Just a thought — Is UNT trying to pound a square peg in a round hole?

[Harry]

I ran spent some time running around today picking up material for my notebook that will run into tomorrow’s paper and have had more time to think over UNT’s stunning loss to Alabama-Huntsville.

I’m not saying it’s an excuse, but Huntsville is supposed to be pretty good on the DII level this year.

What I do wonder at this point is if UNT isn’t trying to pound a square peg into a round hole.

Hear me out.

UNT has been an open court, run the floor and score team for more than a decade and has had a lot of success with that style.

When Tony Benford took over he talked a lot about improving the Mean Green’s performance defensively and getting the ball into the paint more often.

That’s a solid way to play, one that has worked a lot of places for Benford and a lot of other coaches.

What I wonder is if UNT has the guys to play that way. UNT recruited John Odoh to put next to Tony Mitchell so that he would be able to take advantage of his skills. Mitchell is a nightmare at the four because he can shoot,

drive and post up smaller guys. Put him at the five and other team’s big guys lean on him and get him into foul trouble. UNT picked up Keith Coleman when Odoh declined to play for UNT after Johnny Jones and Shawn Forrest left for LSU, where Odoh eventually ended up.

UNT signed up Keith Coleman to fill the same role. Benford said he played very well in the off-season and was the best player UNT had on the court at times. Now that the season has started, Coleman has gone MIA. He’s played an average of 10.0 minutes a game and is averaging 2.0 points and 4.0 rebounds a game.

read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2012/11/just-a-thought-is-unt-trying-to-pound-a-square-peg-in-a-round-hole.html/

[foutsrouts]

Agreed. A team without quality outside shooters cannot be a half court team unless they want to lose. Unless you have a Shaq or similar player to feed to. Let 'em run.