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2017–18 North Texas Mean Green men's basketball team

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2017–18 North Texas Mean Green men's basketball
CBI champions
ConferenceConference USA
Record20–18 (8–10 C-USA)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home arenaThe Super Pit
Seasons
2017–18 Conference USA men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Middle Tennessee 16 2   .889 25 8   .758
Old Dominion 15 3   .833 25 7   .781
Western Kentucky 14 4   .778 27 11   .711
Marshall 12 6   .667 25 11   .694
UTSA 11 7   .611 20 15   .571
UAB 10 8   .556 20 13   .606
North Texas 8 10   .444 20 18   .526
FIU 8 10   .444 14 18   .438
Southern Miss 7 11   .389 16 18   .471
Louisiana Tech 7 11   .389 17 16   .515
Florida Atlantic 6 12   .333 12 19   .387
UTEP 6 12   .333 11 20   .355
Rice 4 14   .222 7 24   .226
Charlotte 2 16   .111 6 23   .207
2018 C-USA Tournament winner

The 2017–18 North Texas Mean Green men's basketball team represented the University of North Texas during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Mean Green, led by first-year head coach Grant McCasland, played their home games at UNT Coliseum, nicknamed The Super Pit, in Denton, Texas, as members of Conference USA. They finished the season 20–18, 8–10 in C-USA play to finish in a tie for seventh place. They lost in the first round of the C-USA tournament to Louisiana Tech. They were invited to participate in the College Basketball Invitational where they defeated South Dakota, Mercer, and Jacksonville State to advance to the best-of-three finals series against San Francisco. After losing in game 1, they won games 2 and 3 to become CBI champions. They also had the biggest crowd since 2010 at 6,291.

Previous season

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The Mean Green finished the 2016–17 season 8–22, 2–16 in C-USA play to finish in last place. They failed to qualify for the C-USA tournament.

On March 5, 2017, the school fired head coach Tony Benford after five years without a winning season.[1] On March 13, the school hired Arkansas State head coach Grant McCasland as head coach.[2]

Departures

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Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Reason for departure
Jeremy Combs 1 F 6'7" 215 Junior Dallas, TX Graduate transferred to LSU
Greg White-Pittman 2 G 6'2" 205 Junior New Orleans, LA Transferred
Ja'Michael Brown 3 G 6'1" 180 Sophomore Raceland, LA Transferred to Angelo State
Keith Frazier 4 G 6'5" 190 Senior Dallas, TX Graduate transferred to UTEP
Deckie Johnson 10 G 6'4" 180 Senior Memphis, TN Graduated
Derail Green 11 F 6'7" 220 RS Senior Houston, TX Graduated
Rickey Brice Jr. 23 C 7'1" 270 Sophomore Arlington, TX Graduate transferred to Texas A&M–Commerce
Jacob Gross 24 G 6'4" 191 RS Junior Sachse, TX Walk-on; left the team for personal reasons
J-Mychael Reese 52 G 6'2" 185 RS Junior Bryan, TX Graduate transferred

Incoming Transfers

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Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous School
Jorden Duffy 2 G 6'0" RS Sophomore Salisbury, MD Junior college transferred from San Jacinto College
Roosevelt Smart 3 G 6'3" 170 Sophomore Palatine, IL Junior college transferred from New Mexico JC
Jahmiah Simmons 10 F 6'4" 205 Sophomore Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands Transferred from Arkansas State. Under NCAA transfer rules, Simmons will have to sit out for the 2017–18 season. Will have three years of remaining eligibility.
Tope Arikawe 20 F 6'8" 220 Junior Lagos, Nigeria Junior college transferred from Panola College
Michael Miller 23 G 6'3" Junior Michigan City, IN Junior college transferred from Shawnee CC

Recruiting class of 2017

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US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Mark Tikhonenko
PF
Moscow, Russia Mount Zion Preparatory School 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Mar 30, 2017 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 0
Umoja Gibson
PG
Waco, TX University High School 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 165 lb (75 kg) Jun 26, 2016 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 0
Zach Simmons
PF
Cedar Hill, TX Cedar Hill High School 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Sep 30, 2016 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 0
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2017 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved November 19, 2016.

