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Herald Democrat Mean Green's not-so-secret weapon UNT's Quinn expects to thrive in run-heavy offense. By Bill Spinks Herald Democrat DENTON - North Texas wide receiver Johnny Quinn is somewhat overshadowed by the presence of two top-notch Mean Green running backs. But Quinn, of McKinney, is hardly jealous. He thinks the one-two punch of fifth-year senior Patrick Cobbs and true sophomore Jamario Thomas will cause defenses to commit more to stopping the run. "We're real excited about getting Patrick back," Quinn said. "Jamario stepped in well last year. The fact that you have two guys on your team who led the nation in rushing, I couldn't be more thrilled." Quinn, a preseason all-Sun Belt Conference selectee, was named one of five UNT captains last week by the coaching staff after a vote of team members. Quinn last year was by far the top target for graduated quarterback Scott Hall, with 49 receptions for 773 yards and nine touchdowns. On special teams, Quinn added another TD on a punt runback, and averaged 9.1 yards per return. He also has an impressive iron-man streak going, having caught a pass in every game he has played - a school-record 25 games. But when it comes to the high-powered running game that's UNT's bread and butter, the mighty Quinn is keeping it real. "What we do around here is run the ball first," Quinn said. "Everyone knows that. The reason we're successful in the pass is because we're able to run the ball. We set up a lot of our play action off our success at running back. "With guys like that, I'm excited for the kind of coverages we're going to get because they're going to have to put guys up in the box to stop them." Quinn won't be the only target for whoever wins the quarterback battle. Zach Muzzy, who like Quinn is a junior, returns after being the third-leading receiver and leading kickoff returner last fall. Senior Joel Nwigwe, who missed the entire 2004 season, is back in the lineup and gives the Mean Green another deep threat. Sophomore Brandon Jackson showed flashes as a backup, with a 43-yard catch last year. Quinn has grown into the role of team leader. But he does it quietly, and largely by example. "From a receiver standpoint, we've got a lot of younger guys," Quinn said. "They kind of know how we do it around here, how we block and how we run routes. We've got guys on this team who take care of their own business, and it's an honor to play with guys like that who can help this team be successful."

USA Today W. Kentucky's Rumph dead at 21 after pickup game BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) — Western Kentucky basketball player Danny Rumph collapsed and died during a pickup game in his hometown of Philadelphia. The 21-year-old junior guard was visiting his family when he died Sunday. The school had no other information about his death. Western Kentucky coach Darrin Horn received a call from the family early Monday and flew to Philadelphia. "Danny was loved and respected by not only everyone in the basketball program, but by many people in the Western community," Horn said. The 6-foot-2 Rumph started 29 of 31 games last season, averaging nine points and three assists. "Danny wasn't going to take over a room. He was not overly gregarious, but he was very engaging," athletic director Wood Selig said. "He was a solid, grounded young man." Rumph was the son of Viola Owens and Daniel Rumph, who live in Philadelphia. His father played at Hofstra and his uncle, Randy Owens, played at Philadelphia Textile and was drafted by the Indiana Pacers in 1979. Funeral arrangements were incomplete.

As the Sun Belt Conference Tournament looms, the black hole of college basketball is now settling over the sleepy plains of Texas. The brave Western fans planning to make the trip to Denton, Texas will be dodging tumble weeds instead of opposing fans. Life will move at a pace even slower than it does in Bowling Green throughout the five-day event. What were you thinking, Sun Belt booking agents? The "Super Pit" will be more like an armpit. Its plastic green chairs will be on full display without fans to fill them. The conference brass will long for the days of tournament play in Diddle Arena after a weekend in Texas. Two of the most attended tournaments in the past 12 years were played in Red Towel Country. North Texas, who joined the Sun Belt in 2000, has never hosted the event. Worse yet, the Mean Green faithful raged everywhere but in the Super Pit this season. They averaged 2,285 fans at home men's games, good for eighth in the 11-team conference. Don't expect the North Texas fans to ride the bandwagon in from the corral. The Mean Green finished fifth in the West Division. If they manage to beat the No. 4 seed from the East, Arkansas State, the host will meet West regular season champion Denver in the quarterfinals. Cut the already sparse crowd in half, and Warren East High School could host the event. The road will be an unfamiliar place for the Toppers now that the postseason has arrived. Not a single player on the roster has played in a Sun Belt tournament away from the warmth and friendliness of Diddle. Only three current Toppers own Sun Belt championship jewelry from the 2003 title. The unfamiliar surroundings and lack of tournament experience could equal disaster for a Western team that won only three of seven conference road games. One of the three Toppers with a Sun Belt ring is junior guard Anthony Winchester. He may be one of the few humans with pleasant memories from the Super Pit. He lived every red-blooded Kentuckian's dream when he nailed a half-court buzzer beater on Feb. 12 to beat North Texas, 93-92. Typically you would find a quote here from a Western player commenting on the tournament, but media czar Darrin Horn gave them a district court-style gag order so they can focus on the tournament. Ignoring the media is like ignoring your fans - the same fans who packed the home arena for the 2003 Sun Belt title run. But Diddle will be dark when the ball tips this weekend. Too bad for Western. Too bad times two for the Sun Belt.

Thoses were attendance figures for the top 25 womens games.

New Orleans (13-14) At North Texas (13-12) GAME NOTES: A pair of teams trying to notch their 14th win of the season collide at the Super Pit in Denton tonight, as the New Orleans Privateers do battle with the North Texas Mean Green in Sun Belt Conference action. The Privateers come into the game on a high note, as they knocked off Florida International, 69-55, on Monday. It was the second win a row by New Orleans, which improved to 13-14 overall and 7-6 in league play. The Privateers, however, now take to the road where they have gone just 3-8 this season, including 2-4 against league foes. As for North Texas, it did battle with SBC- leading UL-Lafayette last Saturday, but was unable to pull off the upset in an 80-67 setback. The loss put an end to a brief two-game winning streak and dropped the Mean Green to 13-12 overall and 5-8 conference play. With regard to the all-time series between these two schools, UNO holds an 8-4 advantage, although UNT won the first meeting this season, 66-60. Bo McCalebb has done it all for New Orleans this season and he is currently the top scorer in the Sun Belt with an average of 23.0 ppg. He also leads the team in assists (3.7 apg) and steals (53), and is even grabbing 4.1 rpg. Chad Barnes chips in 10.0 ppg for the Privateers, who are averaging 66.7 ppg behind 42.7 percent shooting from the floor. In the team's last game, Barnes poured in a season-high 23 points and collected five rebounds in leading New Orleans to a 14-point win over Florida International. McCalebb added 14 points and six assists for the Privateers, who shot 47.9 percent from the floor. UNO also made good on 7-of-14 shots from behind the arc and 16-of-23 from the foul line. The Mean Green are one of the higher scoring teams in the SBC this season, as they are netting a solid 74.0 ppg on 42.8 percent shooting from the floor. Leonard Hopkins heads the club with 17.4 ppg, although he is making just 37.4 percent of his total shots. Calvin Watson is the only other player on the roster currently turning in twin-figure points with 11.8 ppg on 41.6 percent shooting from long range. In their previous tilt, the Mean Green shot a solid 50.9 percent from the floor, but could not overcome a whopping 25 turnovers in a 13-point loss to UL-Lafayette. North Texas also had some trouble from long range (4-of-15) and was outscored at the foul line by a two to one margin, 22-11. Hopkins paced the club in defeat with 13 points, while Watson was limited to just six points. This is a big game for both teams, as New Orleans is trying to climb back to .500, while North Texas is trying to avoid falling to .500 overall. The Privateers have won four of the last five meetings against the Mean Green in Denton and should be able to continue that trend tonight with a big effort from McCalebb. Predicted Outcome New Orleans 77, North Texas 74

