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The Editorial Board Recently, there has been a sort of backlash following the publication of a piece titled “Letter: Don’t do the Fry Street Crawl.” It was penned by criminologist Dexter Simpson on behalf of the McMillan family and its legal team regarding the shooting death of Ryan McMillan on Fry Street. The letter was printed because of our open forum policy, where those looking to address our readership with a written letter have the platform to do so. Letters, as with opinion pieces not written by the editorial board, do not necessarily reflect the values of the paper, only those of the writer. Newspapers have long printed letters with unpopular opinions. Everything from the thoughts of greedy and corrupt politicians to the stories of embattled soldiers and convicted felons. We’re an open forum. In closing, we invite anyone interested to write us a letter. Tell us how you feel, what you think and if you want your voice to be heard outside of social media, we’d be happy to print it. Feel free to send all inquiries to northtexasdaily@gmail.com. View Full Article

Lee cautions UNT’s ‘greatness’ rhetoric Lisa Dreher | Staff Writer @lisa_dreher97 Chancellor Lee Jackson’s executive performance evaluation of UNT president Neal Smatresk’s job performance from February 2014 to 2016 praised his managing efforts behind the budget and faculty hires, but urged him to set clearer, more tangible goals to achieve university goals. The Board of Regents, during its executive session on Feb. 25, cut the live-stream cameras for an executive session to assess Smatresk’s decisions and plans for UNT. Smatresk’s review was provided by the university through a request for information over spring break. The regents recently voted to extend the university president’s contract through 2019, and there is a pay raise on the way for him, which combined with this evaluation offers a glimpse into Smatresk’s two years as CEO of UNT. Jackson said in the “quality/innovation” portion of the evaluation, Smatresk has performed well in hiring faculty and providing better incentives for students to enroll and stay at UNT, like merit scholarships and graduate student packages, the report said. “Research strategies are being reviewed and focused and key academic leadership positions are being filled,” Jackson said. “The placement of a new permanent Provost has provided [Smatresk] the opportunity to discuss higher expectations for program review and student success with deans and department chairs.” Jackson said UNT’s Denton campus must focus on producing the most successful students through research opportunities, as reflected in the new undergraduate research fellowship program created this semester. In Smatresk’s evaluation, Jackson said many universities, including UNT, long to be recognized as a “student-centered” university, and that UNT must now put more energy in providing the best undergraduate experience among the school’s competitors. Smatresk, the report said, has created the framework for improving opportunities for academic success among undergraduates, but Jackson said they must reach concrete resolutions to move forward. “It is not clear to me that we have yet identified the specific ways in which we will innovate and excel in this area and earn the reputation as having the ‘best undergraduate experience’ of any research university in Texas,” Jackson said. “We need to agree on what will be the best measures of progress in our targeted areas for both academic excellence and the student experience.” In the “partnerships” area of his evaluation, Jackson’s said there is “opportunity for improvement” in building networks and lasting relationships with businesses and local governments. He did not, however, blame Smatresk for the inevitable slow progress in building these partnerships. “This indication of an ‘opportunity for improvement’ is more a reflection of the institution’s long history than your accomplishments in two short years,” Jackson said. “You have done a good job of moving quickly in several areas where future partnerships are clearly possible.” Jackson said a relationship with Texas Woman’s University would potentially form a “nationally-significant collaboration,” given UNT’s proximity to the university and TWU chancellor Carine Feyton’s leadership in the Denton community. Jackson said Smatresk should create a team that will find new ways to reach out to people, like alumni and donors, who will demonstrate those outside of UNT see the institution’s worth. UNT was recently reclassified by the Carnegie Classifications of Higher Educations as among the top schools in “highest ranking for research activity,” an upgrade from being among the top in “higher ranking for research activity.” Jackson suggested Smatresk review the “best examples of communications from respected universities” because of UNT’s new title by Carnegie. Jackson cautioned Smatresk on UNT’s public relations message, referring to UNT’s billboards and recruiting material often boast the school’s achievements. He said stronger universities use more modest voices in advertisements. "“Words like superb, leading, etc. imply exceptional performance compared to peers,” Jackson said. “Casual observers may believe that all university messages, and all university presidents, speak in this voice, but that has not been my experience.”" Smatresk received an “above average performance” ranking for his management style by Jackson, specifically for how he budgeted expenses to minimize excessive spending. Jackson admired the president’s careful planning of campus space and buildings. He said he appreciates Smatresk working with the UNT System’s Human Resources staff to create a professional environment, but said in 2016 that outdated policies which contradict one another must be updated for “recent events.” “It is a comprehensive ambition to replace operational complacency with a higher standard of expectation,” Jackson said. “Just as we are doing in academic areas.” View Full Article

Editor’s Note: The North Texas Daily sports staff analyzes both the Mean Green men’s and women’s basketball teams and how both did this season. The men’s team finished 10th in Conference USA with a (12-20, 7-11) record and first round exit in the conference tournament to Western Kentucky. The women’s team finished 13th with a (11-19, 5-13) record, falling to Old Dominion in the C-USA tournament after defeating FIU in a play-in game. Our staff: Scott Sidway (SS), Reece Waddell (RW), Torie Mosley (TM), Alex Lessard (AL), Brady Keane (BK) and Clay Massey (CM). 1. If you could sum up the men’s season in one word, what would it be? RW: Rollercoaster. This team had a lot of ups and downs this season. It endured a seven and five game losing streak and managed just one win away from the Super Pit all year. There were elevated expectations heading into the season with the arrival of some highly touted recruits, but things never totally came together. TM: If. If North Texas had capitalized on its five straight home games to start the season. If the team didn’t have part ways with DeAndre Harris early in the season. If the Mean Green didn’t lose seven games in a row after starting the season 2-0. If North Texas didn’t go 1-12 on the road, despite being 11-7 at home. If, if, if. AL: Frustrating. Tony Benford’s squad was enormously talented but never found the consistency needed to make an impact in Conference USA, largely because of its incompetence on the road. It’s painful to imagine what could have been if North Texas hadn’t lost all three games of the Mean Green challenge in November. 2. If you could sum up the women’s season in one word, what would it be? BK: Foundation. After more than doubling their win total from the previous season and getting a win in the conference tournament for the first time as a member of Conference USA, Jalie Mitchell and the Mean Green laid the foundation for the future. The team returns a solid core of players in Kelsey Criner, Candice Adams and Terra Ellison, and will have more depth next season as well. CM: Satisfiable. This team was awful in Mike Peterson’s last season in charge, and first year head coach Jalie Mitchell did her best to get the team moving in the right direction. It appears she has done so, as the team beat then No. 17 Oklahoma and won a conference tournament game. The team was gritty to say the least. Nothing special, but not bad at all. SS: Unpredictable. Last season was nearly unwatchable for the women’s team, especially with its free throw struggles. But this season, no matter who North Texas played, I felt compelled to tune in for at least the start of every game knowing the team would scrap their way to a competitive game. It didn’t always turn out that way, especially when the team struggled with inbound passes out of timeouts, but the grit that showed during the Oklahoma upset early in the season created intrigue each week. 3. What was the biggest surprise for you this men’s season? RW: The biggest surprise for me was how bad North Texas was on the road, 1-12. Take that in for a second. Go ahead, read it again. That’s one win in 13 attempts on the road, and that’s not counting the game it lost in the Conference USA tournament, which also was not held in Denton. TM: The team’s (1-12) record on the road. I understand playing on the road is tough, especially with a young team trying to build a chemistry with each other. But I don’t understand how any Division 1 collegiate team in any sport can go an entire season with only one road victory. This year North Texas had one road win combined between football and men’s basketball. AL: Deckie Johnson. Getting big improvement from Jeremy Combs and steady play of floor general J-Mychal Reese was expected, but having an Angelina College transfer turn into a lethal scorer from the wing was huge. The junior snatched a spot in the starting lineup early in the season and never let go, improving from a solid bench piece to someone capable of single-handedly taking over a game. 4. What was the biggest surprise for you this women’s season? BK: I think the inconsistency the team played with was the biggest disappointment for me. Overall, they obviously took a step forward, but there were so many opportunities to string together a couple more wins throughout the season. They went from the high of knocking off then No. 17 Oklahoma to falling to Weber State at home. It was just a roller coaster of a year, but consistency should come with time. CM: The biggest surprise this season was the culture Mitchell brought to the program. She made sure these girls knew what it meant to be a North Texas basketball player, and part of that comes from the pride she has from playing in Denton. The team definitely bought into that culture, and Mitchell laid some strong groundwork for the future to come. SS: Achiel Tac. She’s battled injuries for much of her collegiate career, and a level of timidness was apparent in her play last season. It was a completely opposite story this season, with Tac routinely making her presence felt under the basket. It’s no fluke she was near the top of the conference with 10 double-doubles this season. 5. What was your favorite moment this men’s season? RW: My favorite moment of the year was when Deckie Johnson scored a career high 32 points to lead a ferocious North Texas rally against FIU. Johnson hit five threes in the second half, including one in the final 20 seconds to give the Mean Green a much-needed win. There was also a decent crowd on hand that night, which made it even more enjoyable. TM: Seeing Eric Katenda end his career at North Texas with back-to-back career scoring games to end the regular season and at the C-USA tournament was great. A graduate forward transfer from Notre Dame overcoming a career full of injuries to go out with the playing time he deserved is what sports is all about. I won’t be surprised to see Katenda in an international uniform if the NBA doesn’t make a call. AL: The defensive stand in the waning seconds of the senior night victory. It was the team’s only regular season game without Jeremy Combs all season, and it finally came together to finish a game with a total team effort. What followed in the C-USA tournament may have been disappointing, but four consecutive stops in the final three minutes produced an electric atmosphere at the Super Pit to cap off the regular season. 6. What was your favorite moment this women’s season? BK: The comeback win over IUPUI was pretty much the season in a nutshell. Mitchell brought a “never say die” attitude to the program, and despite trailing by 20 points late in the game, the Mean Green fought back to pick up a win at home early in the season. CM: When walk-on freshman Orianna Shillow made her first start against the Rice Owls on January 30th, the script wrote itself and Shillow played her part. In an Oscar-worthy performance, Shillow was deadly from three, scoring 16 points and nailing five from deep, which would be the season high for any player. It’s always fun to see a walk-on show they belong. SS: The November 16 win over Oklahoma. With so many sour tastes still in Mean Green fans’ mouths following last season, the way North Texas and Kelsey Criner closed out the OU game to pick up first win over a ranked opponent in program history set the tone for the season. I am willing to bet nobody outside of the Mean Green locker room gave North Texas a snowball’s chance in hell to pull it off. Besides, how can Steven “Poppy” Bartolotta’s call of that game not be somebody’s favorite moment? 7. What’s your outlook heading into next season for the men? RW: The general outlook for next year has to be pretty positive. North Texas has former McDonald’s All-American Keith Frazier coming in, even though he was arrested a few weeks ago. The Mean Green is also losing only one starter in forward Eric Katenda, and will return every member of its “Mean Three.” Couple that with A.J. Lawson from Bryan High School and I would like to think there is reason for optimism with this team come next season. TM: With next year being Tony Benford’s contract year, I expect him to pull out all the tricks up his sleeve. There’s no more time for improvement – it’s time to see some winning. The Mean Green faithful don’t want to hear anything else about the team being too young or lacking chemistry. A more experienced lineup next season with a couple key recruiting additions should be a sight to see come Fall. AL: Things are looking great for what may be a make-or-break year for head coach Tony Benford. The big three of Jeremy Combs, J-Mychal Reese and Deckie Johnson will be back, and Rickey Brice Jr. should fill in seamlessly for Eric Katenda as a starter down low. Expect the stars to shine even brighter next season. And who knows? Maybe the Mean Green can become the third straight C-USA team to pull off a massive upset in the NCAA tournament. 8. What’s your outlook heading into next season for the women? BK: I think the depth will be the biggest difference. It will be interesting to see how Criner grows in her second season at the point guard position, and the chemistry that she has built with Adams in the backcourt will be important again as well. The Mean Green will have several transfers from this season that will be available, and I expect the team to continue to improve. CM: Despite the lackluster final stretch of the season, Mitchell laid some solid foundation for her program moving forward. She only lost three seniors and added some talented freshman in the signing class. She also gets to use her three transfers next season. It almost looks like there’s nowhere to go but up. SS: It’s hard to imagine anything but improvement for the 2016-2017 women’s basketball season, considering the only major loss the team is suffering is the graduation of Achiel Tac. Jalie Mitchell has established a culture that paid dividends in the standings, but arguably more importantly, recruits will notice a North Texas team on the rise. Sprinkle in the growth of Kelsey Criner and Candice Adams with a full off-season of Mitchell recruiting, and the Super Pit could be home to some quality basketball next season. View Full Article

