Seaon record: 10-6 +4.4 UNITS
TCU at North Texas (-1) - 5:00pm Pacific
Things are really looking up for North Texas basketball. After winning a combined 20 games the previous four seasons, the Mean Green notched a 15-14 record last season. This is despite breaking in a new head coach, starting the season 1-6, and playing 15 of 29 games away from home. This will be Johnnie Jones' second year as head coach, he previously had been interim head coach at Memphis but despite mild success under difficult circumstances, Tiger administrators did not think he was good enough to be permanent. UNT is thrilled to have him and he is doing a great job here.
This year the team returns 4 starters and add some impressive newcomers. They are ready to improve on last years 15 wins. The team has won three of five games to start the season despite not yet playing a single home game. Their only two losses came at Indiana and at SMU. Most recently they won the Brothers Air & Heat Shootout in South Carolina which was their first in-season tournament championship in 27 years. They beat a solid Weber State team in game one and followed it up with a win over four time Big South conference champion and tournament host Winthrop. It was just Winthrop's 8th home loss in the past 5+ seasons.
TCU comes in also with a 3-2 record, coming off an upset road win over a soft Baylor team that may give them some false confidence, and us added value, heading into this game. The Horned Frogs have basically the same team returning from last year, with just one starter departed and one key newcomer added. Unfortunately, they were not all that good last year finishing 16-15 and 6-10 in C-USA play. They are currently missing two players who figure into their rotation, 6-11 senior center Rebel Paulk (tallest player on team, was expected to compete for starting job) is out indefinitely with a leg injury and sophomore James Davis (5.6ppg as a freshman) is ineligible for the first semester. TCU is also having to deal with the transition of a new coaching staff after playing in Billy Tubbs undisciplined system. An acclimation period is to be expected. Under Tubbs last year, TCU held opponents to .442 shooting from the field. So far this year they are allowing surprisingly worse .473 shooting. The Frogs were just 2-9 in road games last year and are 1-1 so far this year.
Fans close to the UNT program are excited about this team. Noting that they are 3-2, have not played a single home game, and have not played their best yet. Particularly star swingman Chris Davis (leading scorer last year and this year, first team all-conference) who has yet to find is shooting touch (31.2% from the field so far). I look for him to find his touch in first home game. All things considered this should be a good year for the Mean Green. North Texas will be a tough beat at home (10-3 last year) all season. Last year the Mean Green outplayed TCU from start to finish opening up a 21 point half-time lead in route to a 7 point win on the road. Home teams have gone 13-2 ATS the past two days in college hoops and UNT was 8-3 ATS at home last season. It is sure to be an electric atmosphere tonight as UNT plays their home opener vs instate rival and will be unveiling a new court at The Super Pit.
North Texas 1 UNIT
Good luck,
Edward
TCU at North Texas (-1) - 5:00pm Pacific
Things are really looking up for North Texas basketball. After winning a combined 20 games the previous four seasons, the Mean Green notched a 15-14 record last season. This is despite breaking in a new head coach, starting the season 1-6, and playing 15 of 29 games away from home. This will be Johnnie Jones' second year as head coach, he previously had been interim head coach at Memphis but despite mild success under difficult circumstances, Tiger administrators did not think he was good enough to be permanent. UNT is thrilled to have him and he is doing a great job here.
This year the team returns 4 starters and add some impressive newcomers. They are ready to improve on last years 15 wins. The team has won three of five games to start the season despite not yet playing a single home game. Their only two losses came at Indiana and at SMU. Most recently they won the Brothers Air & Heat Shootout in South Carolina which was their first in-season tournament championship in 27 years. They beat a solid Weber State team in game one and followed it up with a win over four time Big South conference champion and tournament host Winthrop. It was just Winthrop's 8th home loss in the past 5+ seasons.
TCU comes in also with a 3-2 record, coming off an upset road win over a soft Baylor team that may give them some false confidence, and us added value, heading into this game. The Horned Frogs have basically the same team returning from last year, with just one starter departed and one key newcomer added. Unfortunately, they were not all that good last year finishing 16-15 and 6-10 in C-USA play. They are currently missing two players who figure into their rotation, 6-11 senior center Rebel Paulk (tallest player on team, was expected to compete for starting job) is out indefinitely with a leg injury and sophomore James Davis (5.6ppg as a freshman) is ineligible for the first semester. TCU is also having to deal with the transition of a new coaching staff after playing in Billy Tubbs undisciplined system. An acclimation period is to be expected. Under Tubbs last year, TCU held opponents to .442 shooting from the field. So far this year they are allowing surprisingly worse .473 shooting. The Frogs were just 2-9 in road games last year and are 1-1 so far this year.
Fans close to the UNT program are excited about this team. Noting that they are 3-2, have not played a single home game, and have not played their best yet. Particularly star swingman Chris Davis (leading scorer last year and this year, first team all-conference) who has yet to find is shooting touch (31.2% from the field so far). I look for him to find his touch in first home game. All things considered this should be a good year for the Mean Green. North Texas will be a tough beat at home (10-3 last year) all season. Last year the Mean Green outplayed TCU from start to finish opening up a 21 point half-time lead in route to a 7 point win on the road. Home teams have gone 13-2 ATS the past two days in college hoops and UNT was 8-3 ATS at home last season. It is sure to be an electric atmosphere tonight as UNT plays their home opener vs instate rival and will be unveiling a new court at The Super Pit.
North Texas 1 UNIT
Good luck,
Edward