Hoop Scoop

UNT Notes Softball team progressing By Scott Mccoy Special to the Star-Telegram North Texas is a little more than a week away from the next crucial stage in reviving the softball program, in its first season since disbanding 16 years ago. UNT opens Sun Belt Conference play April 10 against Florida International. A nonconference confidence boost hasn't hurt. The team owns a season-high seven-game winning streak after sweeping a doubleheader with Prairie View A&M on Tuesday. "Obviously right now, the big thing is our confidence level is up," coach Stacey Segal said. "With us being a first-year program our team is starting to jell and become a lot more comfortable with each other. We proved to ourselves when we put everything together that we have the opportunity to come back and produce." Before the winning streak, UNT (15-36) had lost 13 of 14 games. A tournament title helped snap the skid. The Mean Green went 5-1 at the Mean Green/Wells Fargo Classic. Freshman Katy Maxey was named the Sun Belt Conference pitcher of the week after winning three games at the tournament. She also hit .400 and had hits in four games. The Mean Green has a doubleheader at Wichita State on Tuesday before conference play begins. Record-setting starts It's still early in the outdoor track and field season, but some team members already are setting standards. Sophomore distance runner Jessica Schmidt set a school record in the 5,000-meters at the Stanford Invitational. Her time of 16 minutes, 57.13 seconds fell just shy of the NCAA Regional qualifying mark of 16:56.43. Freshman Ashley Porter tied the school record in the pole vault, clearing a height of 10 feet, 4 inches at the UTA Invitational. The teams will compete at the Texas Relays today through Friday. Soccer adds five The women's soccer team announced the addition of five players: Western Hills forward Heather Hutyra, Carrollton Creekview midfielder Danielle Slavonic, Flower Mound goalkeeper Kandice Ellis, Rockwall defender Lauren Weller and University of Dayton transfer Jamie Yates. Yates, a forward, started 12 games and scored six goals last season at Dayton. Briefly • It took six hours because of rain last week, but the tennis team recorded a 4-3 victory over Abilene Christian -- No. 14 in NCAA Division II. • The men's golf team will compete in the Border Olympics on Friday and Saturday at Laredo Country Club. • The women's golf team will compete in the Susie Maxwell Berning Classic April 12-13 in Norman, Okla., as the final tournament before the Sun Belt Conference Championship. FWST

Club game of the week Mean Green takes mean match from CSU's Hibida By Peter Scalia March 29, 2004 Cold weather and a bad wind capable of making a Frisbee take off and fly away did not prevent the Rocky Mountain Invitational from taking place this weekend. CSU's club ultimate team, Hibida, hosted the tournament, going to battle on the intramural fields against other participating schools. Games started on Saturday and ran until Sunday afternoon. "Our Tournament always seems to fall on the two worst days of the year," said Hibida member Tony Petraglia of the weather conditions. In one situation the opening punt between the Hibida B squad and the Wyoming Cowboys saw the Frisbee catch some air, fly across the IM fields past the intersection of South and Meridian Drive, and slam into a parked Suzuki Samurai in the Newsom Hall parking lot. Both Hibida squads performed well in the opening day of competition with Hibida B going 2-1 and Hibida A going a perfect 3-0 with wins over University of Denver, North Texas and Oklahoma. Sunday looked bright after Saturday's performances, but it quickly turned sour for Hibida B. The team faced Colorado School of Mines for the first round of the elimination tournament. Mines made quick work of the B squad. Hibida A had the University of Nebraska in the first round and took care of the Cornhuskers to move to the semifinals. The final four of the RMI featured Mines, Colorado-Boulder, Hibida and North Texas. Mines made quick work of CU-Boulder 15-5. Meanwhile North Texas earned its bid to the championship game with a heated 12-9 win over Hibida. North Texas opened scoring in that game with two quick scores. Hibida battled back and made the score 2-1, the Mean Green went right back to work and made the score 4-1. Hibida called time out and came out smoking going on a 3-0 run to even the score. With the score tied at four, North Texas took the Frisbee down the field and once again scored twice in a row pushing its lead back to 6-4. Hibida got the Frisbee and with short passes, made North Texas play up on defense. That's when Hibida went deep, scoring on a remarkable catch by Eric Vaughn. Both sides turned the Frisbee over and North Texas found the goal again, making the score 7-5. After getting the Frisbee, Hibida made a pass that was swatted by a North Texas player, but on its way to the ground the Frisbee caught some wind and landed in Vaughn's hands again. After nearly five minutes going back and forth, Hibida tied things up with a short throw. North Texas broke the tie and sent the game to half time with the score 8-7. Coming out in the second half, North Texas scored quickly and tempers flared as the Mean Green scored again for their biggest lead of the game 10-7. "They have players on their team that aren't even in college," said Ben Aldridge of the reason for elevated tempers. CSU traded points with the Mean Green, but could not cut into the lead as North Texas scored 12 goals for the win while CSU could only muster up nine. Colorado State Collegian

Starting five Stewart Mandel's top players and coach in the country over the past week: Coach: Paul Hewitt, Georgia Tech Made major statement about the rise of his program by winning at Duke. Center: Arthur Johnson, Missouri Scored 37 points, grabbed eight boards in his home finale against Kansas. Fwd: Lawrence Roberts, Miss. St. Notched 18 points and 21 rebounds in a last-second OT win at Alabama. Fwd: Shawnson Johnson, N. Texas Had 21 rebounds, eight blocks and 10 points in first-round Sun Belt game. Guard: David Hawkins, Temple Went for 41 points against UMass, 31 against Xavier on 13-of-27 3-pointers. Guard: Jerel Blassingame, UNLV Dished out 13 assists in a win at New Mexico, 14 in a near-upset of BYU