Clay Massey | Staff Writer @Clay_FC Mean Green softball was in it right until the end on Sunday, much like Saturday, but a late 3-run home-run for University of Texas at San Antonio put the nail in the coffin. UTSA (9-16) completed the sweep of the Mean Green (13-9) behind a strong pitching effort and more power from the bats carrying over from yesterday. Meanwhile, North Texas stranded 23 runners across the three games this weekend. “I felt today was a must-win for us,” head coach Tracey Kee said. “You get weekends where you just cannot buy a timely hit, and that was pretty much how our entire weekend was.” North Texas 1, UTSA 5 Junior southpaw Jessica Elder got the start after going 7.1 innings yesterday, throwing 6.0 innings today while allowing three strikeouts and five runs, four of which came in the sixth inning. The late explosion from the Roadrunners came from two home runs off Elder, who also gave up three home runs yesterday in the opening game of the doubleheader. “When it came down to it, they had to adjust to my pitching,” Elder said. “They definitely did that this weekend.” North Texas got the lead-off runner on in five out of the first six innings but squandered most of its chances, only scoring once. North Texas stranded seven runners on the day, including leaving the bases loaded after loading them up with one out in the fourth. UTSA struck first when senior infielder Tess Soefje homered to left. North Texas didn’t have an answer until the top of the sixth when senior catcher Bryana Wade flared a single to right score a run. Wade entered the ballgame hitting .214 with just seven RBIs. “I think a big deal of what the freshman and transfers have to learn is that conference is no joke,” Wade said. “Even if you lose, you have to move on from it. We have more opportunities.” The Roadrunners answered in the bottom half of the sixth when they got runners on the corners with just one out. A sac-fly by freshman first basemen Zoe Bacon gave UTSA a 2-1 lead, and then the dagger came with a three-run shot that hit the right field foul pole by junior Angelica Nino, her first home run of the season. “I told these kids to let this fester in their stomach,” Kee said. “Your entire preseason means nothing at this point. I told them we are currently sitting at 0-3 and that we need to make adjustments and get back to work.” The Mean Green return to action will continue its San Antonio road trip on Tuesday when it faces the University of the Incarnate Word at 3 p.m. View Full Article

Torie Mosley | Staff Writer @toriemosley Mean Green men’s basketball won’t be joining in the March Madness hype this year. The North Texas (12-20) 2015-2016 campaign came to an end in the first day of action at the C-USA tournament against eighth ranked Western Kentucky University 84-76. It wasn’t any easier for the Mean Green considering it was without star sophomore forward Jeremy Combs outside of the opening two minutes of the game. “We knew it was going to be a challenge going in, especially with Jeremy Combs not being at full strength and able to play,” head coach Tony Benford said. “That really hurt us. Jeremy’s a double-double guy who averaged 12 to almost 13 rebounds when he played. He’s the heart and soul of our team so he not being there was tough.” Combs started the game after being taken out of last Saturday’s 80-77 home win against Charlotte. In the game’s second minute, the Dallas native left the game with a high left ankle sprain and was replaced by freshman forward Khalil Fuller. Fuller scored five points and grabbed four rebounds in 25 minutes for the Mean Green. Graduate forward Eric Katenda scored a career-high 22 points while grabbing four rebounds and two steals in 37 minutes. The big man even hit a three-pointer to put North Texas up temporarily 19-18 with 9:34 left in the first half, but the effort wasn’t enough to stop Western Kentucky (17-15) from holding onto the victory. “[Without Jeremy] we were all just trying to play hard,” Katenda said. “The whole team showed up to try to win today.” WKU went on an 8-0 run after Katenda’s three-pointer and a 16-2 run in the first half before hitting the locker room up 40-28 on the Mean Green at the half. North Texas fell even further 67-50 halfway through the second half and attempted a comeback late in the game. Junior guard Deckie Johnson and freshman guard Ja’Michael Brown hit back-to-back threes in the game’s last minute and a Carrington Ward layup cut the lead to 82-76 with 40 seconds left in the game before WKU notched the victory with a pair of free throws. Katenda pointed to the team’s youth as a weakness in today’s loss. With eight new players on the court for the Mean Green this year, it will take time for a team chemistry to build, according to Katenda. “A lot of these guys were just playing in high school, and we put them in tough situations,” Katenda said. “It’ll come in time. We just need some time to develop.” North Texas shot 47% from the line, missing 11 free throws in the eight-point loss. WKU outplayed the Mean Green throughout the match-up, out-rebounding North Texas 44-29 and out assisting North Texas 19-10. “We let them get a couple offensive rebounds and score off of them,” junior guard J-Mychal Reese said. “We didn’t get defensive stop when we needed to.” Although Combs had to miss playing the last game of the season with his teammates, Benford said there’s a lot the younger guys can learn from their peer going into next season. “When you have five freshmen and eight new guys it’s tough, but when you’ve got a guy like Jeremy Combs, there’s a lot to build on,” Benford said. “His ability just shows the young guys they can step up and make the progress he made from his freshman and sophomore year.” View Full Article

