DRC article today on BB...5 Rd games to

[OldTimer]

Open Road

UNT to open 2002-?03 hoops campaign with 5 straight road games

08/23/2002

By Tim MacMahon / Staff Writer

Nothing will come easy to the North Texas men?s basketball team in coach Johnny Jones? second season.

Johnny Jones

The Mean Green will begin its season with five games on the road, including a Dec. 1 trip to Indiana, last season?s NCAA runner-up. UNT, which is coming off its first winning season since 1995-96, has only three non-conference games at the Super Pit, including the Dec. 10 home opener against TCU.

The schedule was finalized by the addition of a trip to Auburn on Jan. 2, after Jones failed to find another opponent willing to come to Denton. The Mean Green will also make trips to a pair of Big 12 schools, Colorado and Baylor.

"I think we are again playing a very difficult and demanding schedule," Jones said. "We feel like we?ll find out a lot about our team early this year because of the tough non-conference schedule, playing our first five games on the road.

"With the addition of SEC opponent Auburn and last year?s Final Four team Indiana, it makes our schedule more exciting for the fans but at the same time very challenging. However, we look forward to the challenge."

Jones said it was more difficult to schedule this season than it was when he was hired ? after UNT went 4-24 in former coach Vic Trilli?s final season. He was, however, able to secure home-and-home deals with Indiana and Baylor, which will be included on UNT?s home schedule in 2003-04.

"To get teams that are very attractive in here, we?ve got to play there first," Jones said. "We?re very fortunate to be able to attract teams like that."

After opening Sun Belt play at Florida International on Jan. 5, UNT has three consecutive conference games at home. The Mean Green will be home for five of seven games during a critical stretch of conference play, including a Feb. 8 game against two-time defending conference champion Western Kentucky.