Hopkins and Johnson Named All-Sun Belt DENTON ( 3/4/04 ) – North Texas men’s basketball standouts Leonard Hopkins and Shawnson Johnson have been named to the All-Sun Belt Conference Team, released Thursday by the league office. Hopkins, a junior guard, makes his first appearance to the postseason squad as a Second Team selection. The Dallas, Tex., native led the Mean Green in scoring this season with 13.5 points per game and was ranked 10th in the Sun Belt in scoring. His 16.9 points per game against Sun Belt opponents only was the fourth highest in the conference. Hopkins posted an .827 free throw percentage, which was the fifth highest in the league. He scored in double figures a team-best 18 times, including five 20-point games. He led the Mean Green in scoring 10 times during the season and scored a career-high 25 points in three different games. A senior transfer, Johnson was named to the third team after averaging 11.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game. Johnson enrolled at North Texas in January of 2003 and practiced with the team the remainder of the season, but due to NCAA transferring rules wasn’t eligible to compete in a game until the end of the fall semester. In just 22 games in a North Texas uniform, Johnson broke the school-record for single-season blocks with 61. He is the only player in school history to block five or more shots in three different games. His 61 blocks also ranks third on the career blocks list at NT. Johnson recorded a team-best four double-doubles this season and was no more than two rebounds or one point shy of having seven more. He led the Mean Green in rebounds 14 games and in blocks 18. The Mean Green will play New Orleans in the first round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament on Sunday at 8 p.m. in Bowling Green , Kentucky . ALL-SUN BELT CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM CLASS POS. SCHOOL Nigel Dixon Sr. C Western Kentucky Tommy Gunn Sr G Middle Tennessee J.J. Montgomery Jr. G Arkansas State James Moore Sr. F New Mexico State Mike Wells Sr. G Western Kentucky SECOND TEAM Erik Benzel Sr. G Denver Laurie Bridges Sr. G Louisiana-Lafayette Mike Dean Jr. G Middle Tennessee Leonard Hopkins Jr. G North Texas Dewarick Spencer Jr. G Arkansas State THIRD TEAM Brandon Freeman Jr. G Arkansas-Little Rock Brian Hamilton Jr. F Louisiana-Lafayette Shawnson Johnson Sr. F North Texas Antoine Landry Sr. G Louisiana-Lafayette Bo McCalebb Fr. G New Orleans PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Mike Wells, WKU DEF. PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Mike Wells, WKU FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Bo McCalebb, UNO NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Nigel Dixon, WKU COACH OF THE YEAR: Steve Shields, UALR

Sun Belt (1) Conference champ: Louisiana-Lafayette. The Ragin' Cajuns continued their hot play by registering road wins at Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee last week, taking a one-game lead over North Texas in the Western division. The Golden Eagles visit Lafayette on Thursday and have been playing very well, using a deep rotation of players to put together their most successful start since joining the conference.

Life is good for ex-Tiger Jones has North Texas program on right track By Don Wade Contact January 24, 2004 Even now, four years after he filled in for deposed University of Memphis basketball coach Tic Price, Johnny Jones uses the same phrasing as he did after being replaced by John Calipari. "I was thrown into the fire," Jones says of that difficult time, albeit with that reflexive laugh of his, the laugh that says no hard feelings, it’s all good. "But it helped me and propelled me," Jones adds, "and I can deal with adversity." It helped prepare him for the job he holds now: head basketball coach at North Texas, a place rife with its own challenges when Jones accepted the job before the 2001-2002 season. "They had won a combined 20 games in a four-year period," says Jones, who this year has North Texas off to a 3-1 start in the Sun Belt Conference (8-8 overall) and in a three-way tie for first place going into today’s 4:05 p.m. game at Arkansas State. "The year I came in they’d won four games, but only two against Division 1 teams." Which means that Johnny Jones was going from the Memphis fire into the Texas frying pan. But Jones’s having been through a basketball baptism of fire was what appealed to North Texas athletic director Rick Villarreal. Sure, Villarreal and Jones had their LSU connection. When Johnny was an assistant basketball coach under Dale Brown, Villarreal was an assistant football coach. "I’d go and watch them play," Villarreal recalls, "and Johnny would come over and cheer on football." Villarreal immediately liked Jones. But it was during |Jones’s season as interim coach of the Tigers, when Villarreal was an associate athletic director at Southern Miss, that the future North Texas AD really took notice. "That (Memphis) team started kind of slow," says Villarreal. "But down the stretch that team went on a streak (six straight wins, including a first-round Conference USA Tournament win) when it really could have just gone into a cave. "It was impressive that he took that situation and made it a positive." The Tigers finished 15-16 that season, but remember they were once 9-15. And Jones and his team were making this run amid an increasingly public search for a big-name coach. At North Texas, wins were even more precious and few, and so were quality, dependable players. Some guys didn’t want to go to class. Other guys were thinking of transferring. "We needed a stabilizing force," says Villarreal. And Jones, 42, has been just that. That first season, North Texas went 16-15. Last season, the team won just seven games, but injuries were many and Villarreal not only was able to look past the usual bottom line, he felt moved to give Jones a contract extension that runs through 2008. This season, the 3-1 start is the Mean Green’s best start in any conference since a 3-1 beginning in 1994-95. "We’ve still got a tough road ahead of us," Jones says. "I didn’t come in here just to get the team better. "I want to get guys to a championship level." Mr. Nice Guy In the end, every coach’s identity comes down to his primary strength and his main weakness. With Johnny Jones, people sometimes wonder if they are one in the same. "The one thing people will mention more than anything," says Villarreal, "is ‘he’s a great guy.’ "He’s never met a stranger. And he doesn’t have an arrogant bone in his body. In the interview process, some people were actually taken aback by his affection for people, the way he’d put his arm around people. "They wondered if he shouldn’t be more distant. But the reality is, that’s Johnny Jones. What you see is what you get." Which is why Memphis assistants Charlie Leonard and Fred Rike were only too happy to accept Jones’s invitation to join him in Denton, Texas, north of Dallas-Fort Worth. "He’s the easiest guy in America to work for," says Leonard, 50, who from 1990-97 was head basketball coach at Christian Brothers University. Jones is also what’s commonly known as a "player’s coach." And it’s a term some coaches take as the ultimate compliment and others take as a supreme insult. To Jones, the term simply fits into his philosophy, what he believes is the best way to coach, a method that he says worked for his old mentor, Dale Brown, and today works well for hotshot Florida coach Billy Donovan, from whom Jones sought advice during his year after Memphis when he was an assistant with Alabama. "The closer you are to your players the more they tend to give you everything they’ve got," Jones says. "Billy Dono|van told me he gets his arms around his players, embraces his players, and they’ve always played hard for him. And I think it’s worked for us." How well it works in terms of wins and losses the rest of this season is difficult to predict. All of Jones’s scholarship players are from Texas or his old Loui|si|ana stomping grounds. His best player is 6-9, 250-pound senior forward Shawnson Johnson, who transferred from LSU and is averaging about 15 points and 9 rebounds a game. "Shawnson Johnson," Jones says with his easy laugh. "You ought to hear the announcer. He has a lot of fun with that deal." As Jones seems to be with this coaching deal. His wife Kelli, 5-year-old son, John Vincent, and 4-year-old daughter, Jillian, are doing fine and life is good. "We’ve developed some relationships, some friends," Jones says. "My wife, it’s kind of grown on her. Just like Memphis, they’ve got some nice malls here." Meantime, the basketball program dribbles forward. "We had 6,000 here against Indiana during Christmas break," Leonard says. "It’s headed in the right direction. "It’s about getting the job done, take caring of the kids, taking time to get into the Dallas market. It’s a challenge, but it’s a fun one." Says Villarreal: "Johnny’s got this team believing in itself. We may not be the best team out there, but we’ll play as hard as anybody." And then win or lose, Johnny Jones will put his arm around the player who needs it the most. What you see is what you get - not an arrogant bone in this coach’s body.