Clay Massey | Staff Writer @Clay_FC When head coach Tracey Kee was in Utah watching the junior college softball nationals late last season, she spotted a 5-foot-6-inch, left-handed off-speed pitcher in the circle for Howard College. The lefty showed a calm demeanor on the mound – something that impressed the North Texas head coach. The pitcher Kee eyed that day was junior Jessica Elder. Soon after Elder’s last game of the tournament, Kee offered her a scholarship with an invite to campus. While the path to Denton was almost by chance, it was a dream come true for Elder to come play for Kee on a daily basis. “I was really excited to be able to play at a [division one] program,” Elder said. “It was one of my biggest dreams, and to have that come true is just amazing.” Kee was immediately attracted to the prospect of adding a left-hander to her rotation, especially one with experience. Kee had only one returning pitcher coming back to her team and hadn’t rotated in a southpaw in the program since her first year in charge. “It’s a look we hadn’t had in a while, so that was attractive,” Kee said. “Obviously, her mixing of speeds was too. At this level you can throw it as hard as you want, but if you’re not spinning it, the ball is really going to go far.” Elder began playing softball when she was very young, starting her career in little league. She ramped up her playing schedule around middle school, playing select ball throughout the summer. The criminal justice major lived in California until she was a sophomore in high school, when she and her family moved to Cedar Park, Texas – an Austin suburb. Although Elder said the quality of softball is better in Texas, it was the middle school softball coach Elder played for in California who inspired her to play softball at a higher level. Her former mentor used to coach at St. Edwards University, and hearing about the experiences at the collegiate level inspired Elder to follow a dream of playing college softball. “She told me how much she loved it,” Elder said. “And all the things she told me about it made me just want to do it. I was determined to play college softball.” Junior pitcher Jessica Elder (17) throws a pitch towards home plate against the University of Tennessee-Martin during the Mean Green Spring Fling Tournament. Dylan Nadwodny | Staff Photographer A few years later, Elder graduated high school and committed to Howard College, where she was named to the 2014 and 2015 WJCAC All-Conference Teams and earned All-Region Team honors in 2015. In her final season, Elder led her squad to a conference championship and a fourth place finish in the NJCAA Division One National Championship tournament – the same tournament Kee saw her pitch at. Elder came to North Texas on that note and has continued to shine, working a team-leading 58.1 innings with a 3.24 ERA. The quick and apparently seamless transition comes as no surprise to rotation mate and junior Stacey Underwood, who was a transfer herself from McLennan Community College. “It’s hard coming in from a different program and coming out of high school,” Underwood said. “Out of high school you know what to expect in a way, but a lot of things are different. We have a lot more opportunities at a [division one] than a [junior college]. I think she was really excited to come in and learn and play. She definitely acclimated better than the freshmen.” Not only does Elder bring a wicked change-up and a left arm to a surging North Texas team, she also brings a funny, but shy personality her teammates and coaches enjoy having around. “She’s a great pitcher,” Underwood said. “Her change-up is so awesome, and her personality is great too. She’s quiet, but she makes little funny comments. You don’t really hear her until she says something funny and then you’re like, ‘Was that Jess?’ She’s a great person and will be a lifelong friend.” Coach Kee said she’s happy Elder came into her program despite knowing she would have to eat up innings. Whether it has been starting or long innings of relief, Elder has stepped up to the task for her team. Kee said she also enjoys the positivity and light-heartedness Elder brings to the field every day. “She’s kind of goofy,” Kee said as a smirk rolled across her face. “She’s laid back, she’ll laugh and you’ll very seldom see her in a bad mood. Off the field and when she’s in the bullpen not pitching, she’s fun to be around.” While Elder enjoys her fun, the ice-water flows through her veins when she steps-into the circle. “When she’s on the mound, she works diligently. She takes her craft very seriously,” Kee said. “She’s not one of those kids who irks you.” After college, Elder dreams of being a juvenile probation officer. She got the idea for the career from watching shows most younger people are not watching – crime shows. “Ever since I was little I’d always watch the CSI crime shows,” Elder said. “I just loved it and fell in love with it. Hopefully I can do something like that in the future.” Until then, the junior has big plans in the minimum of two years she will have at North Texas. “This season I hope we become conference champs and take it to the NCAA Regionals,” Elder said. “And hopefully do it again next season. Featured Image: Junior pitcher Jessica Elder (17) steps back on the mound before her next pitch against Sam Houston State University in the Mean Green Invitational. Dylan Nadwodny | Staff Photographer View Full Article

Torie Mosley | Staff Writer @toriemosley Seven 20-point scoring games, 16 double-digit rebounding games and averaging a double-double this season has cemented sophomore forward Jeremy Combs as a force to be reckoned with on the basketball court in Conference USA. But it hasn’t always been that way. “He had the ugliest shot I had ever seen,” former Dallas Carter High School basketball coach Robert Allen said. “Most people don’t know how bad he was at first.” Combs and a few friends were shooting around in the Dallas Carter basketball gym his freshman year when Allen noticed the 15-year-old’s 6-foot-7 frame. Combs played defensive end and tight end at the time for the Carter football team and hadn’t developed a decent basketball shot yet. Regardless, Combs’ athleticism piqued Allen’s interest. “I wanted to see what I could do with someone with that size, so I said, ‘Man quit playing, shoot for real this time,’” Allen said. “And he kept shooting the same way again and again.” Despite not having a fluid jump shot, Combs has evolved into a star at North Texas in his two seasons in Denton. He is one of the highest ranked players in Conference USA, earning All-Conference second team honors this week and leading the Mean Green in scoring, rebounds, steals, free throws, field goals, field goal percentage and double-doubles. Sophomore forward Jeremy Combs (1) dunks against WKU. Colin Mitchell | Senior Staff Photographer Allen approached Combs’ father Derrick and convinced them he could turn Jeremy into a successful basketball player – just like he did with San Antonio Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge, Brooklyn Nets guard Donald Sloan at Seagoville High School and Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh at Lincoln High School. “I told Jeremy, ‘You’re not good now, but if you follow me, I can take your game to another level,’” Allen said. “He reminded me of LaMarcus and Bosh with how long he was defensively and of Sloan’s aggressiveness. He didn’t have all the tools at first, but he was a gym rat like those three and hard work always trumps talent.” Many hours of private shooting, dribbling and rebounding drills later, Combs evolved into one of the best prospects in Texas high school basketball history. Combs led all Dallas area 4-A players in the 2013-2014 season with 615 total points and 358 rebounds before being named the No. 15 player in Texas by Future150.com and a McDonald’s All-America nominee. Combs said he’s learned a lot about the game of basketball since being introduced to it by Allen and then with North Texas men’s basketball head coach Tony Benford, but gives most of the credit for his success on the court to his father, Derrick. “He didn’t play basketball. He just did a great job of raising me, my brother and sister,” Jeremy said. “He kept my mind right with everything and made sure I did what I needed to do on and off the court growing up.” Derrick Combs has worked as an Asset Management Technician at the Parkland Health & Hospital System for 27 years. Although Jeremy is one of the Mean Green’s elite players, there are still some things Derrick would like to see his son improve. “He’s got to work on that shooting, because that’s the only thing that can stop him from going to the next level to the pros,” Derrick said. “His passing needs to get better too for when teams double and triple-team him in the paint.” Derrick said he’s gained a lot of respect for Benford since meeting the coach when Jeremy was being recruited by several programs. The final decision to join the Mean Green involved putting Jeremy in a system he could thrive in while staying close to home. “Coach Benford wasn’t like a lot of the other coaches who recruited Jeremy,” Derrick said. “He actually cared about his players and treats them like his own family. I knew my son would be in good hands.” Sophomore forward Jeremy Combs celebrates a dunk against Southern Illinois University. Colin Mitchell | Senior Staff Photographer The hard work Derrick instilled into Jeremy payed off at the collegiate level for North Texas, according to Benford. “With his dad being a hard worker, those habits translate on and off the court,” Benford said. “That’s why he’s such a good player, because your habits determine how successful you’re going to be.” Jeremy said he’s very grateful to have a father figure on and off the court to help guide him to be the best player and person he can be. “I know he’s going to make it to every game that he can, and that means a lot to me,” Jeremy said. “And Coach [Benford] makes sure we get everything done on and off the court. I know if I need anything, I can always go to him and ask him anything.” The Mean Green’s season came to a screeching halt Wednesday afternoon in the first round of the C-USA Tournament, falling to Western Kentucky University 84-76. The task was even tougher considering Combs was battling a high ankle sprain suffered last week, which limited him to just two minutes of action against WKU. But Combs still battled to get into the starting line-up, even if he couldn’t stay in very long. It’s a quality Benford said Combs exhibits consistently. “Every day he comes in saying, ‘Let’s get it coach, let’s get it,’” Benford said. “Even as coaches you get down sometimes, but when you have a player that’s ready to go with that type of passion I have to make sure I work hard for those guys too.” While earning C-USA second-team honors is still an accomplishment, being snubbed from the first team is something Jeremy said puts a chip on his shoulder. “They didn’t think I was the freshman of the year, so I got to come out and get player of the year on them,” Jeremy said. “Whoever is going to match up with me is going to have a long night every night.” Featured Image: Forward Jeremy Combs, center, signs to North Texas with his high school coach Pope Allen and his dad, Derrick Combs, right. Courtesy | Jeremy Combs View Full Article

