Pressure Doesn't Faze Mean Green Guards

MeanGreen61 · March 16, 2007

Pressure doesn't faze Mean Green guards

08:54 AM CDT on Friday, March 16, 2007

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

NEW ORLEANS — If North Texas was nervous on the eve of its biggest game since the Reagan administration, it certainly didn’t show on Thursday during the Mean Green’s media session prior to the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Senior guards Calvin Watson and Kendrick Davis debated who is the better shooter, joked with the media and declared that they didn’t feel the least bit edgy heading into a game against Memphis today. The Tigers are the No. 2 seed in the region and are expected to have little trouble with the 15th-seeded Mean Green, making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1988.

Watson certainly didn’t seem nervous when he was asked about being intimidated by Memphis, the atmosphere and the extra media attention.

“We just have to play,” Watson said. “I like the media [attention]. I like to talk to the media. I like the camera. We won’t get intimidated, but we know what is at stake. We are 21 years old, we have to enjoy the moment and embrace it.”

That was just what Davis and Watson did at the press conference for UNT’s players.

The two old high school rivals from Houston debated just how the one game they played against each other in high school unfolded. Watson contends he drove past Davis with a crossover dribbled and dunked over one of his future teammate’s friends.

Davis countered by saying his team won the game.

Watson ended the media session by grabbing the microphone and posing questions to his teammates, including asking junior forward Quincy Williams about the development of his hook shot.

Memphis head coach John Calipari didn’t see the exchange between Watson and his teammates, but could sense that the Mean Green was not intimidated by the atmosphere at the NCAA Tournament or his team.

“I watched them walk out of the building,” Calipari said. “They have as much of a swagger as we have. They are going into this game with the mentality that they are beating Memphis.”

Calipari: Watson could be best Memphis has faced

Memphis head coach John Calipari didn’t hesitate to pay Calvin Watson a big compliment when asked about the UNT senior guard on Thursday.

“Watson is as good a player as we have played,” Calipari said.

Calipari compared Watson to Rice senior guard Morris Almond, who led Conference USA in scoring with an average of 26.4 points a game, and said UNT’s senior guard is by far more athletic.

Watson is averaging 15.8 points a game to lead the Mean Green.

Jones: Second chance sparked UNT’s run

UNT head coach Johnny Jones on Thursday attributed his team’s run to the Sun Belt Conference tournament title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament largely to the disappointment of missing out on the regular season title.

The Sun Belt Conference’s coaches picked UNT to finish in a tie for second place in the league’s West Division with New Orleans. The Mean Green was in the race for the title up until the end of the season, but finished third, a game back of both Arkansas State and Louisiana-Monroe. Close losses to ULM, UNO and South Alabama came back to cost the Mean Green at the end of the regular season.

“When we got to the conference tournament, there was still another championship out there,” Jones said. “The guys knew they had one more chance and they did an excellent job of putting it all together. We always talked about raising another flag in our arena, wearing championship rings and being a part of something they can talk about for the rest of their lives. We are very fortunate they were able to put it together and make something special happen.”

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

MeanGreenBuzz · March 16, 2007

Calipari must be worried about this game he is definately talking up our team and trying his best not to give us any locker room fodder.

class84 · March 16, 2007

I wonder if CWatson isn't turning himself into a late-second round NBA pick. He's a 6'5" guard with NBA range and athleticism, and is getting a ton of great press.

A big day today would make things interesting for him.