Denver Falls to North Texas Hart and Cyran record double-doubles in effort Jan. 15, 2004 Ragan Neblett's (Arvada, Colo.) last second shot rattled in and out as the University of Denver women's basketball team fell 70-68 to Sun Belt Conference foe North Texas at Magness Arena Thursday. Denver falls to 7-7, 0-2 on the season, while North Texas improved to 5-9, 1-1. Denver came back from a seven-point halftime deficit to lead by two points with a minute to play in the game, but North Texas converted a conventional three-point play to take a one point advantage and an eventual 70-69 decision. Stephanie Hart (Shoreline, Wash.) and Sarah Cyran (Broomfield, Colo.) each recorded double-doubles to lead the Pioneers. Hart scoed a career-high 18 points and added 14 rebounds. Cyran scored 11 points and notched a career high 12 rebounds. Five players scored in double figures for the Mean Green, with Kim Blanton leading the way with 18 points. "This game was lost in the first half," Head Coach Pam Tanner said. "We executed the last second play perfectly, and got a good look at the basket, but it didn't go in. "I am disappointed that we didn't execute on defense in the first half. We have the parts to be a very good basketball team, but we have got to play 40 minutes of basketball every game." After trailing by seven points at the half, Denver began the second half with a 10-4 run to close the gap to one point at 45-44. Hart scored six of the 10 points to start the second stanza. Jill Medlock sunk two three pointers to get the Mean Green lead back to five points (51-46) and Mia Ajekwa added two free throws to give UNT back its halftime margin of seven points (53-46). Hart continued her assault with two free throws and a driving layup in traffic, while Cyran contributed to key buckets in an 8-3 run that got the Pioneers within one point of the lead (55-54) with eight minutes to play. Tasha Jones (San Antonio, Texas) tied the game with two free throws, and Neblett gave the Pioneers their first lead of the second half at 60-57. In a tug-o-war battle down the stretch, Denver earned a 68-66 lead with a minute to play. Mia Ajkewu earned a layup and a personal foul was called on Jones to allow North Texas to gain a 69-68 lead. Denver fouled to stop the clock, relinquishing one point. With 14 seconds to play, Denver set up for the last shot. Neblett's three point attempt rattled in and out at the buzzer to end the game. In the first half, North Texas earned a six-point lead (14-8) before Denver scored two three pointers to tie the game at 14 points. Tyesha Lowery scored the first trey, and Natalie Swisa (Herzelia, Israel) followed with a three to tie the score. Denver used the momentum to build a 22-18 lead as Laura Granzow (Springfield, Mo.) scored back-to-back buckets. North Texas made a 10-2 run to regain the lead at 28-24. Jones responded with four points to tie the game at 28 points before the Mean Green finished the half on an 11-6 run to take a seven-point lead to the locker room at intermission (41-34). Ericka Bobo sunk a three pointer with just seconds on the clock to end the half. All-conference selection Kim Blanton led the Mean Green with 14 points in the first half.

Pioneers Fall to North Texas, 72-67 First half ends Denver's chances Jan. 15, 2004 DENTON, Texas - The Denver Pioneers fell to North Texas 72-67 tonight in Sun Belt Conference action at the Super Pit in Denton, Texas. Denver was down by 21, but fought back to take a one point second-half lead. UNT scored 12 of the final 18 points to defeat the Pioneers. Denver falls to 8-6, 0-2 with its second consecutive loss. The Mean Green improve to 6-8, 1-1. "The basketball team does not have any room for error," said head coach Terry Carroll. "I cannot figure out why we struggle in the first half. That is not us, we are going to fight and get the game going our direction." Things were a little sluggish early as a 3-point bucket by Leonard Hopkins gave North Texas an early 7-4 lead with 16:40 remaining in the first half. Denver used a 9-0 run to open a four-point lead, but 11 consecutive points by UNT capped off by a Jerome Rogers 3-poiner pushed the Mean Green back in front 20-13 at 10:23 mark. North Texas increased its lead to nine (26-17) off two free throws by Shawnson Johnson with just 7:21 left in the first half. UNT continued to build on its lead, increasing it to 16 (39-23) off a Calvin Watson 3-point basket with just 3:53 remaining in the first stanza. The Mean Green pressure remained intense, as Marqus Mitchell jumper at the buzzer upped the margin to 46-26. The Pioneers finally woke up and went to work; beginning the second half with a 12-0 run that cut the lead to 49-40. Junior point guard Rodney Billups (Denver, Colo.) capped off the run with two free throws at the 15:42 mark. Denver cut the margin to seven, but a free throw by Justin Barnett moved the lead back to eight (56-48) with 11:52 left in the game. The Pioneers went on another 9-0 run and took the lead off a jumper by senior forward Carvell McAlister (Fresno, Calif.), but two free throws by Ty Thomas put North Texas backup, 60-57, with 7:34 remaining in the contest. The two teams traded buckets over the next four minutes with two Johnson free throws giving UNT a one-point advantage (62-61) at the 4:16 mark. The Mean Green scored 12 of the last 18 points to hold off the Pioneers. Junior guar Erik Benzel (Spokane, Wash.) led Denver with 17 points. McAlister led Denver and 16 and Billups contributed 10. Johnson led all scores with 19. UNT won the rebounding battle, 39-29, led by Johnson's 13. Senior center Brett Starkey (Lakewood, Colo.) led the Pioneers with six. The Pioneers return to the friendly confines of Magness Arena on Sat., Jan. 17, to play host to SBC foe Florida International at 7 p.m. A host of the Pioneers' former great players, including the All-Century team which will be announced tomorrow night at an alumni dinner will be in attendance as the University of Denver continues its year long celebration of 100 years of men's basketball.