Roster

[edit]
2017–18 North Texas Mean Green men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown
G 0 Ryan Woolridge 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79 kg) RS So Lake Ridge HS
San Diego
Mansfield, TX
G 1 A. J. Lawson 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) So Bryan HS Bryan, TX
G 2 Jorden Duffy 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Jr James M. Bennett HS
San Jacinto College
Salisbury, MD
G 3 Roosevelt Smart 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) So Sunrise Christian Academy
New Mexico JC
Chicago, IL
G 4 Umoja Gibson 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 160 lb (73 kg) Fr University HS Waco, TX
G 5 Allante Holston 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Jr Clinton Christian School Capitol Heights, MD
F 10 Jahmiah Simmons Current redshirt 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) So Pace HS
Arkansas State
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
F 14 Bryce Jackson (W) 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Sr Fossil Ridge HS
New Orleans
Keller, TX
F 20 Tope Arikawe 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Jr Covenant Christian
Panola College
Lagos, Nigeria
F 22 Khalil Fuller 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 260 lb (118 kg) RS So Rancho Verde HS Moreno Valley, CA
G 23 Michael Miller 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Jr Michigan City HS
Shawnee CC
Michigan City, IN
F 24 Zachary Simmons 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Fr Cedar Hill HS Abilene, TX
F 50 Shane Temara 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Sr West Genesee HS
Angelina College
Syracuse, NY
G 55 D. J. Draper (W) 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 165 lb (75 kg) RS So Birdville HS Beford, TX
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster

