Mean Green faces tough five-day test to garner NCAA berth

Benford will look to pull off another stunner this week, this time by leading UNT to the Conference USA tournament title.

UNT (15-15) enters the 15-team event as the No. 10 seed and will face No. 15 Rice (7-22) in a first-round game at 4:30 p.m. today at the Haskins Center in El Paso.

The Mean Green will have to win five games in five days to earn an NCAA tournament berth and extend its season.

http://www.dentonrc.com/sports/colleges/...t-time.ece

(03-11-2014 09:24 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  The Mean Green will have to win five games in five days to earn an NCAA tournament berth and extend its season.

So would Rice. Unfortunately, the way this season has gone for Rice, I think NoTx is more likely to win this game. Still... Rice's last win was:

Rice jumps out early, holds off North Texas 75-70

February 6, 2014 10:21 PM AP - Sports

HOUSTON (AP) -- Sean Obi had 18 points with 13 rebounds and Marcus Jackson added 13 points and seven assists as Rice defeated North Texas 75-70 Thursday night.

The Owls (7-15, 2-7 Conference USA) shot 46.7 percent from the field, with Austin Ramljak scoring 12 points and Keith Washington contributing 11.

North Texas (11-11, 2-6) was held to 26-of-68 shooting (38.2 percent). Alzee Williams finished with 18 points and Colin Voss had 11 with 10 rebounds.

Rice jumped ahead early as Obi hit a layup and sank a pair of free throws to make it 21-5 seven minutes into the first half. North Texas closed the first half on a 13-4 run, making it 37-31 at the break.

The Mean Green pulled within three late in the second half, but two Obi jumpers and another by Jackson in between helped push Rice's lead to eight with 46 seconds left.

Lets hope for a good game, and that the winner goes on to win the whole thing.

(03-11-2014 04:25 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  Lets hope for a good game, and that the winner goes on to win the whole thing.

SSJ, I must say it looks pretty lonely here on your board. Where is everybody? I thought ya'll were a decent-sized school? (We are 2nd or 3rd-smallest in Div. I behind Tulsa and Wake Forest).

Yeah, mixed feelings about that, since I'm not sure that Ben Braun is the best long-term solution for Rice. Of course, it would be nice for the team to do that and go to the NCAAs for the first time since 1970, but I just don't see it happening this year. Hence the mixed feelings.

I do hope it is an entertaining game from the perspective of those who bother to tune in. It will help thew conference out more if that is the case.

(03-11-2014 04:50 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  

(03-11-2014 04:25 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  Lets hope for a good game, and that the winner goes on to win the whole thing.

SSJ, I must say it looks pretty lonely here on your board. Where is everybody? I thought ya'll were a decent-sized school? (We are 2nd or 3rd-smallest in Div. I behind Tulsa and Wake Forest).

Yeah, mixed feelings about that, since I'm not sure that Ben Braun is the best long-term solution for Rice. Of course, it would be nice for the team to do that and go to the NCAAs for the first time since 1970, but I just don't see it happening this year. Hence the mixed feelings.

I do hope it is an entertaining game from the perspective of those who bother to tune in. It will help thew conference out more if that is the case.

Yeah, the Gomeangreen board gets all the traffic. I post over there too. I just try to update this one to keep it from being completely empty. I usually post stories and links from an angle of how it relates to C-USA. It's more for fans of other C-USA teams, so they can get information or ask questions. I don't want to constantly post North Texas stories on the C-USA board and have people get mad about it.

North Texas and Rice seem to be in a similar situation in basketball. I don't know if Benford is the answer for the Mean Green either. I'm listening to the game on-line right now. Rice seems to have an early edge in what appears to be a sloppy first half.

4:38 1st

Rice 23 North Texas 14

North Texas has more turnovers then buckets!

:49 1st

Rice 30 North Texas 21

Halftime

Rice 30 North Texas 21

OK. I thought something like that might be the case.

This is pretty much Rice's main posting board for sports. We call our area "The Parliament." Not really sure why, though.

So far Rice seems to have NoTex's number. But I am concerned that once again our free throw shooting is around 20% as it has been the last several games. To me, in basketball, there's just no excuse for a team to do that over several games.

I see ya'll are 2-2 so far.

Now our 3pt % is decent at 45.5%

while yours is 0%. So I guess I can make that trade as long as the attempts are equal.

Brother's wife works at Rice. They are big Rice fans. We have a nice rivalry.

UNT with the lead 41-39 now with 7:46 left in 2H.

We traded ya'll for SMU. I guess you have a few more students than they did.

UNT wins it in OT 63-62. Congratulations and good luck in next round.

(03-11-2014 06:54 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  UNT wins it in OT 63-62. Congratulations and good luck in next round.

Thanks. We'll do our best. Good luck in baseball. Hopefully, we will be playing again within a few seasons.

4 more years for Benford. He's Plumm's favorite

(03-11-2014 10:01 PM)Pony94 Wrote:  4 more years for Benford. He's Plumm's favorite

LOL! Benford hasn't done much at North Texas. I hope he becomes a great coach and leads UNT to the NCAA Tournament. But, the odds are against him, and we need to get our program winning again. Good luck in the AAC Tournament.

(03-11-2014 10:12 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(03-11-2014 10:01 PM)Pony94 Wrote:  4 more years for Benford. He's Plumm's favorite

LOL! Benford hasn't done much at North Texas. I hope he becomes a great coach and leads UNT to the NCAA Tournament. But, the odds are against him, and we need to get our program winning again. Good luck in the AAC Tournament.

We just need to switch- UNT fans cheer for SMU basketball and SMU fans cheer for UNT football

(03-11-2014 09:37 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(03-11-2014 06:54 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  UNT wins it in OT 63-62. Congratulations and good luck in next round.

Thanks. We'll do our best. Good luck in baseball. Hopefully, we will be playing again within a few seasons.

Yes, Thank goodness for baseball at Rice. Probably saved Div I athletics at the school.

Tulane 66 UNT 61. Oh well. See you in basketball next year. Thanks for the conversation SSJ!

(03-12-2014 04:01 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Tulane 66 UNT 61. Oh well. See you in basketball next year. Thanks for the conversation SSJ!

Thanks. The sad thing is North Texas did better then many fans, including myself, thought they would. Lets hope both our programs can improve by next season. At least you have baseball to follow. I have to wait for football season. Glad you stopped by the UNT Forum.