Mean Green Becomes Lean Green - Sunday, January 4, 2004 Arkansas Defense Smothers North Texas In Rout By Jerry L. Reed The Morning News/RazorbackCentral.net•jreed@nwaonline.net FAYETTEVILLE -- Poor North Texas. Officially, poor University of North Texas. Poor UNT. Poor University of No Turnovers, which failed miserably to earn that reputation here Saturday afternoon -- it had 23 -- in Bud Walton Arena. Nope, it wasn't even the University of Nice Try. Because ... North Texas walked straight into an Arkansas vegamatic defense and got chopped to itsy-bitsy pieces. Intimidation. Altered shots. Blocked shots. Constant steals. That was the norm as the Men of Pig destroyed the Mean Green 96-61 in front of 14,009 appreciative fans. Man, that's got to hurt. That's going to leave a mark. Banged, bruise and humiliated, North Texas loaded up its team bus and headed back to Denton, Texas, with its seventh loss in 11 basketball games. Why? "If you look at our defensive intensity from the Western Carolina game (a 62-59 overtime loss in Bud Walton Arena on Dec. 22), it's just been defensive minded," said Razorbacks senior guard Charles Tatum. "I think that's exactly what we have to do if we want to win games in the Southeastern Conference. We are tuning up for LSU (on Tuesday in the SEC opener at home). We're just getting ready. We used these last two games (against Western Carolina and an 81-74 win at Tulsa last Tuesday). "We just used the last two games to get ready when the games really count." It really counted Saturday when the Hogs forced those 23 turnovers and had 8 blocked shots in a laugher. Yeah, Arkansas forward Rashard Sullivan was smiling. He shined those pearly whites when he blocked 2 shots and scored 6 points, grabbed 3 rebounds and had 1 steal. "Really, our defense is what got us going," Sullivan said. "It led to turnovers, which led to scoring. Everyone did a good job. A lot of guys came out with their A-games." Razorbacks senior forward Billy Pharis definitely said an amen goes there. "Our guards we were just really pressuring them," Pharis said. "That was a big difference early on. We really fed off that pressure. If they threw it inside, Rashard was doing a good job of getting position. If a guy drove to the basket, he took charges and was blocking shots. "It worked out for us." That bodes well for the Southeastern Conference schedule which begins Tuesday at home against LSU. "Absolutely," Pharis said. "That's what we talked about. We had to get better in these last two nonconference games. They were tests to get us ready for the SEC. We felt if we did really well today, you know, we felt like that would get us ready, along with two good practices, for Tuesday night." Razorbacks guard Kendrick Davis said that's fair warning. And Arkansas, if it plays defense the way it did Saturday, could rough some SEC teams up if they don't take them seriously. Pity the fool. "We were trying to set the tone and let everyone in our conference know that we are for real," Davis said. "(Arkansas point guard) Eric (Ferguson) and (Razorbacks freshman swingman) Ronnie (Brewer) got us going. Ronnie has those long arms and he's very active and Eric is just an outstanding defender." In the first half alone, Ferguson and Brewer ignited an Arkansas defense that produced 14 North Texas turnovers. Half of them were created by Ferguson (4) and Brewer (3). "That's why they are so successful," Davis said. "They know how to play defense. You could tell that early on." Brewer said that was in the gameplan. "We wanted to be aggressive on defense," Brewer said. "We wanted to pressure the ball and try and get some steals. We just went out there in practice, and then in the game, and worked on it to make it happen." North Texas believes it did.

Young Mean Green Searching For Identity - Friday, January 2, 2004 LSU Transfer Playing Strong For North Texas By Izzy Gould The Morning News/RazorbackCentral •igould@nwaonline.net FAYETTEVILLE – We've heard this song. We've seen this dance. Like so many of Arkansas' nonconference opponents, North Texas is a youthful team hoping to gain experience when facing the Hogs on Saturday afternoon in Bud Walton Arena. North Texas (4-6) is Arkansas' final nonconference opponent before the Hogs (7-3) open Southeastern Conference play with a potential powder keg – a nationally televised game at home against bitter rival Louisiana State on Tuesday night. But Arkansas cannot afford to glance past the Mean Green. Third-year North Texas coach Johnny Jones is aware of how Western Carolina stole a 62-59 overtime victory out of Fayetteville on Dec. 22. But he also knows Arkansas is refocused after winning at Tulsa on Tuesday, 81-74. North Texas has been in some battles of its own, the latest a 79-70 loss to Indiana. But it was close. "We actually won the game, unfortunately the score didn't indicate that," Jones said. "It was a tight game throughout. We had an opportunity to cut their lead to two points, but didn't do what we needed at that moment. Indiana's a very good basketball team and our guys understand what they've done in the past. Just like Arkansas, they've won national championships. But our motivation is for us to continue to get better. "Our guys understand we lost against Indiana, but we continued to grow. We felt like we got better in that game." North Texas is beginning to adjust to LSU transfer Shawnson Johnson, who joined the team after the fall semester. Due to NCAA transfer rules, Johnson was forced to sit out one academic year after enrolling at North Texas in January 2003. The 6-foot-9, 250-pounder has been a pleasant surprise for Jones and the Mean Green. Johnson's started four of the five games he's played in and is the team's scoring leader, averaging 16 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. He led the Mean Green with 21 points and 11 rebounds against the Hoosiers. "He's a very good post player," Jones said. "He is our center. Again, he just became eligible at the break. He's played in five games and has been a tremendous asset for us. "We have some guys who are very capable on the perimeter, but we haven't shot the ball as well as we would like." Mean Green junior guard Leonard Hopkins has helped on the perimeter and ranks second in scoring averaging 9.7 points per game. North Texas is shooting 43.7 percent from the floor, and 28.7 percent from 3-point range. With a healthy rotation of nine to 10 players, Jones continues to search for consistency. "We're a young basketball team in the sense we lost three guys who started for us last year," Jones said. "We lost our top two scorers and rebounders. In a sense, we have a lot of new guys still learning the system. "We're excited about our team. We think we're talented and once our chemistry comes together we feel we will be a very good basketball team." One of the tougher parts of playing for a school like North Texas is the demanding road schedule. Through 10 games, the Mean Green have played six road games. That includes playing four of their last five games on the road. Overall, they are 1-5 in road games, the lone win coming against Texas-Pan American, 87-81 on Dec. 17. "When you're here, unfortunately you have to go on the road a lot," Jones said. "It's been difficult for us, but at the same time that's a growing process for our team. "I think it will help us grow stronger." NORTH TEXAS AT ARKANSAS WHEN: Saturday; Tip-off at 12:30 p.m. WHERE: Bud Walton Arena