Schedule and results

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Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Non-conference regular season
Nov 10, 2017*
5:00 pm
Eureka W 122–65  1–0
The Super Pit (3,252)
Denton, TX
Nov 13, 2017*
7:00 pm, BTN Plus
at Nebraska L 67–86  1–1
Pinnacle Bank Arena (9,028)
Lincoln, NE
Nov 16, 2017*
7:00 pm
Bethune–Cookman
Ramblin' Wreck Showcase
W 90–78  2–1
The Super Pit (2,013)
Denton, TX
Nov 20, 2017*
7:00 pm
Texas–Rio Grande Valley
Ramblin' Wreck Showcase
L 63–75  2–2
The Super Pit (1,892)
Denton, TX
Nov 22, 2017*
7:00 pm
Rogers State W 88–74  3–2
The Super Pit (1,678)
Denton, TX
Nov 24, 2017*
3:00 pm, RSN
at Georgia Tech
Ramblin' Wreck Showcase
L 49–63  3–3
McCamish Pavilion (4,867)
Atlanta, GA
Nov 27, 2017*
7:00 pm
Grambling State
Ramblin' Wreck Showcase
W 82–77  4–3
The Super Pit (1,513)
Denton, TX
Nov 30, 2017*
7:00 pm, SSTV/FSOK
at Oklahoma L 72–82  4–4
Lloyd Noble Center (8,132)
Norman, OK
Dec 2, 2017*
7:00 pm
at Texas–Arlington L 60–65  4–5
College Park Center (2,728)
Arlington, TX
Dec 6, 2017*
7:00 pm
at Indiana State W 79–76 OT 5–5
The Super Pit (1,642)
Denton, TX
Dec 9, 2017*
5:00 pm
at McNeese State W 85–47  6–5
The Super Pit (1,612)
Denton, TX
Dec 16, 2017*
9:00 pm
at San Diego W 86–83 OT 7–5
Jenny Craig Pavilion (1,419)
San Diego, CA
Dec 20, 2017*
6:00 pm, FS2
at Georgetown L 63–75  7–6
Capital One Arena (4,226)
Washington, D.C.
Conference USA regular season
Dec 28, 2017
8:00 pm
at UTEP W 63–62  8–6
(1–0)
Don Haskins Center (6,306)
El Paso, TX
Dec 30, 2017
7:00 pm
at UTSA W 72–71  9–6
(2–0)
Convocation Center (1,130)
San Antonio, TX
Jan 4, 2018
7:00 pm
Charlotte L 68–70  9–7
(2–1)
The Super Pit (1,826)
Denton, TX
Jan 6, 2018
5:00 pm
Old Dominion L 60–63  9–8
(2–2)
The Super Pit (1,907)
Denton, TX
Jan 13, 2018
2:00 pm
at Rice W 85–78  10–8
(3–2)
Tudor Fieldhouse (2,487)
Houston, TX
Jan 18, 2018
6:00 pm, Stadium
at Louisiana Tech L 65–66  10–9
(3–3)
Thomas Assembly Center (4,236)
Ruston, LA
Jan 20, 2018
4:00 pm
at Southern Miss L 78–85  10–10
(3–4)
Reed Green Coliseum (2,540)
Hattiesburg, MS
Jan 25, 2018
7:00 pm, ESPN3
Florida Atlantic W 59–53  11–10
(4–4)
The Super Pit (1,952)
Denton, TX
Jan 27, 2018
5:00 pm
FIU W 69–67 OT 12–10
(5–4)
The Super Pit (2,096)
Denton, TX
Feb 3, 2018
2:00 pm, ESPN3
Rice W 74–70  13–10
(6–4)
The Super Pit (2,322)
Denton, TX
Feb 8, 2018
7:00 pm
at UAB W 67–60  14–10
(7–4)
Bartow Arena (3,383)
Birmingham, AL
Feb 10, 2018
5:00 pm
at Middle Tennessee L 73–79  14–11
(7–5)
Murphy Center (6,209)
Murfreesboro, TN
Feb 15, 2018
8:00 pm, Stadium
Western Kentucky L 94–102 OT 14–12
(7–6)
The Super Pit (2,306)
Denton, TX
Feb 17, 2018
5:00 pm
Marshall L 72–74  14–13
(7–7)
The Super Pit (4,115)
Denton, TX
Feb 22, 2018
6:00 pm
at FIU L 68–69  14–14
(7–8)
FIU Arena (2,163)
Miami, FL
Feb 24, 2018
6:00 pm
at Florida Atlantic L 54–74  14–15
(7–9)
FAU Arena (1,221)
Boca Raton, FL
Mar 1, 2018
7:00 pm
UTSA W 80–62  15–15
(8–9)
The Super Pit (3,627)
Denton, TX
Mar 3, 2018
7:00 pm
UTEP L 66–68  15–16
(8–10)
The Super Pit (3,744)
Denton, TX
Conference USA tournament
Mar 7, 2018
8:30 pm, Stadium
(7) vs. (10) Louisiana Tech
First round
L 62–68  15–17
The Ford Center at The Star 
Frisco, TX
CBI
Mar 14, 2018*
6:00 pm
at South Dakota
First round
W 90–77  16–17
Sanford Coyote Sports Center (1,348)
Vermillion
Mar 19, 2018*
7:00 pm, ESPN3
Mercer
Quarterfinals
W 96–67  17–17
The Super Pit (1,145)
Denton, TX
Mar 21, 2018*
7:00 pm, ESPN3
Jacksonville State
Semifinals
W 90–68  18–17
The Super Pit (2,784)
Denton, TX
Mar 26, 2018*
9:00 pm, ESPNU
at San Francisco
Finals – Game 1
L 62–72  18–18
War Memorial Gymnasium (1,358)
San Francisco, CA
Mar 28, 2018*
7:30 pm, ESPNU
San Francisco
Finals – Game 2
W 69–55  19–18
The Super Pit (4,196)
Denton, TX
Mar 30, 2018*
6:00 pm, ESPNU
San Francisco
Finals – Game 3
W 88–77  20–18
The Super Pit (6,291)
Denton, TX
*Non-conference game. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Central Time.

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ "North Texas fires head coach Tony Benford after 5 seasons". USA TODAY. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
  2. ^ "North Texas hires McCasland as new coach". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 15, 2017.