GAME NOTES
NORFOLK, Virginia — After a three-game home stand, the North Texas men's basketball team is on the road this week, starting on Thursday at Old Dominion, who is right on North Texas' tail at the top the Conference USA standings.

ODU (16-6, 6-3 C-USA), a big and physical team that is the best in the nation at defending inside the arc, its 41.0 two-point field goal percentage defense is the best nation, has never lost to North Texas (18-3, 6-2) in eight previous meetings.

After falling last Thursday against UAB, UNT bounced back on Saturday with a 70-53 win over Middle Tennessee at home. The Mean Green came out flying against the Blue Raiders and led 42-19 at the half by getting to the rim and scoring well inside the paint. Even though they didn't shoot well from deep (5-for-29), they made up for it by scoring 15 points at the free throw line.

Thursday's game is scheduled to tip-off at 6 p.m. CT and can be seen on Stadium. It can also be heard live on the Mean Green Sports Network on 95.3 FM with the voice of the Mean Green, Dave Barnett and Hank Dickenson on the call. 


OUT OF A TIMEOUT
According to Synergy Sports, North Texas is shooting a NCAA best 53.3 percent out of timeouts. 

TOP 25
North Texas is receiving 10 top 25 votes in the latest USA Today Coaches Poll (Jan. 27). 

REBOUNDING TEAM
Despite being the 12th shortest team in the country, North Texas has either equaled as many rebounds or outrebounded 17 of its 21 opponents. They are 15-1 in games where they equal or outrebound its opponent. Last Saturday versus Middle Tennessee, the Mean Green grabbed 45 rebounds, which was the second-most they've had in a game this year and the most they've had in a conference game. They had a season-high 48 rebounds versus MD-Eastern Shore on Nov. 17.

STEALS RECORD
Junior Ryan Woolridge is just 18 steals from setting the school record for career steals (151). Woolridge enters Saturday's game with 134 career steals. He had five steals versus Rice last Saturday. His season-high is six at New Mexico. He had a career-high eight steals last year versus UTSA.

FRESHMAN RECORD
North Texas redshirt freshman Umoja Gibson's 53 three-pointers (2.52 per game) this season and 24 off the school record for a freshman. Chris Davis' 77 three-pointers in 1999-00 is the school record. Gibson is on pace to finish the regular season with 78 three pointers, which would be the third most in a single season in program history.