Hustling Jaguars top North Texas By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN jschiefelbein@theadvocate.com Advocate sportswriter Southern forward Nicholas Egland found himself parallel to the basketball court. Two, maybe three, North Texas players, were underneath him as Egland, to a degree, did some impromptu body surfing. The important thing to Egland was that he had the rebound in his hands. Even better, after flicking the ball ahead, the ball flowed quickly down the court, with Pete Cipriano flushing a dunk and a 17-point lead in the last minute of the first half. That's the kind of effort first-year coach Michael Grant craves, and that's the kind of effort that underpinned a 75-58 victory Wednesday night at the F.G. Clark Activity Center. "We wanted to come out with the intensity we have in practice," Egland said. Tim Johnson had 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting. Egland had 12 points, while Trayvean Scott had 11 points and seven rebounds. And Cipriano added 10 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two blocks as Southern (2-2) won its second straight game. "We played a complete game," Grant said. "I'm proud of my team, because they came ready to play. And this was a good team (Southern beat)." Justin Barnett led Sun Belt Conference member UNT (3-2) with 12 points, while Michael DeGrate and Michael Jones added 10 apiece. "They came out with a lot of energy," said third-year UNT coach Johnny Jones, a former LSU player and a longtime assistant under Dale Brown (who came to the game). "We made some adjustments at halftime and tried to press a little more. We just didn't execute at the other end." The Jaguars trailed only once, at 2-0. After a 4-4 tie, they started pulling away with a modest 6-0 spurt. From there, shooting 55.9 percent and with only four turnovers in the first half, they kept pushing the lead. Southern led 44-26 at halftime and took its largest lead at 46-26 on Johnson's jumper with 19:15 left in the game. "Everything was really within our offense," Grant said. "They really played team basketball today." UNT chipped away to within 65-56 on DeGrate's monster jam of an inbounds pass with 5:21 to play. That closed a four-point trip, with the Mean Green getting possession on a jump ball after Leonard Hopkins' missed a free throw on what could have been a three-point play. But Southern held UNT to one basket the rest of the way. The Mean Green shot 1-for-10 and had a traveling violation. "I'm very proud of the defensive end. We caused them a lot of problems," said Grant, who said he emphasized picking up UNT at halfcourt down the stretch. After UNT's only score down the stretch, Southern scored on three straight trips. Johnson slammed home an alley- oop pass from Jerimie Collier. Scott scored on a short pull-up jumper that followed a hard drive as the Jaguars milked the shot clock down. And after Egland missed the front end of a one-and-one, Collier got the offensive rebound, with the ball worked around to Johnson, who drained a 3-pointer from the left wing for a 74-58 lead with 1:49 left. "Our main concern was putting together two halves like we did tonight," Johnson said. "Coach said every team would have their spurts. They made theirs. Then it was our turn to keep our composure." CAMPBELL OUT: Junior 6-foot-8 center Jerrid Campbell, a second-team All-Southwestern Athletic Conference preseason selection, may be out for the season with torn tendons in his left foot. Campbell started practicing last month, but has played sparingly. He averaged 11.3 minutes and 2.0 points in the first three games. He did not dress for the game Wednesday. "Jerrid's still hurting bad right now," Grant said. "He's not helping us. We're taking him to the doctor again and seeing if he needs surgery. I'm looking at it as trying to get him a medical redshirt this year. He's not going to help us this year. I don't see it."

