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The move to Conference USA brings in-state rivals to all UNT athletic programs, but the Mean Green basketball teams also made it an emphasis to schedule key local rivals in their non-conference schedule. Men’s Basketball For the first time ever, the men’s team will take part in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic Tip-Off Showcase, a charity tournament that collaborates between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches to raise funds for cancer awareness. One of the teams UNT will take on is tournament host University of Oklahoma, who lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament last year. UNT will also face off against the University of Idaho, the University of Columbia and the Universiy of Portland in a three-day span as part of the tournament. Other standouts in the nonconference schedule include away games against Brigham Young University and the Texas A&M University, as well as the home opener against Nicholls State University. “The non-conference schedule is going to be really difficult and it’s going to prepare us for the conference games,” senior guard Vertrail Vaughns said. “It’s going to get us ready for the long run.” One notable game missing from the schedule is the annual match up against metroplex rival University of Texas-Arlington. UNT bought out the final year of its contract with the Mavericks because of other conflicts within its schedule, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, but may resume next year. The Mean Green held a 30-23 edge in the rivalry that dates back to when both teams were in the Southland Conference in the early ‘90s. Read more: http://ntdaily.com/2013-basketball-schedules-designed-to-be-challenging/

http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/vertrail_vaughns_competing_in_dance_off_against_the_italians_video/3119446

George Mason transfer Vertrail Vaughns, a Terrapins men’s basketball target, has decided to play at North Texas next season, according to the Denton Record-Chronicle. Vaughns’ decision marks the second straight day a transferring guard has spurned the Terps. Tuesday, former Rutgers guard Eli Carter decided to play at Florida. Vaughns visited College Park on Tuesday, according to reports, but ultimately decided to return to his home state. Coach Mark Turgeon has been searching to add backcourt depth for next season since junior guard Pe’Shon Howard decided to transfer. Read more: http://www.diamondbackonline.com/blogs/article_418d27fe-b2c4-11e2-84b0-0019bb30f31a.html

The more Vertrail Vaughns thought about all that North Texas has to offer over the last few days, the more coming home to the Dallas-Fort Worth area made sense. The former Mesquite standout spent four seasons at George Mason and enjoyed some great times at that school before deciding to transfer for his senior year. The 6-foot-2-inch guard had plenty of suitors, but none could offer what UNT could in terms of both his basketball future and his personal life. Vaughns committed to UNT on Wednesday. “My gut feeling led me there,” Vaughns said of UNT. “I liked it there and it gives me a chance to be close to my family. I feel like it will be a nice environment.” Vaughns averaged 5.0 points in 15.3 minutes per game off the bench last season. He started all 33 games for the Patriots as a sophomore in the 2011-12 campaign, when he averaged 8.8 points. Read more: http://www.dentonrc.com/sports/colleges/north-texas-headlines/20130502-basketball-notebook-george-mason-guard-commits-to-unt.ece

Vaughns plays for Brian Curts at Mesquite High School and as a junior, he averaged 16 points, four rebounds and three assists. He was rated the 25th best player in Texas by Texashoops.com and he earned three stars from Rivals.com. He was rated #58 in the nation at his position by ESPN.com and Colorado and Wichita State were also recruiting him. "Vertrail reminds me of Jason Miskiri who had a tremendous career here," Larranaga said. "Vertrail is very fast and plays with a lot of energy. He is gifted at getting to the basket off the dribble and has the ability to apply great pressure on the defensive end in our up-tempo style of play." Read more: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/press-break/2008/11/larranaga_signs_five_for_2009-.html

http://boards.caazone.com/showthread.php?125850-Vertrail-Vaughns-Transfering

One of its remaining targets appears to be Vertrail Vaughns, a 6-foot-4 guard who has spent the last four seasons at George Mason, including a redshirt year as a freshman. read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2013/04/unt-in-on-george-mason-transfer-from-dallas.html/