Reece Waddell | Senior Staff Writer @ReeceWaddell15 Sitting around a table like a family at Thanksgiving, sophomore forward Jeremy Combs and junior guards J-Mychal Reese and Deckie Johnson began to quarrel about topics only friends or brothers argue over. Who is the best NBA 2K player, who would win in a game of horse and who has the best Snapchat? Each has their own opinion on every subject, but eventually the trio, known to themselves as the “Mean Three,” came to a consensus. Reese is the superior 2K player, Johnson is the proclaimed “Snapchat king” and unless dunks are allowed, Combs would stand no chance in a game of horse. While the group is able to have a good time off the court, their accomplishments on it are what set them apart from other big threes. Combs, Reese and Johnson combined to score 45 points per game this season – a product of their seamless chemistry. “We all have that bond,” Reese said. “We can play around with each other but get serious when it’s time to get serious. We all have that brotherhood, that family-type atmosphere.” Before the start of the 2015 season, the Mean Three had never set foot on the court together in an NCAA basketball game. Fast-forward four months to the end of their first season together, and some would say it’s hard to tell. North Texas big three Deckie Johnson (left), J-Mychal Reese (center) and Jeremy Combs (right) all average over 30 minutes a game. Colin Mitchell | Senior Staff Photographer The trio led North Texas to the eighth best scoring offense in Conference USA, averaging 74.5 points per game. Each member of the Mean Three also ranked in the top 16 or better in individual scoring. “It’s been like this since day one,” Combs said. “We all spend a lot of time together on and off the court. I have a lot of confidence in my teammates.” The makeup of a basketball big three is fairly standard: a point guard, a wing and a post player. The Mean Three meet those standards, with Reese managing the offense, Johnson shooting from the perimeter and Combs manning the middle. The group even went as far as likening themselves to a particular big three in the NBA that has gained prominence over the past year and boasts the league’s reigning MVP. “Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green,” Johnson said. “I’m Steph. [Reese] is Klay and [Jeremy] is Draymond.” Reese had no problem with the lofty comparison. “It’s exciting,” Reese said. “Because we’ve got [Combs] doing the dunks and Deckie going off for 15 points. I like it. I’ve never really been on a team like that where we have a great shooter and someone who is going to get a double-double every game. I like playing with them.” Sophomore forward Jeremy Combs (1) is averaging a double double with 15.4 points per game and 10.8 rebounds per game. Colin Mitchell | Senior Staff Photographer The Mean Three brought excitement to North Texas fans as well, as the group was at the center of numerous comebacks and nearly every victory this season. From Johnson’s three-point barrage to down Florida International University to Combs’ team-leading 14 double-doubles, the statistics support the trio’s worth to the Mean Green. Numbers, however, are not the only thing Combs, Reese and Johnson provided this year. Head coach Tony Benford knew coming into the season his team would be relatively inexperienced. Sporting five freshmen, Benford’s squad lacked the maturity other teams in C-USA had – an issue the Mean Three has done their best to remedy. “Jeremy has been a great leader,” Benford said. “He’s led by example. He’s been vocal. I’m really pleased with his progress. Reese, we knew starting out he was a quality player. He’s come around and been a really good leader. He has a high IQ, like a coach on the floor. And Deckie, well, I think he’s proven he can shoot. I thought he did an admirable job stepping in and replacing Jordan Williams.” Unlike other big threes around the country or in the NBA, one player does not typically have stats that are marginally greater or worse than the other. In fact, Combs, Reese and Johnson are separated by less than one point in their respective scoring averages – a testament Combs said is to the selflessness of the group. “I’ve never been worried about the spotlight or anything like that,” Combs said. “I have no problem sharing it with my teammates. I know what they’re capable of.” With each member of the Mean Three returning next season, potential and expectations are high. Combs was selected to the All-Conference Second Team Monday and continues to improve different areas of his game. Junior guard Deckie Johnson (10) is shooting 33.7 percent from beyond the arc with 68 total threes. Colin Mitchell | Senior Staff Photographer Reese and Johnson will also return next year as seniors looking to build on their first season in a Mean Green uniform. “All three of them are potential all-conference players,” Benford said. “Jeremy Combs could go down as arguably one of the best to ever play here. He works harder than any kid I’ve coached since I’ve been here. Those three have meant a lot to our team.” While accolades and achievements on the court are nice to the Mean Three, they have something that will last long after each of them decide to hang up their jerseys. “[They’re my] brothers,” Johnson said. “Forever.” Featured Image: Junior guard J-Mychal Reese (52) is 41.4 percent from the field while averaging 14.8 points per game. Colin Mitchell | Senior Staff Photographer View Full Article

Brady Keane | Staff Writer @BradyKeane3 After exploding for 23 points in the first quarter, the Mean Green women’s basketball team weathered a comeback from Florida Atlantic University and held on for a 79-74 victory in the opening round of the Conference USA Tournament. North Texas (11-18) avenged a 71-61 loss to FAU (14-16) from the regular season in a game that took a similar path to the first matchup. In each game, North Texas jumped out to a big lead in the first quarter, but this time the Mean Green was able to hold on throughout the back-and-forth game to get a victory. The win was the first for North Texas in post-season play as a member of C-USA. “I think it’s huge,” head coach Jalie Mitchell said. “I am ecstatic that we are the ones to do it. We handled their change in defenses a lot better than we did the first time around, and we were comfortable and confident in what we were doing.” In the first game of what the Mean Green hope will be a long week in Birmingham, Alabama, the team utilized a balanced offensive attack that featured five players in double digits to overcome a dominant second half performance by FAU senior Ali Gorrell. Gorrell scored all 30 of her points in the second half to lead an Owls’ comeback, but the balanced attack of Kelsey Criner (16 points), Candice Adams (15), Acheil Tac (15), Teadra Jones (14), Terra Ellison (10) and Kasiney Williams (9) was too much for Gorrell and FAU to overcome. “We pulled together, and this was a team win,” Mitchell said. “Everybody stepped up and did something to help us advance.” Gorrell’s offensive outbreak was fueled by the Owls’ dominant advantage rebounding the ball, especially on the offensive end of the court. FAU racked up 17 offensive rebounds, and had 20 second chance points in the game. The rebounding advantage allowed the Owls’ to storm back in the second half to take their first lead of the game midway through the fourth quarter. But a clutch three-point shot from Ellison late in the game helped the Mean Green pull away for good. “I am a shooter, so that’s what I do,” Ellison said. “I was ready to shoot it and knock it down, and it hyped us up.” Ellison’s clutch basket was yet another big shot late in an important situation for the Mean Green this season, as North Texas was able to utilize its experience in tight games throughout the year to advance Tuesday. The victory over FAU was the Mean Green’s seventh win this season by six or fewer points. “This is the conference tournament, and nobody is going to lay down and die for you,” Adams said. “Like coach said, it’s whoever wants it most. We had a lot of poise down the stretch.” The Mean Green will take on No. 5 seed Old Dominion University and star Jennie Simms tomorrow at 1:30 pm, looking to avenge two regular season losses to the Monarchs. Simms scored 33 points to lead ODU to a 62-55 win over North Texas on March 3. “The first two times, it didn’t work out in our favor,” Mitchell said. “But I think that the things that we need to do differently are fixable. We need to contain Jennie Simms a little better. I like our chances.” View Full Article

Reece Waddell | Senior Staff Writer @ReeceWaddell15 After getting a complete, team victory on Saturday night against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, North Texas drew the ninth seed in the Conference USA tournament and will do battle with eighth-seeded Western Kentucky University in the second round. The Mean Green lost its only other game this season to the Hilltoppers, 81-76, in Denton. Although the Mean Green was able to salvage a split in its final home series of the regular season, the final two games came at a price. Sophomore forward, co-captain and leading scorer Jeremy Combs was injured in Thursday night’s game against Old Dominion University and did not play against Charlotte. He is listed as a game-time decision for Wednesday afternoon’s tilt with Western Kentucky. After the game against Old Dominion, head coach Tony Benford said losing Combs meant losing a lot more than just the points he puts on the scoreboard. “His energy and passion. His ability to command the double team,” Benford said. “When you don’t have Jeremy in there, that’s tough to overcome.” The Hilltoppers won their only battle with the Mean Green this season due in part to two things: inconsistent free throw shooting and a lack of bench production by the Mean Green. North Texas’ big three of Combs and junior guards J-Mychal Reese and Deckie Johnson combined to score 61 points in that contest, as the team got a lowly seven points from its reserves. Couple that with 57.7 percent shooting from the charity stripe, and the result was one of many close losses on the year decided by those aforementioned issues. But despite being the underdog in the rematch, both the North Texas and WKU are equally matched on paper. Both squads are separated by one team in scoring offense, scoring defense and scoring margin. “I think when you get to the tournament, it’s all about matchups,” Benford said. “Overall, we feel like we can match up well with most teams.” Benford did concede the one matchup that could present his team problems is small-ball, particularly when the opposing team utilizes a four-guard lineup. Unfortunately for North Texas, four of Western Kentucky’s five usual starters have an average height of 6’3 – the epitome of small ball. “Teams that play small a lot of times and have a really skilled four man that stretches the floor and spreads you out sometimes [gives us trouble],” Benford said. In order to make it out of the first round for the second time in the Benford era, the Mean Green must overcome those obstacles and get equal contributions from everyone on the roster. With no guarantee Combs will be on the court Wednesday, the challenge may get even steeper. Combs is one of the team’s top defensive players and has been a part of the six most used lineups this year. Additionally, North Texas finished 10th in C-USA in scoring defense – an area Combs, Reese and Johnson said the team must hone in on to succeed in the postseason. “The games we lose, we give up too many points,” Reese said. “Sometimes our first shot defense will be good, but we give up offensive rebounds or turn it over.” While assessing matchups and comparing statistics can be beneficial, Combs said the ability to make a run in the tournament ultimately boils down to one thing. “We have to win,” Combs said. The Mean Green take on the Hilltoppers at noon on Wednesday, March 9 in Birmingham, Alabama. View Full Article