College Basketball Preview - Sun Belt Conference The Sports Network By Pat Taggart, College Basketball Staff Writer OUTLOOK: Heading into last season, Western Kentucky and UL-Lafayette were considered the best two teams in the Sun Belt. The two powerhouses certainly lived up to expectations, as the Hilltoppers won the conference tournament title to advance to the NCAA Tournament, while the Ragin' Cajuns earned a NIT berth. More of the same is expected this season, as WKU and ULL will once again be the teams to beat in the East and West, respectively. Arkansas-Little Rock appears to be a team capable of competing with Western Kentucky in the East, as the Trojans have lured a couple of solid juco players to complement Nick Zachery who withdrew his name from the NBA Draft to play one last collegiate season. Middle Tennessee State head coach Kermit Davis lost several seniors from last season's squad, but star guard Tommy Gunn will keep the Blue Raiders competitive every time out. Arkansas State has a chance to surprise some people, but Florida International may not be as fortunate, as the Golden Panthers will likely suffer many more losses than they collect wins this year. Moving over to the West, New Mexico State will lean heavily on James Moore in its effort to overcome UL-Lafayette. The Aggies went 9-6 in league action last season, and reaching double figures in the victory column is certainly a realistic goal. South Alabama surprised many people in head coach John Pelphrey's first season, and the combo of Chris Young and Malerick Bedden ensures another exciting campaign for the Jaguars. Denver had reason to celebrate after beating UL-Lafayette in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament, and the Pioneers shouldn't be short on confidence considering that many key players are back. New Orleans struggled toward the end of last year and not much is expected of the Privateers in 2003-04. Finally, it's scary to imagine how bad North Texas can be without former star Chris Davis, especially considering that the team won only two league games a year ago. CONFERENCE CHAMPION: UL-Lafayette PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: EAST: 1. Western Kentucky; 2. Arkansas-Little Rock; 3. Middle Tennessee State; 4. Arkansas State; 5. Florida International WEST: 1. UL-Lafayette; 2. New Mexico State; 3. South Alabama; 4. Denver; 5. New Orleans; 6. North Texas TEAM BY TEAM ANALYSIS: EAST: WESTERN KENTUCKY - The Hilltoppers seem to win the East every year, but this season's road to a title will have a few bumps to say the least. Almost every key player has to be replaced because of graduation or otherwise, including all-conference guard Patrick Sparks who decided to transfer. Head coach Dennis Fenton left as well, as his success at Western Kentucky earned him the job at Georgia. Darrin Horn is the new leader of the program, and he will need guard Mike Wells to emerge into a bigger scoring threat. Wells averaged 10.8 ppg a year ago on 51 percent shooting from the floor, including 40.7 percent from three-point range, and he was also named Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year in 2002-03. Forward Todor Pandov is extremely athletic at 6-9, and he will provide a major boost if he can stay healthy. There will be some talented new faces in the lineup, and Nigel Dixon is the most intriguing of the group. A Florida State transfer, Dixon will help the team tremendously if he can keep his weight in check and bang inside. ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK - The fact that Nick Zachery put off the NBA for another year is good news for him and great news for the Trojans. The star guard still has some room for improvement, and his team has what it takes to unseat the Hilltoppers. Zachery averaged 14.1 ppg a year ago on 40.1 percent shooting from the floor, and he also pulled down 4.1 rpg. Perhaps the most impressive stat of all is that he blocked 2.4 shots per game, a staggering number for a guard. While none of the other Trojans has star power, there are some skilled contributors. Brandon Freeman and Zack Graber will play alongside Zachery in the backcourt, and both juco transfers possess tremendous talent. Forward Jamal Holden will also be a big piece of the puzzle, as he seems to get better with every game. MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE - As mentioned above, Tommy Gunn will be counted on to provide plenty of offense for the Blue Raiders. Last season, Gunn averaged 15.9 ppg on 49.8 percent shooting from the floor, including 42.8 percent from three-point range. With a little help from his teammates, Gunn is capable of making a serious run at Sun Belt Player of the Year honors. Fellow guard Keith Connor has not distinguished himself in his first three years with the program, but he will now be asked to make a major contribution. Darrio Scott, a transfer from George Washington, will be asked to contribute right away, and the same can be said for Michael Cuffee, a juco transfer. Middle Tennessee State will certainly be solid, but the pieces aren't in place for a championship run just yet. ARKANSAS STATE - The Indians relied heavily on the three-point shot last season, and the fact that the team shot just a shade under 40 percent from behind the arc is impressive to say the least. More of the same is expected this year, as several key contributors are back. Tevoris Thompson is the best of the returnees, as he netted 15.3 ppg in 2002-03 on 38 percent shooting from three-point range. Thompson should get plenty of help in the scoring department thanks to the backcourt duo of J.J. Montgomery and DeWarwick Spencer. Montgomery is a juco All-American transfer, and Spencer has managed to get himself eligible. Kim Adams pulled down 9.0 rpg a year ago, and continued tough play on the interior by the big man will help the Indians tremendously. FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL - Considering that the Golden Panthers won just one of their 14 league tilts a year ago, they can't do much worse this season. They had trouble scoring points, and there doesn't seem to be many answers to the squad's offensive woes. Four juco players and a talented freshman have been added, but expecting too much from those newcomers isn't realistic. One of the few solid scorers back from last season is Junior Matias, a 6-2 senior guard who averaged 12.6 ppg. Fellow backcourt performer Carlos Morban is a decent shooter from three-point range, but needs to look for his shot more often. Belco Bamba and Taurance Johnson are a pair of 6-9 forwards who have some athleticism, but both have plenty to prove. Expecting many more than three league wins from FIU this season is a stretch. WEST: UL-LAFAYETTE - With four of the top five scorers from last season back in the fold, it comes as no surprise that the Ragin' Cajuns are the favorites to win the Sun Belt Conference. They have plenty of stability in the middle with Michael Southall, a 6-10 junior who averaged 12.9 ppg and 7.5 rpg a year ago. Brad Boyd, who scored a team-high 16.8 ppg, is back at the shooing guard position, and fellow slasher Laurie Bridges returns 11.9 ppg and 4.8 rpg to the lineup. As if those guards aren't good enough, ULL now has the services of Orien Greene, a transfer from Florida. Greene has SEC talent and will see plenty of time right from the opening game. The Ragin' Cajuns made their most recent trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2000, and a second appearance in five years is a strong possibility. NEW MEXICO STATE- While there are several players with a realistic shot at winning Sun Belt Player of the Year honors, James Moore may be the favorite. After averaging 18.8 ppg and 6.5 rpg a year ago, the 6-8 senior forward is poised for a sensation final season at NMSU. With 142 career blocks to his credit, Moore can get the job done at both ends of the court. The star will have plenty of work to do, as three strong scorers from last year's squad have moved on. Guard Allen Haynes is a good shooter from three-point range, and he will need to get plenty of looks. James Felder battled injury early last season, and it will be interesting to see if he can provide strong play on the interior now that he is healthy. SOUTH ALABAMA - Chris Young has never been afraid to shoot the ball, and the 6-1 senior guard will once again fire at will in 2003-04. Young is coming off a season in which he averaged 15.9 ppg in part because of 38.1 percent shooting from three-point range. Malerick Bedden is taller at 6-6, and he netted 13.4 ppg on the strength of 51.5 percent shooting from the floor, including 42.1 percent from behind the arc. Young and Bedden form one of the Sun Belt's top duos, and they will be expected to carry the team. Larry Thompson will help out tremendously, as he appears to be healthy after missing all of last season with injury. If Thompson can once again become a double- digit scorer like he was prior to the injury, USA may challenge UL-Lafayette for the division crown. DENVER - Terry Carroll was thrilled with his team's effort in the league tournament victory over UL-Lafayette last season, but expecting the Pioneers to be able to keep pace with the Cajuns during the regular season is not really an option at this point. Brett Starkey is clearly the key to the team's success, as he averaged 12 ppg on 50 percent shooting from the floor to go along with 9.7 rpg as a senior. Erik Benzel provides a complement on the perimeter, as he is coming off a campaign in which he averaged 11.2 ppg on 39.2 percent shooting from three-point range. While those two players can be counted on for consistent production, forwards Zelijko Zupic and Carvell McAlister need to prove that they can provide solid contributions every time out. Denver has never won a conference title, and its first won't come this season. NEW ORLEANS - The fact that the Privateers lost seven of their final 10 games last season and no longer have the benefit of Hector Romero down low is cause for concern. Still, New Orleans can take solace in the presence of Johnell Smith, who averaged 13.7 ppg a year ago in a reserve role. It is unclear if Smith will again serve as a sixth man, but he will definitely see plenty of court time. Fellow guard Kyle Buggs can flat out shoot, as he drained 43.5 percent of his long-range attempts a season ago. Kenrell Martin has some range as well, but he is basically unproven at this point. One player to keep an eye on is Victor Brown, who has good size at 6-9 to go along with some solid talent. New Orleans will remain competitive in most of its games, but it simply can not hang with some of the league's top squads. NORTH TEXAS - Chris Davis basically carried the Mean Green during his tenure with the program, and the void left by the star's departure figures to be impossible to fill. Considering that North Texas won only two league games with Davis last season, the possibility of a major turnaround seems remote. The good news is that Leonard Hopkins, who missed the majority of last season due to injury, is apparently healthy and prepared to assume the role of being the team's top offensive option. The 6-3 junior guard averaged 12.7 ppg before the injury. Shawnson Johnson is a 6-9 center who transferred from LSU, and it will be interesting to see if he can play up to potential. Michael DeGrate and Will Smith are a pair of seniors who will play a great deal, and both are eager to prove that they can hang. Unfortunately for the Mean Green, many losses are in the future and a last place finish in the SBC West is almost a guarantee.

