North Texas Mean Green men's basketball

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North Texas Mean Green
2021–22 North Texas Mean Green men's basketball team
North Texas Stacked Wordmark.png
Head coachGrant McCasland (4th season)
ConferenceC-USA
West Division
LocationDenton, Texas
ArenaThe Super Pit
(Capacity: 10,500)
NicknameMean Green
ColorsGreen and white[1]
   
Uniforms
Kit body thinsidesonwhite.png
Home jersey
Kit shorts blanksides2.png
Team colours
Home
Kit body whitesides.png
Away jersey
Kit shorts whitesides.png
Team colours
Away


NCAA Tournament Round of 32
2021
NCAA Tournament Appearances
1988, 2007, 2010, 2021
Conference tournament champions
1988, 2007, 2010, 2021
Conference regular season champions
1988, 1989, 2010, 2020, 2022
Conference division season champions
Sun Belt West: 2010[2]
C-USA West: 2022

The North Texas Mean Green men's basketball team represents the University of North Texas (UNT) in NCAA Division I college basketball, competing as a member of Conference USA.

For most of its history, the Mean Green have had patches of success, starting in the 1970s when the team received its first ever top-20 ranking under head coach Bill Blakeley as well as success in the late 1980s and early 1990s under head coach Jimmy Gales and then again in the mid to late 2000s under head coach Johnny Jones. Blakeley coached three consecutive 20-win seasons: 1975–76 (22-4); 1976–77 (21-6); 1977–78 (22-6). North Texas has appeared in the NCAA Tournament on four occasions: 1988, 2007, 2010, and 2021, recording their first-ever tournament win in 2021. The Mean Green went on an especially strong run in the 2006–2010 era, with two tournament appearances, two conference championships, and posting more wins over this time period than any other Division I team in the state of Texas.[3]

The 2011–12 and 2012–13 teams featured the only 5-star recruit to play for North Texas in Tony Mitchell. In one season, he became the program's all-time leader in blocks.[4] Despite Mitchell being highly touted, his performance in his second year suffered and he ended up struggling under new head coach Tony Benford eventually falling to the 2nd round of the NBA draft.

On April 16, 2012, longtime head coach Johnny Jones was formally introduced as the next head coach of his alma mater LSU. His replacement, Tony Benford, was not able to capitalize on the program's momentum, resulting in a disappointing final year in the Sun Belt Conference and then more struggles in the Mean Green's new conference Conference USA.

Prior to 1973, the Mean Green played in the Ken Bahnsen Gym, nicknamed the Snake Pit. They now play in The Super Pit which derives its name from the Snake Pit.

Championships[]

Conference tournament[]

Southland Conference
  • 1988
Sun Belt Conference
  • 2007, 2010
Conference USA
  • 2021

Conference regular season[]

Sun Belt Conference
  • 2009-10
Conference USA
  • 2019-20

Conference division[]

Sun Belt Conference (West Division)
  • 2009-10

CBI Tournament[]

  • 2017-18

Rivals[]

North Texas in action at UT Arlington

The Mean Green's major rivals within Conference USA include the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders and the UTSA Roadrunners.

Non-conference notable rivals include the University of Texas at Arlington Mavericks (games between the schools are well-attended due to geographic proximity and both schools being large universities) and the SMU Mustangs.

Coaches[]

Years Coach
1916-20 J.W. St. Clair
1920-21 Theron Fouts
1921-24 J.W. St. Clair
1924-29 John Reid
1929-33 Terrance Myracle
1933-35 Jack Sisco
1935-59 Henry "Pete" Shands (1899-1983)
1959-65 Charles Johnson
1965-70 Dan Spika
1970-71 Harry Miller
1971-75 Gene Robbins
1975-83 Bill Blakeley
1983-86 Tommy Newman
1986-93 Jimmy Gales
1993-97 Tim Jankovich
1997-2001 Vic Trilli
2001-12 Johnny Jones
2012–2017 Tony Benford
2017–present Grant McCasland

Postseason results[]

NCAA Tournament results[]

The Mean Green have appeared in the NCAA Tournament four times. Their combined record is 1–4.

Year Round Opponent Result
1988 First Round North Carolina L 65–83
2007 First Round Memphis L 58–73
2010 First Round Kansas State L 62–82
2021 First Round
Second Round		 Purdue
Villanova		 W 78–69
L 61–84

NAIA Tournament results[]

The Mean Green have appeared in the NAIA Tournament two times. Their record is 3–2.

Year Round Opponent Result
1938 First Round
Second Round		 Morningside
Delta State		 W 31–29
L 39–48
1942 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals		 Wisconsin-Stout
York (NE)
Hamline		 W 60–37
W 51–49
L 41–45

CBI results[]

The Mean Green have appeared in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) once, winning it in 2018. Their record is 5–1.

Year Round Opponent Result
2018 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals–Game 1
Finals–Game 2
Finals–Game 3		 South Dakota
Mercer
Jacksonville State
San Francisco
San Francisco
San Francisco		 W 90–77
W 96–67
W 90–68
L 62–72
W 69–55
W 88–77

Broadcasts[]

North Texas games are broadcast on the radio by the Mean Green Sports Network, part of Learfield IMG College on 88.1 KNTU and 95.3 KHYI. Former Texas Rangers and Dallas Mavericks announcer Dave Barnett does play by play, along with Hank Dickenson on color commentary.

Television broadcasts are carried by ESPN+, ESPN3, and C-USA TV.

Professional players[]

References[]

  1. ^ "UNT Colors". Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  2. ^ "Sun Belt All-Time Standings" (PDF). 2011-12 Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Media Guide. Sun Belt Conference. pp. 93–95. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-08-16. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
  3. ^ "MEANGREENSPORTS.COM - University of North Texas Official Athletic Site University of North Texas Official Athletic Site - Men's Basketball". www.meangreensports.com.
  4. ^ "MEANGREENSPORTS.COM - University of North Texas Official Athletic Site University of North Texas Official Athletic Site - Men's Basketball". www.meangreensports.com.

External links[]

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