Torie Mosley | Staff Writer @toriemosley Coming off a 76-70 loss on Thursday to Old Dominion University, Mean Green men’s basketball finished its 2015-16 campaign with a win in a physical game at the Super Pit. North Texas (12-19, 7-11) pulled out an 80-77 win at home against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte on senior night. The team honored graduate forward Eric Katenda along with senior guards Chris Campbell and Todd Eaglin before the game. The matchup marked the 7th all-time meeting between the programs with Charlotte (13-18, 9-9) winning four of the first six. The last time the teams played, North Texas fell 103-79 in Charlotte on Feb. 13. The team struggled to keep up with the 49ers without sophomore forward Jeremy Combs, trailing Charlotte from the opening tip until the 3:41 mark in the first half, taking a 28-27 lead. North Texas leaned on its backcourt to carry the offensive load in Combs’ absence, as junior guards J-Mychal Reese and Deckie Johnson scored 19 points each. However, Katenda led the Mean Green in scoring with 20 to go with five rebounds and a block in just 20 minutes. Freshman guard Ja’Michael Brown sparked the home crowd by draining a three-pointer as time expired in the first half to pull the game to a one-point deficit, heading to the locker room down 38-37. Brown finished as the Mean Green’s fourth double-digit scorer with 13 points. Then, North Texas came out firing in the second half. Katenda and Reese hit back-to-back jump shots to start the Mean Green’s first two possessionsf, going up 45-40 after the first couple minutes. A Johnson three-pointer a few possessions later would bring the crowd back into the game and keep North Texas up 52-49 with 14:27 remaining. Ten minutes of regulation later, another Brown three-pointer put the Mean Green up 76-71 with four minutes left in the game. Charlotte responded by taking the ball to the hoop three times for lay-ups to make the score 78-77 with two minutes remaining. The Mean Green defense forced a turnover with 1:20 left. Brown missed a three-pointer with 45 seconds remaining and the ball in Charlotte’s hands. North Texas would force another turnover with 13 seconds left before Johnson stepped out of bounds on the inbounds pass the very next play. The 49ers had yet another opportunity to take a late lead, but missed a jump shot with Katenda grabbing the last rebound of the game. Charlotte intentionally fouled the forward, and Katenda made both free throws to put the Mean Green up 80-77. A missed 49ers three-pointer in the waning seconds gave North Texas the victory. The Mean Green will play Western Kentucky University in the first round as the No. 9 seed in the Conference USA tournament on Wednesday in Birmingham, Alabama. Tipoff will be at 12 p.m. View Full Article

Reece Waddell | Senior Staff Writer https://www.twitter.com/reecewaddell15 With just two games remaining before the Conference USA tournament, North Texas entered its game with Old Dominion University on Thursday night seeking a much needed victory. Instead, the Mean Green (11-19, 6-11) got perhaps what it needed the least – an injury to its leading scorer, sophomore forward Jeremy Combs to go along with a 76-70 defeat. Combs hobbled off the court after tweaking his ankle seconds after the opening tipoff, but returned a few minutes later. North Texas ran into even more trouble when junior guard Deckie Johnson picked up his second foul with 17 minutes remaining in the first half. He was delegated to the bench for the next 10 minutes while head coach Tony Benford utilized his taller lineup, inserting freshman center Rickey Brice Jr. for Johnson. Using a two-guard lineup for most of the first half, the Mean Green hung tough with the Monarchs (18-12, 11-6) despite two of its three leading scorers sidelined with injuries or foul trouble. But Old Dominion switched its defense to combat the larger North Texas lineup, playing a zone defense to take away the interior. Unable to find a groove offensively, the Mean Green entered halftime trailing only 30-24 after shooting 30.8 percent in the first half. And unfortunately for North Texas, things took a turn for the worst straight out of the intermission when Combs turned his ankle for a second time and went directly to the dressing room. He emerged 10 minutes later with a towel around his neck and did not return. With Combs on the bench, the Monarchs went on a 13-2 run and quickly jumped out to a 17-point lead. After Benford took a timeout to rally the troops, the Mean Green went on a run of its own, capped off by junior guard J-Mychal Reese’s and-one layup to pull North Texas to within five. From there, the back and forth affair began. Old Dominion answered each of the Mean Green’s buckets with one of its own, as no team was able to find an answer defensively. Even with its co-captain on the bench with an injury, the Mean Green refused to fold tent. North Texas went on an 8-0 run of its own to cut the deficit to five points when Reese converted another and-one layup attempt. Time, however, was not on the Mean Green’s side. With the clock dwindling down, North Texas ran out of opportunities. Johnson tried to provide late-game heroics once again, converting all 10 of his free throws to try and will his team to a comeback. Ultimately, it was not enough, as a turnover in the final minute combined with a missed three pointer sealed the Mean Green’s fate. View Full Article

Reece Waddell | Senior Staff Writer @ReeceWaddell15 At times this season, the North Texas men’s basketball team has flashed big potential. Its stunning come-from-behind victory in the waning moments against Florida International University 11 days ago is just one example. However, more often than not this year, the Mean Green has floundered. One thing a few people on the team, particularly graduate forward Eric Katenda, have pointed to all season to explain the problems is chemistry. North Texas had eight new additions to its squad in 2015, which equates to a 61.5 percent roster turnover from the previous year. For Katenda, the struggles have culminated because of the lack consistency and one other element. “We have a lot of young guys, so we have to talk about discipline,” Katenda said. “Sometimes you have to put your pride in your pocket and say, ‘It’s my teammates’ time to shine, not mine.’ It comes with time, discipline and guys understanding this isn’t high school or junior college anymore.” North Texas senior forward Eric Katenda (20) passes the ball while driving the lane against WKU. Katenda 4-4 from the free throw line despite a team 58 percent from the line. Colin Mitchell | Senior Staff Photographer Before its road trip last weekend, North Texas swept its home stand and seemed to be gaining momentum for a late-season push. But a tough overtime loss at Louisiana Tech University last Thursday – a game in which the Mean Green led by two with under 20 seconds remaining – sent North Texas into a tailspin. The Mean Green went on to lose against the Bulldogs before falling to the University of Southern Mississippi two nights later to drop to 11-18 on the year, all while falling to 11th place in Conference USA. “I feel like we definitely should have won those,” sophomore forward Jeremy Combs said of the road trip. “We’ve been trying to get wins on the road, but it just hasn’t happened. I’m not going to blame it on chemistry.” Combs is the only starter who returned to the team this season, and has become a more vocal leader in his second year with North Texas. Named co-captain before the season, Combs has embraced his new role and thrived in it, averaging a double-double with 15.7 points and 11 rebounds per game. Despite his growth, Combs has not been able to mask the underlying issues that have plagued the Mean Green all year. Head coach Tony Benford attributed one of the team’s obstacles to something out of Combs’ control, saying there is a common denominator for success across C-USA. “If you look at the top five teams in our league, all those guys have [returning starters],” Benford said. “When you start breaking it down, the teams at the top of the league have experience. And when you look at that, it’s huge. You have to have experience. There’s no shortcuts to it.” With five freshmen on the roster and many playing significant minutes, including freshman guard Ja’Michael Brown and center Rickey Brice Jr., the youth on this year’s team is prevalent. The number of upper-classman got even smaller last December when junior guard DeAndre Harris was dismissed from the team after an incident in the first half of a game against Troy University. “I think that hurts you,” Benford said. “Anytime you lose a quality player like DeAndre, it hurts you because he has experience. You count on those guys.” North Texas freshman center Rickey Brice (23) dunks the ball to push the Mean Green past 100 points against Jarvis Christian. Colin Mitchell | Senior Staff Photographer One area the inexperience has reared its ugly head for the Mean Green is on the defensive end of the floor. Ranking in the bottom half of C-USA and currently sitting at 10th in scoring defense, consistency on defense has been a battle the team has fought most of the year. “When you have experience, especially on the defensive end, guys know rotations and know what to expect,” Benford said. “They know how hard they have to play. Offensively they know what they’re doing and they understand everyone’s roles when you’ve been [and played] together for a couple of years.” Through many trying stretches of the season, including a seven and five-game losing streak, morale in the locker room has fluctuated, according to Katenda. And even though there were many new faces in the locker room when the season began last November, Katenda is not willing to use that as an excuse. “We all feel like we’re better than our record shows,” Katenda said. “We’re all kind of down, because obviously we didn’t expect the season to go like this.” Featured Image: North Texas junior guard Deckie Johnson (10) drives the basket against FAU. Colin Mitchell | Senior Staff Photographer View Full Article

