UNT basketball notebook

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UNT Notebook

Green takes Red’s former role

11/27/2002

By Tim MacMahon / Staff Writer

Even with a bad ankle, North Texas forward Jermaine Green was assigned to defend Southwest Missouri’s Terrance McGee during the 6-0 guard’s hot streak in the second half of Friday night’s season-opening win.

It wasn’t that UNT coach Johnny Jones had run out of options. He expects Green, the team’s second-leading scorer and rebounder last season, to be the Mean Green’s defensive stopper now that Kenneth "Red" Mangrum is a graduate assistant instead of a guard.

"He kind of reminds me of Michael Cooper," Jones said, referring to the spindly former Lakers swingman who usually drew the most difficult defensive assignment.

"Jermaine’s very versatile. He has a great deal of pride in defending and rebounding and doing the little things."

The 6-8, 185-pound Green, a senior, played primarily power forward last season. He hopes to spend more time on the perimeter this season, where he feels he is a better fit.

"Hopefully I’ll get more minutes out there when I’m healthy," said Green, who was limited to 18 minutes against SMS but contributed 12 points, two steals and a block. "That’s what I did when I was in junior college. I was defensive player of the year for my team. I can do that at this level, too."

Green, however, continues to be hobble by his ankle. He hasn’t participated in a full practice since suffering a sprain in the Nov. 15 exhibition finale. He estimated his ankle to be at 80 percent strength.

Blanton poised for breakout

Coach Tina Slinker saw signs of forward Kim Blanton’s potential long before her 21-point, 10-rebound performance in Friday’s season-opening win over UT-San Antonio.

"She’s been consistently doing that in practice," Slinker said. "That’s the first step. Some of it is confidence. Part of it is that she’s become more skillful with her athleticism."

The 6-1 Blanton, the niece of NFL tight end Rickey Dudley, was a role player the last two seasons, providing defense and rebounding in limited minutes off the bench. Her previous career-high point total was 13 points.

While Blanton has emerged as one of the Lady Eagles top offensive threats — she led UNT in scoring in the final exhibition game as well — her defense definitely has not dropped off. She held UTSA star forward Nikki Hendrix to six points on 3-of-13 shooting.

"That’s what’s fun about Kim — she can play both ends of the floor now," Slinker said. "She’s always been so solid defensively."

Jones: Dickey doesn’t get enough credit

UNT men’s basketball coach Johnny Jones spent the first few minutes of his Tuesday afternoon press conference extolling the virtues of football coach Darrell Dickey.

Jones said Dickey had done an extraordinary job this season, withstanding the loss of his starting quarterback and developing a redshirt freshman at the position while defending the Sun Belt title. Jones added that he often uses the football team as an example to when he talks to his team.

"I’m not sure if he gets enough credit for what he’s done," Jones said of Dickey. "He’s been an inspiration for us and our basketball team."

Slinker likes Armstrong as sixth man

Freshman Jamie Armstrong, who is perhaps the most highly touted recruit in the history of the Lady Eagles program, didn’t disappoint in her debut. She scored 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting in 27 minutes off the bench.

Coach Tina Slinker said she sees Armstrong’s role this season as providing instant energy off the bench.

"I like her there right now for a lot of reasons," Slinker said. "She does something right away when she comes in, and I can put her at the two or the three, depending on matchups."

Player of the Week

Redshirt freshman quarterback Andrew Smith had a remarkable performance in the Mean Green’s regular-season finale, a 30-20 win at Middle Tennessee.

Smith completed 14 of 19 passes — including his first 10 — for a career-high 206 yards. He threw touchdowns of 45 and 40 yards, putting both passes on the money.

For his efforts, Smith was named the Denton Record-Chronicle UNT Player of the Week.

TIM MACMAHON can be reached at 940-381-9572.

UNT 7-DAY SCHEDULE

FRIDAY: Women’s basketball vs. Alcorn State, SWT Classic, 6 p.m.; Men’s basketball at SMU, 7 p.m.

SATURDAY:

Women’s basketball vs. UMKC, SWT Classic, 4 p.m.

SUNDAY:

Men’s basketball at Indiana, 1 p.m.

TUESDAY:

Women’s basketball at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 5:30 p.m.