Denver wins Sun Belt -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Micheal Compton, mcompton@bgdailynews.com -- 270-783-3247 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A game-winning goal in overtime usually provokes a wild celebration, but that wasn’t the case during Saturday’s women’s soccer Sun Belt Tournament Championship game between Denver and North Texas. When Denver’s Lleane Grimditch’s shot found the back of the net in the 94th minute, the freshman forward stood and let out a sigh of relief, while everyone else looked on in shock. The goal gave the Pioneers a 1-0 win and their third straight Sun Belt Championship. “It felt really good, but I should have finished it earlier,” Grimditch said. “I was like, ‘finally.’ We did this for the seniors. They had to go to the tournament this year. That’s all they wanted and we did it for them.” The finish concluded a tightly contested defensive struggle that saw Denver control possession for much of the contest. Denver outshot North Texas 17-8, and held a 8-3 advantage in shots on goal. “We didn’t give up a goal in three games in the conference tournament,” Denver coach Jeff Hooker said. “I think that bodes well for our team. The crew that we have this year is much different than last year. Starting five freshman and four seniors, it’s a different mix than from what we’ve ever had.” Denver had the first opportunity to score in the 14th minute, but junior defender Leah Becherer’s shot was saved by Mean Green goalie Briana Buchanan. Twelve minutes later, the Pioneers had another chance when Grimditch fired a cross that was just out of reach of senior forward Jenni Harris. North Texas had its best opportunity in the 39th minute, when freshman forward Melissa Chapman took a corner kick and fired a shot that sailed over the net. Denver was the aggressor again in the second half, failing to cash in on four scoring opportunities in a 22-minute span in the second half. The Mean Green’s best chance of the second half came in the 71st minute. Senior forward Marilyn Marin beat her defender and spun to her left, firing a shot from 15 yards out, which was saved by Denver goalie Danielle Wiley. Neither team threatened again until overtime. Grimditch had a shot from in the box that was stopped by Buchanan, but three minutes later Grimditch found the back of the net. “She was in a situation where she really didn’t have time to think,” Hooker said. “We talked a little bit before overtime about picking the corner (of the goal) out and she couldn’t have done it any better.” Grimditch was named the tournament’s most outstanding player. Joining Grimditch on the all-tournament team were Laura Mann, Jamie Norwood and Harris from Denver; Melinda Pina Caree Ridenour and Marin from North Texas; Andrea Doogs and Crystal Chapon from Western Kentucky; and Danielle Perreault and Laura Miguez from Middle Tennessee. With the win, Denver improves to 18-3 and advances to the NCAA tournament. North Texas ends its season 15-6-1 and runners-up in the conference tournament for the third straight season. “We’ve been in this position several times, but this was probably our best opportunity to win the title,” North Texas coach John Hedlund said. “We had some opportunities that just missed. It was anybody’s game, we just came up short.”

Sunday November 2, 2003 Archive Search Former Highland star leaves N. Texas Mark Wilson cites 'family problems' as his reason; Chicago State may be in his future. By Graham Couch, The Journal-Standard Two months into what seemed to be a very successful start for Mark Wilson at North Texas, the former Highland men's basketball star has left the Mean Green program. Wilson began practicing with North Texas on Oct. 18, but left the program more than a week ago and returned to his home in Chicago, citing "family problems." "School was good," Wilson said Friday. "I had to get out because of my daughter. My baby's mother got into trouble and I had to get back to baby-sit. Everyone else in the family had to work." Wilson, 24, returned to Freeport on Oct. 22 and met with Highland coach Pete Norman in Norman's office, giving a conflicting report to his former coach. Wilson told Norman that his mother, Mertise Wilson, was sick and was concerned because she is the primary caregiver for his daughter, 4-year-old Mecca Marie Wilson. Norman, who became a father figure to Wilson during their two-year run together, said he left the meeting with the impression that Wilson was returning to Denton, Texas. "He was in tears in my office," Norman said. "But when he left my office, he called (North Texas assistant coach) Fred Rike and said he'd be back the next day. The next day Fred called wondering about Mark. As late as Sunday, Fred left a message." Rike, Wilson's primary recruiter, said everyone on the North Texas coaching staff and team were fond of Wilson. "It wasn't anything he did here," Rike said. "He didn't have to go. It was personal things back home. He's a great guy. I wish he would have stayed. "It was a sudden thing. He was doing well in school, well on the floor. It's almost like he got to the end of the tunnel and went the other way." Wilson said he will meet with the Chicago State coaching staff sometime this weekend to explore his basketball and academic options at CSU. Chicago State head coach Kevin Jones said Friday that he was "definitely interested" and would "possibly" have a scholarship for Wilson. According to Rike, "nearly every Division-II program in the country" has expressed interest in the 6-foot-3 junior guard. Wilson wouldn't have to sit out at a lower division program. He would miss the season at another Division-I school, including Chicago State. Highland sophomore forward Chris Mitchell, a close friend and former Dunbar High School teammate of Wilson, said Wilson didn't say much, except that he was sick of playing for free and had talked to a couple of agents about playing overseas. Regardless of Wilson's options, the entire situation has Norman "sick." "Obviously I'm not in his shoes, but I think it's a terrible mistake he's making," Norman said. "He worked so hard to get out of (Highland), now he's wasting it away. It seemed like he was doing well down there. After all he's gone through, he's going home with no degree and no job. That's not going to make the lives of anybody better. "It was a good situation for him. He had people who cared for him down there. I don't see much good in it right now." Norman also didn't see much hope in the Chicago State rout, given the temptations of home and the responsibilities elsewhere. "My gut feeling, and I hope I'm wrong, I'd be shocked if he gets much done there," Norman said. Rike didn't completely shut the door on Wilson's return, but said it seemed like a done deal. "He could definitely come back," Rike said. "I don't know how we'd handle that as a staff. It hasn't been discussed. He's missed so much." Wilson was expected play a significant role at North Texas. In the teams first scrimmage, he scored 11 points on 5-for-5 shooting in 16 minutes. Wilson spent the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons at Highland. Known as "Granny" to those closest to him, Wilson led the Cougars to a 28-5 record as a sophomore. He was named second-team NJCAA All-America after averaging 22.2 points and 9.4 rebounds last season.

Air Force Article

A co-worker of mine of my mine from UTEP, says there is talk on the UTEP message board of one of our men's assistants headed there to fill the opening for assistant that was created when a coach left the UTep program to be an NBA scout.

My name is Steve Steele, currently living in Flower Mound. I graduated with a BBA in Marketing 1987, returned for my MBA which I received in 1993.I ran Track and Cross Country during my undergrad time (although not near as talented as Mr. Miller) I am a season ticketholder for FB, BB. My wife attends most games with me unless their is a soccer conflict with our boys. Had an absolute blast in New Orleans and can't wait to return.

When they played UALR earlier this year he took hic sportcoat off and someone stole it. UALR has been asking for someone to return it. I asked a friend who live in Little Rock about it and he said whoever it was took it during the game.

USA Today Article