Sarah Sarder | Staff Writer @sarderrr The Board of Regents voted last week to approve school president Neal Smatresk for another term ending in 2019 and to raise his salary based on market salaries. The decision was based on the evaluation from Lee Jackson, chancellor of the UNT System. UNT presidents serve three-year terms. Smatresk’s current term, which began in 2013, is his first. This term will end in January 2017. Neal Smatresk chats with faculty and staff at a gathering. Junebug Clark | Contributing Photographer “We’re on a really good course in terms of goal setting,” Smatresk said of his present term. “I think we’re really doing well as a university.” While only a simple majority is needed to reapprove the president, all 10 regents voted to keep Smatresk. Jackson also recommended the salary raise, which was approved by the regents. The exact amount of the increase has not yet been determined, but will be based on the pay of other university presidents in the region. Smatresk is currently paid $505,000 base pay per year, not including bonuses or allowances he could receive if approved by the board. “I have never once asked for a raise in my life,” Smatresk said. “But if people choose to give me a raise, I’m not going to turn it down.” Smatresk said the reapproval does not change his plans for the university, though he is considering accelerating current plans. “We’ve got fairly aggressive plans for growing the academic and research components,” Smatresk said. “It’s nice to know those plans won’t necessarily be changing soon.” View Full Article

Clay Massey | Staff Writer @Clay_FC After North Texas soccer ended its historic 19-win season, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, head coach John Hedlund had to say goodbye to eight seniors – seven of whom were starters. Hedlund did not take long to go out and find replacements, signing eight newcomers who will join the team next season. The class is one of the largest in North Texas soccer history. “They all have the talent physically to do extremely well here throughout their career,” Hedlund said. “The biggest thing is you have to come in with a lot of confidence.” Miranda Schoening (Goalkeeper) – Oxford, Alabama Arguably the biggest impact-signee in the 2016 class, Schoening comes to North Texas as a six-year starter at Oxford High School. Schoening started on the Oxford HS varsity team from the time she was in 7th grade, racking up over 1,300 career saves. The 6’1 keeper comes to Denton with high expectations and even bigger shoes to fill with the departure of record-breaking goalkeeper, Jackie Kerestine. “She reminds [me] a lot of Jackie in so many ways,” Hedlund said. “She came to a few of our camps, and we got to see her play. She’s going to battle against the keepers we have. I think it’s a great addition for us.” Sophomore Brooke Bradley had always played second fiddle to Kerestine, but got her time to shine in North Texas’ NCAA tournament match against Texas Tech University. Regardless, Hedlund is not ready to give Schoening or Bradley the job quite yet. Expect a battle for the starting spot. Stefanie Grba (Midfielder) – Mansfield, Texas The first of six Dallas-Fort Worth products comes to Denton from Mansfield. Grba has been called to two Serbian national team training camps in 2013 and 2014, and won a co-district championship in 2014 with Mansfield. Grba brings playmaking and goal-scoring ability – something that is missing with the departure of Karla Pineda. With the entire midfield unit of Pineda, Jackie Moreau and Lindsay Hulstein graduating, Grba and the other midfielders who could not crack the starting XI with the seniors in front of them have a shot to really make an impact and earn serious playing time in 2016. Dominique Jones (Defender) – Fort Worth, Texas Jones is joining a defense that was one of the best in the nation last season. Kerestine was No. 1 in the nation in save percentage, thanks largely to the defense in front of her. Jones will have a lot on her plate coming into a defense that set a school record with 16 shutouts last season. However, the defense lost its two centerbacks in Tess Graham and Molly Grisham. Jones fits as an attacking outside defender, something that North Texas thrived on last season. Adjusting can be hard, but she will have help with junior Chelsei Soto across from her at right back. Soto logged 1,480 minutes last season, mostly at right back. “It is kind of intimidating,” Soto said. “It’s very demanding coming into a defensive system. If you’re smart soccer wise, you can get it, and I think that’s what they have.” Logan Layn (Midfielder) – Lewisville, Texas Layn will be competing for minutes in the barren midfield, which is up for grabs by anyone. The local product was a team captain at Hebron High School and won a state title in 2014. Layn contrasts Grba, in that she is a true defensive midfielder. Layn may especially find herself in the mix if she shows she can win the ball in the midfield and help get it forward – something that is crucial in the 4-3-3 system Hedlund likes to run. Hedlund expects Layn to be able to challenge for minutes immediately. Brittnye Loewen (Forward) – Mesquite, Texas One of only two forwards signed by Hedlund for 2016, Loewen brings attacking prowess and speed and will be crucial in causing havoc for opposing defenses. Loewen scored 16 goals and had six assists in 2015 at Poteet High School and was named district co-MVP as a sophomore. Loewen first caught Hedlund’s eye at a camp, where her speed and passion attracted a second look. Loewen will be competing for minutes with an attack that was charged by now senior Rachel Holden, who scored 12 goals last season. Hailey Sutton (Forward) – Red Oak, Texas (Graduate student) The lone transfer of the 2016 class, Sutton comes to North Texas by way of Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi. Sutton was named to the 2015 Southland Conference All-Tournament team and led the team with four goals and one assist. Sutton will be an immediate contender with her size and experience to help in attack along-side Holden and senior winger Marchelle Davis. “I feel like we had a good year offensively last season,” Holden said. “I feel like if they can just add to our offense, they can really help us.” Ashleigh Lyons (Defender) – Argyle, Texas Lyons hails from Denton Guyer High School and will be looking to fill the shoes of the former Guyer alums Graham and Hulstein. Hedlund described Lyons as a “technical player who can fit in anywhere on the field.” She could get minutes due to her versatility, especially if injuries arise. Madeline Guderian (Defender) – Coppell, Texas Guderian won a state and national championship in 2015 at Coppell High School, so she is bringing plenty of big-game experience to the table. Madeline is following in her sister Allison’s footsteps to North Texas; Allison was a part of three conference championship teams with the Mean Green from 2010-2013. Hedlund found a mirror image in Madeline, who is a true rightback. Madeline is freaky fast and will be a great addition who can possibly challenge Soto for the starting spot. View Full Article

Clay Massey | Staff Writer @Clay_FC After sweeping day one of the North Texas Invitational, the Mean Green failed to win a game on day two against the same teams, falling to Creighton University in extra innings and losing to Sam Houston State University. Despite hanging around in both games late, the Mean Green (8-6) failed to execute down the stretch, something head coach Tracey Kee was not happy with. “I thought we played some very stupid softball today,” Kee said. “Not being disciplined in the box, not pitching well. Honest to god, the only positive today is that we were swiping bases.” Creighton 5, North Texas 4 (8) The Blue Jays (6-8) bounced back after North Texas throttled them Saturday, but it did take extra innings. With tournament tie-breaker rules putting a runner on second to begin the eighth, the Bluejays used a sac-bunt to get the runner to third and scored on a go-ahead double. North Texas did the same by moving senior catcher Bryana Wade to third, but could drive her in, ending the ball game on a grounder back to the pitcher. “We rolled up today with the mindset that we could compete with anybody without really showing up,” junior infielder Kelli Schkade said. “It was a wake-up call for us. We have to come and compete every day.” The starting pitchers for both teams went the distance, each going 8.0 innings. Junior Jessica Elder got the nod for North Texas, posting a line of five runs on nine hits and striking out two on 94 pitches. After Creighton opened the scoring in the second on a suicide-squeeze play, North Texas came right back in the bottom half of the second with two runs, all with two outs on the board. Freshman utility player Kay Kay Hater scored on a sac-fly and was followed up by Schkade, who tied the school record for longest hitting-streak with a RBI double to give North Texas the 2-1 lead. The lead was short-lived, as Elder allowed her second home run of the weekend to make the score 3-2. But North Texas answered with two runs of their own in the fourth with a two-RBI double up the middle from freshman infielder Makenzi Dawson to regain the lead. The back-and-forth affair continued as Creighton tied the game at four with a sac-fly. Elder was forced to face the meat of the Creighton lineup multiple times and managed to escape until the eighth, allowing Creighton to score the winning run. Sam Houston State 5, North Texas 4 Sam Houston State (4-8) scored the winning run in the bottom of the fifth after a ball to center field was bobbled by freshman outfielder Bailey Thompson. The play was not counted as an error in the books, but the poor fielding led to the Bearkats win. “I thought that scoreboard did not resemble the amount of errors and mistakes I saw from the dugout,” Kee said. “Just a bad day all the way around. I think every individual on that team should take responsibility for it.” Junior pitcher Stacey Underwood struggled in her second start of the weekend, allowing four runs on eight hits. Freshman pitcher Lauren Craine was used in relief again and gave up one run for the third time in the tournament. “I thought Underwood had an awful day mechanically,” Kee said. “She never got in a groove, but shame on me for not pulling her sooner and putting us in that situation. We just gave up too many hits today in both games. [I’m] highly disappointed in the entire staff.” Elder inherited a bases-loaded situation from Craine, but only needed one pitch to get out of the inning, setting North Texas up for a rally. Overall, Elder pitched 8.1 innings on the day and 14.2 on the weekend, allowing 14 hits and striking out six. “I had to come back in the bullpen and warm up right,” Elder said. “It’s not a matter of pressure, it’s a matter of focus and believing in myself and my teammates.” North Texas got on the board in the top of the third via a passed ball that scored Thompson after a double-steal that moved her and Dawson into scoring position. Dawson stole three bases on the day. Then, Dawson scored after senior infielder Karly Williams ripped a ball through the right side of the infield to make the score 2-0. Schkade came to the plate in the top of the fourth and blasted a no-doubt home run to deep left-center field. It was her sixth home run of the season and extended her school-record hit streak to 14 games. “Honestly, I didn’t even know there was a record,” Schkade said. “Stats and record don’t mean much to me, it’s about the team effort. We weren’t able to pull it out today. It sets us up for a hard week of practice.” Sam Houston State answered in the bottom half of the fourth with a home run to cut the lead to two. Later, a pinch-hit RBI base hit brought the Bearkats to within one. The Bearkats continued to add to the lead and entered the seventh up 5-3. North Texas was able to get a run back with a Dawson RBI double, but Wade was the final out, stranding the tying run at third. North Texas will be back in action March 4 against McNeese State University, a game Kee hopes her team can bounce back in after Sunday’s losses. “They truly need to learn from this,” Kee said. “We were lucky to be in both of these games today with the efforts we brought. We’ve been patient as coaches, we’ve been trying to bring this youth along, and three weekends in, you have to have your mess together.” View Full Article

