.

The UNT women were also picked to finish second in the SBC West.

“The biggest thing is the perception of our program is changing, not only locally, but nationally,” Jones said. “I look at it as a great compliment.”

UNT was picked to finish fifth last season, but ended up in a tie for fourth in the division.

The Mean Green were projected to finish much higher this season in large part because of a veteran backcourt led by Kendrick Davis and Calvin Watson.

Davis was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference first team, while Watson was a second-team pick.

Denver was the only other team in the league that had a player named to both the all-conference first and second teams.

“Both of those guys did a tremendous job last year,” Jones said. “The people around the league who have seen them believe that they are all-conference-type players. … I believe our talent has gotten better each season.”

UNT is hoping the increase in its talent level can help the Mean Green break through and complete the rebuilding job Jones began when he took over a team that finished 4-24 in the 2000-01 season.

Jones has had his moments since, but has never finished higher than third in the SBC West.

While the UNT men are looking for a breakthrough season, the Mean Green women are aiming to build on one of the best campaigns in school history.

UNT finished 19-9 last season and won the Sun Belt West Division.

The Mean Green’s hopes of adding to their regular season title in the 2005-06 campaign ended when the Mean Green lost in the first round of the conference tournament to Arkansas State.

The loss not only ended UNT’s NCAA Tournament dreams, but also killed its chances of advancing to the WNIT for the third time since the 2000-01 season.

UNT lost several key players from last season’s team, but was still picked to finish behind ASU. The Lady Indians moved from the East Division to the West this season and were the overwhelming pick to win the title in its new half of the league.

ASU received 10 of the 13 first-place votes.

“I am pleased with where we are picked,” UNT women’s coach Tina Slinker said. “Even as a returning division champion, you have to honor the success that Arkansas State has had. They have three or four seniors back who will start and deserve that spot. … It’s still encouraging that even though we lost four seniors people still picked us to finish second.”

UNT will look to fulfill those expectations with a largely new cast of players. Junior center Talicia Sanders was named third team all-conference and was the only member of UNT’s women’s team to receive preseason all-conference honors.

UNT will look to several young players -- including sophomore guard Sanetra Jackson and sophomore forward Amber Jackson -- to help fill the void left by several key veterans who helped lead the Mean Green to the division title last season.

“I am excited for Talicia,” Slinker said. “She has a lot of potential and has been in our program for four years. It will be a real positive for her to see that the rest of the conference respects her.

“To have one player on the all-conference team supports that we have always been stronger because of our team instead of one or two individual standouts.”

UNT to make one TV appearance

The UNT men and women are scheduled to make one television appearance this season on Feb. 15 in a doubleheader at Denver. The games will be broadcast as part of the Sun Belt Conference’s package with ESPN Regional.

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com .

Sun Belt Conference Preseason Polls

Men

West Division

Team;Points

1. Arkansas-Little Rock (3);73

2 (t). New Orleans (5);70

2 (t). North Texas (4);70

4 (t). Arkansas State;51

4 (t). Denver (1);51

6. Louisiana-Lafayette;28

7. Louisiana-Monroe;21

East Division

1. Western Kentucky (9);73

2. South Alabama (2);60

3. Middle Tennessee (1);55

4. Troy;41

5. Florida International;23

6. Florida Atlantic (1);21

Preseason All-Conference team

Preseason Player of the Year – Courtney Lee, WKU, Jr., G

First team – Rashad Jones-Jennings,l UALR, Sr., F; Isaac Wells, ASU, Jr., F; DeShawn Walker, Denver, Sr., G; Kendrick Davis, UNT, Sr., G; Courtney Lee, WKU, Jr., G

Second team – Antonio Porch, Denver, Sr., F; Adam Vogelsberg, MTSU, Sr., G; Calvin Watson, UNT, Sr., G; Cedric Jackson, Troy, Sr., F; Demetric Bennett, USA, Jr., G

Third team – Lekheythan Malone, UALR, So., F; Yual Banks, ASU, Sr., G; Alex Galindo; FIU, So., F; Johwen Villegas, FIU, Sr., G; Carlos Smith, USA, Sr., G

Women

West Division

Team;Points

1. Arkansas State (10);87

2. North Texas (1);65

3. Louisiana-Lafayette (2);64

4. Arkansas-Little Rock;55

5. Denver;48

6. Louisiana-Monroe;31

7. New Orleans;14

Preseason All-Conference team

Preseason Player of the Year – Chrissy Givens, MTSU, Sr., G

First team – Jocelyn Love, UALR, Sr., G; Adrianne Davie; ASU, Sr., C; Chrissy Givens, MTSU, Sr., G; Yolanda Jones, ULL, Sr., F; Crystal Kelly, WKU, Jr., F

Second team – Rudy Sims, ASU, Sr., G; Tyesha Lowery, Denver, Sr., G; Lesma Jekabsone, FIU, Sr., C; Krystle Horton, MTSU, Sr., F; Whitney Woodard, USA, Sr., F

Third team – Renee Renez, UALR, So., F; Le’Della English, UNO, Jr., G; Talicia Sanders, UNT, Jr., C; Laura Lee Holman, Troy, Sr., G; Tiffany Zaragoza, WKU, Sr., G