DRC todays article on mens BB..Jones not panicking

[OldTimer]

Mean Green hopes look is deceiving

Jones isn’t panicking after losing five straight D-I games

01/05/2003

By Tim MacMahon / Staff Writer

At first glance, it doesn’t seem to look good for the Mean Green entering Sun Belt Conference play.

Johnny Jones

North Texas has lost its last five games against Division I foes and is the only team in the West Division with a losing record. UNT had a particularly tough time in the week leading up to Sunday’s conference opener at Florida International, losing on the road to Baylor and Auburn by a total of 51 points.

Coach Johnny Jones, however, isn’t hitting the panic button.

"We by far had the toughest non-conference schedule in our conference," said Jones, whose team has played only three home games thus far this season. "We hope that will carry over into our performance in league play. We feel like we’ve prepared ourselves."

Jones doesn’t expect by any means that it will be easy for the Mean Green to improve on its fourth-place finish in the division last season. The three teams that were above UNT in the standings last season — Louisiana-Lafayette, New Mexico State and New Orleans — returned the majority of their key players.

With the vast improvement of South Alabama and Denver, UNT is the only team in the division to enter league play with a losing record.

"It’s real tough on our side," UNT swingman Chris Davis said. "We’ve got to come with it every night. Now it’s time for us to take it up another level."

The East Division doesn’t have nearly as much depth, though it does include the team that has taken the conference’s last two regular season and tournament titles in Western Kentucky. Arkansas-Little Rock appears to be the only team in the division that has a chance to challenge the Hilltoppers.

Western Kentucky, which entered the season ranked, has sputtered somewhat with star center Chris Marcus sidelined after undergoing ankle surgery.

"Until somebody knocks them off, they are the champions," Jones said. "But at the same time, I think New Mexico State and Louisiana-Lafayette are so close to being there. ... Any team in this league can beat any other. Every night, you’ve got to be ready to play and ready to compete."

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

EAST DIVISION

Western Kentucky

Record: 7-5*

Outlook: Center Chris Marcus is expected to return later this month, but there’s no telling what kind of shape he’ll be in. The Hilltoppers, who have five players who average double figures in points, need an imposing interior presence, not a savior. But the gap has been closed on the two-time defending conference champs.

Arkansas-Little Rock

Record: 8-5*

Outlook: The Trojans are the only team within the division that can challenge Western Kentucky. Forward Jamal Holden, a junior college transfer who became eligible at the semester break, has to emerge as an scoring threat in the paint to complement All-Sun Belt guard Nick Zachary for that to happen.

Arkansas State

Record: 6-6

Outlook: Don’t be fooled by the decent record — ASU’s nonconference schedule was softer than a baby’s backside. This is a rebuilding year for the Indians. Junior college transfer Trevoris Thompson (20.6 ppg) is their only legitimate scoring threat.

Florida International

Record: 6-7

Outlook: Sophomore power forward Taurance Johnson, the player who was supposed to be the program’s cornerstone, has played only two games this season because of disciplinary issues. Without him, FIU will struggle to get out of the East Division cellar.

Middle Tennessee

Record: 4-8

Outlook: The Blue Raiders’ victories are over Tennessee-Martin, IUPUI, Christian Brothers and Kennesaw. Those aren’t exactly quality wins. It’s going to be a long debut season for coach Kermit Davis.

WEST DIVISION

Louisiana-Lafayette

Record: 8-4, 1-0*

Outlook: The Ragin’ Cajuns are incredibly talented but just as inconsistent. They showed what they are capable of by opening league play with a win at NMSU. Star center Michael Southall is back after sitting last semester due to grades. In his absence, streak-shooting guard Brad Boyd showed he could be a big-time scorer.

New Mexico State

Record: 8-3, 0-1

Outlook: The West Division title will probably be decided Feb. 15, when the Aggies travel to Louisiana-Lafayette. NMSU had the league’s best run in non-conference play, with its losses coming to Tulsa and Texas Tech in competitive games. Forward James Moore was sidelined by grades the first semester, but he’s making up for lost time (20.6 ppg, 69 FG%).

New Orleans

Record: 8-4, 1-0

Outlook: The Privateers are not all Hector Romero, though he is leading the league in scoring (22.1 ppg) and rebounding (9.8 rpg). They also play tenacious defense and do an excellent job of taking the opponents’ top option away. They just don’t have enough talent to scrap their way to the top of the division.

South Alabama

Record: 6-6, 0-1

Outlook: It looks like USA, which is one win away from matching last season’s total, made a pretty good hire in coach John Pelphrey. And he made a smart move in signing junior college transfer Chris Young, a guard who is averaging better than 19 ppg. The Jaguars have been competitive in every game and should continue to be.

North Texas

Record: 5-7

Outlook: The loss of guard Leonard Hopkins to a broken foot was a huge blow to the Mean Green. Now swingman Chris Davis is UNT’s only player who can create his own shot. Given the competition within the division, the Mean Green will be hard-pressed to repeat last season’s 8-7 league record.

Denver

Record: 8-6

Outlook: The Pioneers have made an impressive turnaround in coach Terry Carroll’s second season, already equaling their win total of a year ago. But it’s going to be awfully difficult to move up in a division that is loaded with experience.

*Prior to Saturday’s game