Torie Mosley | Staff Writer @toriemosley With only two home games separating Mean Green men’s basketball from competing in the Conference USA tournament, North Texas (11-18, 6-10) fell 81-70 on the road to Southern Mississippi University (8-19, 5-11). Southern Miss came out of the gate with a 9-0 lead to start the game and led 20-10 after the first eight minutes on the way to handing the Mean Green its second straight 11-point road loss. “They put us in a hole early and we never recovered,” head coach Tony Benford said. “We struggled defensively all night.” Redshirt junior guard Carrington Ward provided a spark off the bench for the Mean Green with a career-high 13 points along with four boards. The Philadelphia native had mixed feelings on his career night. “I guess it’s cool to get the most points I’ve gotten ever, but we still lost,” Ward said. “We came close a couple times, but it wasn’t enough.” Down by double digits in the first half, Ward hit two consecutive three-pointers to make the score 28-27 with three minutes left in the first half. North Texas would only go to the locker room down five points, 35-30. Ward even helped cut the lead to eight in the last minute of the game after back-to-back late threes by freshman guard Ja’Michael Brown. Ward says tonight’s performance shows the team can score with anyone if they stay focused on offense, but the team’s biggest weakness is on defense. “We were impatient and didn’t move the ball right most of the game,” Ward said. “We can beat anyone when we play our best, but we need to work on our defense to stay in the game.” Sophomore forward Jeremy Combs finished the game with a 15-point, 14-rebound performance. Brown also poured on 15 points of his own. Junior guard J-Mychal Reese added 13 points from the backcourt in the losing effort. “We can play better, but we just need to make more shots we know we can make,” Reese said. “We really need to work on our defense.” North Texas gave up 43 combined points to Southern Miss seniors Kourtlin Jackson and Michael O’Donnell. The Mean Green’s last four losses have been by double digits. The team has two more chances to prepare for the C-USA tournament next week at home, the first coming against Old Dominion University on Thursday, March 3 at 7 p.m. View Full Article

Brady Keane | Staff Writer @BradyKeane3 In the first meeting against the University Southern Mississippi this season, Mean Green women’s basketball had one of its worst offensive performances of the season in a 57-38 loss. This time around, the Mean Green (10-16, 5-11) was able to weather the storm of an up-and-down game on the way to a 57-55 win over the Lady Eagles (14-13, 7-9). A late fourth quarter comeback was sealed by a buzzer-beating jump shot from senior forward Acheil Tac, who closed out her final appearance at the Super Pit with 14 points and five rebounds on senior day. In what was a roller coaster of a game, the Mean Green trailed for the majority of the first quarter, led for most of the second and third quarter, but trailed for much of the fourth. The lead was regained on a three-point field goal from junior guard Terra Ellison with less than two minutes remaining, but Southern Miss tied the game with just four seconds left. That shot led to a timeout by head coach Jalie Mitchell, who set up a pass from junior guard Kelsey Criner to Tac that resulted in the game-winning basket from the middle of the paint. After getting off to a slow start in the first quarter due to what looked like a stagnant offense, the Mean Green bounced back with several runs late in the first quarter and throughout the second quarter that helped the team grab its first lead of the game. The first offensive life of the game for the Mean Green was sparked by junior guard Candice Adams. The sharp shooter knocked down back-to-back three-point field goals to cut the Southern Miss lead to just one in the first quarter. Southern Miss then adjusted to a zone defense that junior point guard Kelsey Criner and the Mean Green offense were able to penetrate and pick apart in the second quarter. Criner and Tac combined for 16 first half points to help the Mean Green grab a 28-25 lead going into halftime, but the game remained close through the second half. The Mean Green defense, which both Mitchell and the team said would be key late in the season, stepped up to force several shot clock violations that created turnovers in the second half. The Mean Green was led by Criner with 18 points and 6 rebounds, Tac with 14 points and 5 rebounds, Ellison with 12 points and six rebounds and Adams with nine points. The Mean Green will finish out the regular season with two games next week, the first coming on the road against Old Dominion University on March 3. Tipoff will be at 7 p.m. View Full Article

Torie Mosley | Staff Writer @toriemosley North Texas tennis won four straight meets dating back to Valentine’s Day weekend before hitting the road yesterday to play one of the best teams in the nation, losing 4-1 to the University of Tulsa. The Mean Green (5-5) lost every match except one doubles match and one singles match that earned the squad its lone point of the day. North Texas showed promise early on, winning the first meet of the day in a doubles match with freshmen Maria Kononova and Tamuna Kutubidze taking down Tulsa senior Renata Kuricova and sophomore Ksenia Laskutova with a dominating 6-1 victory. In the second doubles match, freshman Minying Liang and senior Anastasiya Shestakova were tied 4-4 with a 40-0 advantage and serving for the Mean Green with a chance to take a lead. The North Texas doubles team ended up losing the point on the serve and eventually fell 7-5 to Tulsa juniors Rongrong Leenabanchong and Marcelina Cichon to tie Tulsa and North Texas 1-1 in doubles. After the Mean Green almost captured the doubles point to take an early lead, junior Alexa Thoma and senior Agustina Valenzuela lost to Tulsa senior Saana Saarteinen and junior Mahatma Dadireddy 6-3 to start the meet off with a loss that North Texas failed to recover from. Kononova lost 6-0, 6-3 to Saarteinen in a one-sided first match. Kutubidze and Shestakova had their singles matches go unfinished before Thoma loss her second match of the day 6-3, 7-5 to Cichon. Senior Kamilla Galieva loss the fifth straight North Texas match 6-0, 6-3 to Tulsa junior Yelena Nemchen before senior Agustina Valenzuela won the only match for the Mean Green for the day, beating Dadireddy 6-2, 6-1 in the day’s last singles match. The No. 68 ranked North Texas team will have a chance to redeem itself against the University of South Florida today at noon. View Full Article

Staff Reports UNT’s campus carry policy is now official. The Board of Regents unanimously accepted the policy Friday, the final approval needed for implementation. Now, the university has a plan of action ready for the Aug. 1, 2016, start to campus carry. The Campus Carry Taskforce, which created UNT’s policy, will hold training sessions for people unsure how to deal with concealed handgun-related emergencies. Those meetings will be announced later, officials said. We’ve reported about the campus carry policy before, detailing where the gun-free zones will be, but see for yourself here. View Full Article

Reece Waddell | Senior Staff Writer @ReeceTapout15 North Texas men’s basketball was a mere 20 seconds away from handing Louisiana Tech University its third home loss since February 2012. But a missed free throw by freshman guard Allante Holston in the waning moments gave the Bulldogs (21-7, 10-5) one final chance to tie or take the lead. Seconds later, Louisiana Tech took advantage of the Mean Green (11-17, 6-9) blunder, forcing overtime on a contested layup attempt. The Bulldogs then outscored North Texas 14-3 in the extra five minutes before prevailing with a 73-62 victory. “We should have won the game,” head coach Tony Benford said. “We had opportunities. We gave it away.” The big three for North Texas, sophomore forward Jeremy Combs and junior guards J-Mychal Reese and Deckie Johnson, combined for 53 of the team’s 62 points. Johnson led all scorers with 20 points and Combs recorded his 13th double-double of the season on 15 points and 18 rebounds. Combs also broke the Conference USA single-season rebounding record in the loss. “I don’t believe in moral victories,” Combs said. “It’s very disappointing. I feel like we could’ve gotten the win.” Both sides stumbled out of the gate and were generally unable to find a groove offensively. The Mean Green began the game a dismal 2-of-15 from the floor, missing layups and jump shots on seemingly every trip down the floor. Despite this, four early Bulldog turnovers kept North Texas in the game as its offense slowly began to heat up. “We were being aggressive and getting in the paint,” Reese said. “[This game] shows we have improved, being able to come here and take them to the wire.” With Louisiana Tech utilizing a man-to-man defense, Reese, Johnson and Combs were frequently able to create off the dribble and finish around the rim for easy baskets. This was particularly crucial since North Texas was able to muster just four three pointers for the entire game and shot 22 percent from beyond the arc. Even with the perimeter shots refusing to fall, the Mean Green was able to take a 24-23 lead into the locker room at halftime. The Bulldogs made adjustments though, giving North Texas several defensive looks in the second half. With less than eight minutes remaining in the game, Louisiana Tech switched to a 1-3-1 trap to create on-ball pressure. This led to an 11-1 Bulldogs run and extended its lead to 47-42 before Benford called a timeout. North Texas refused to go away, answering the Louisiana Tech run with one of its own, eventually retaking the lead at 53-51 on a three pointer from the corner by Johnson for the eighth lead change of the game. From there, the game was the epitome of a back-and-forth affair, with each team matching the other score-for-score until the Mean Green forced a turnover with under 20 seconds remaining. After catching the proceeding inbounds pass, Holston had a chance to ice the game, but missed the front end of his one and one free throw. After the Bulldogs made the aforementioned layup to tie the game, Louisiana Tech completely dominated the overtime period, holding North Texas scoreless for the first minute and a half before building what would be an insurmountable lead. “It’s really tough because I feel like we had them at the end of regulation,” Reese said. “[The win] would have meant a lot, especially since they never lose here. It would have boosted our confidence.” Next up: North Texas travels to take on the University of Southern Mississippi on Saturday. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. View Full Article

Alex Lessard | Associate Sports Editor @alexjlessard Similar to the way it has for the majority of the season, a lack of steadiness held back Mean Green women’s basketball in Thursday night’s 78-67 loss to Louisiana Tech University. North Texas (9-16, 4-11) scored at least 14 points in each quarter, but were outscored by 11 points in the third quarter alone. In addition to struggling after halftime, the energy after the opening tip was also lacking. The Lady Techsters (14-12, 9-6) began the game on a 7-0 run, leading head coach Jalie Mitchell to call a timeout just one minute and thirty seconds into the game. “Every night, you have a very competitive team that you’re lining up against,” Mitchell said. “You have to show up, and you have to show up for 40 minutes. I don’t think we quite yet understand that.” After the timeout, the team bounced back to take and maintain a lead until halftime. Junior guard Kelsey Criner led all scorers with 15 points and went on to add eight assists, six rebounds and two steals for the game. But the Dallas native but couldn’t find a rhythm in the second half, scoring just three points in the final 20 minutes. “I wasn’t being as aggressive as I was supposed to be,” Criner said. Although Criner didn’t finish strong, North Texas remained aggressive on the offensive end until the final buzzer sounded. The Mean Green got to the free throw line 32 times and took advantage of those opportunities, shooting 78.1 percent. “We talked about that before the game and talked about it at halftime, so being aggressive wasn’t the issue,” Mitchell said. “But when it’s time to step up and make at the critical moments when we had opportunities, we didn’t knock them down.” Throughout the game, offensive production wasn’t a huge problem for the Mean Green. Four of its players scored in double digits, and North Texas finished with a 34-32 advantage on the boards. Nevertheless, defense after turnovers was a big issue. Louisiana Tech had 14 steals for the game and scored 25 points off of Mean Green miscues, the majority of them coming on transition baskets. “We didn’t get back in transition quick enough and find our man,” Adams said. “They get the ball out really fast.” With just three games remaining in the regular season, North Texas looks to snap out of its current funk. The team has won just two of its last 11 games and would have to play in the opening round of four teams in the Conference USA tournament if the season ended today. Saturday’s 2 p.m. matchup against the University of Southern Mississippi will serve as one last chance to grab a win at the Super Pit this year, and Mitchell said she hopes senior night festivities will give her team the jolt it needs. “We have a lot to play for,” Mitchell said. “Those [seniors] have put a lot of time into this program, and I think that they deserve to go out on a high note.” View Full Article

Alex Lessard | Associate Sports Editor @alexjlessard Mean Green women’s basketball was unable to get revenge against Louisiana Tech University at the Super Pit after building a first half lead, losing 78-67. North Texas (9-16, 4-11) had fallen 77-71 on the road in the first meeting between the two teams on Feb. 6. Momentum swings flipped the game multiple times, but two facets of the game proved to be the ultimate difference makers. Louisiana Tech (14-12, 9-6) outscored North Texas 32-22 in the paint and scored 25 points off Mean Green turnovers. The Mean Green came out flat to begin the game, struggling to penetrate Louisiana Tech’s full-court press defense. North Texas fell behind 7-0 in the first 1:30, forcing head coach Jalie Mitchell to call an early timeout. The early break proved beneficial, as the team went on a 10-0 run to take a 16-13 lead later in the quarter. Junior guard Kelsey Criner and senior forward Acheil Tac carried the offensive load throughout the first ten minutes, scoring 18 of the Mean Green’s 22 points on the way to a five-point lead headed into the second quarter. Criner led both teams in scoring with 15 first half points. The aggressive mentality for North Texas continued to hold strong, getting to the line 16 times in the half compared to just 4 attempts for Louisiana Tech. But the scoring efficiency was nearly identical for each team, with both squads hovering just over the 45 percent mark headed into the intermission. The tides turned for North Texas in the third quarter once the Lady Techsters began to make the game swing back and forth. After five lead changes, the Mean Green played the latter half of the quarter from behind, trailing by as many as nine points for the first time in the game. Down the stretch, North Texas was unable to chip away at the deficit, as every loose ball and rebound seemed to go Louisiana Tech’s way. Criner and Tac were held to just five points combined in the fourth quarter, finishing with 18 and 13, respectively. Junior guards Candice Adams and Terra Ellison contributed 13 points each as the third and fourth double-digit scorers for North Texas. Adams hit three of the team’s four shots from three-point range. The Mean Green will look to bounce back in its last home game of the season Saturday against the University of Southern Mississippi. Tipoff will be at 2 p.m. View Full Article

Austin Jackson | Staff Writer @a_jack17 North Texas women’s golf took a step in the right direction today, fighting through rain and high winds to finish in sixth at the Islander Spring Classic in Corpus Christi. Last weekend, the Mean Green struggled on the way to a 12th place finish to begin their season, but the team rebounded after a brief eight day turnaround, improving its finish by six spots. Junior Eji Kwon set the tone for North Texas with a 3-under 69 in her first round, tying her career best. Kwon played her first 15 holes with scores of par or lower on her scorecard. “I never played like that in my entire life,” Kwon said. “I was getting up and down from everywhere, hitting greens, finding fairways, making putts. Everything was working.” But with just three holes to go, she said her excitement got the best of her, causing her to miss a putt similar to the one’s she had jarred with ease all day. While she birdied the next hole, nullifying the mistake, she said she can’t help but think what could have been. Kwon would go on to follow up her nearly flawless round by battling brutal winds and scattered rain showers. “I finished better than I expected after posting 76-76 [in the final two rounds],” Kwon said. “It rained really hard, and I forgot my rainsuit. Everything got wet.” But after the sun came out and Kwon dried off, she realized her scores held up on the leaderboard, finishing fourth for the tournament. It was her fourth career top-10 finish for the Mean Green. Another standout performance was junior Ali Christian’s 1-over 73 in the second round. Christian finished behind Kwon for the best performance on the team, posting a cumulative 235, tied for 28th place. Although she struggled in the first and final rounds, she put herself in position for a great cumulative score, but said she could have gone much lower. “After my first round, I just tried to recover and make the most of the tournament,” Christian said. “I hit my driver really well, but my putting held me back.” Freshman Samantha Huang improved in each round, finishing 30th. While freshman Kalli Jennings rebounded from an opening round 84, she posted in the 70s in her final two rounds to finish in 38th. Sophomore Nyca Khaw struggled, playing in the 80s on the way 43rd place. Interim head coach Barry Niemann said he was pleased with the results the Mean Green posted. Additionally, he said the play of Conference USA foe University of Texas at San Antonio and freshman Julie Houston has given the Mean Green an idea of where they need to be by postseason play. “They’ve got a target out there, a goal, and we’ve got three tournaments before we really need to start hitting our stride,” Niemann said. View Full Article

Clay Massey | Staff Writer @Clay_FC For the first time in program history, North Texas softball is receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA Division I softball coaches poll. “Team 13”, as the team refers to themselves as, received two national votes in the poll released Tuesday. If the votes counted North Texas would be ranked No. 33 in the country. The votes come on the heels of a successful weekend where North Texas defeated nationally ranked Baylor University on the road twice in extra innings on the way to winning the Getterman Classic Tournament. Baylor has since dropped from the national ranks. Head coach Tracey Kee and company are 6-4 in Kee’s third year in charge of the team. Explosive offense from junior infielder Kelli Schkade and junior outfielder Danielle Gregory is part of the reason North Texas is receiving votes, as the team leads Conference USA and rank in the top-10 nationally in home-runs and triples respectively. North Texas will look to continue its hot start when it begins a 10-game homestand this weekend when Sam Houston State University, Creighton University and McNeese State University come to visit as a part of the Mean Green Spring Fling. View Full Article