GAME NOTES
DENTON — When the Mean Green men's basketball team takes the Super Pit floor Sunday at 3 p.m. versus Marshall, it'll be the last time for seniors Tope Arikawe, Jorden Duffy and Michael Miller as it marks the final home game this season for North Texas. 

All two-year players who transferred to North Texas shortly after second-year head coach Grant McCasland arrived in Denton, the three soon-to-be UNT graduates have been keystone pieces to the turnaround of the Mean Green program. 

"From day one, their maturity and leadership set the tone in practice, in games and in class," said sophomore Zachary Simmons. "The way they carry themselves has been key. A lot of the success we've had in the last two years is because of them and their maturity."

"We're all better because of them," aded redshirt junior DJ Draper. "They're fantastic basketball players, teammates and friends. They make us better."

Arikawe, Duffy and Miller's road to Denton is all vastly different, but the affect they've left on the program and most importantly their teammates is what they'll be remembered for. 

And while the way they got to Super Pit might be all different, their confidence in themselves and their teammates is something the entire Mean Green team agrees with and says is what makes them a strong senior class unit. 

The confidence Arikawe, Duffy and Miller have hasn't come without some forms of trials and tribulations. 

From Arikawe leaving his family as a teenager in Nigeria and pursue a U.S. college education and continuing to play the game he loves. 

Duffy, overcoming six injuries in two years. And Miller, who had to overcome early struggles and disappointment on the court to being an everyday starter.

Now, they've all led the Mean Green to a 2018 CBI championship and what has been statistically one of the best seasons in program history.

Sunday's game against the Thundering Herd (15-13, 8-7 C-USA, which can been seen on Stadium and heard on KHYI 95.3 FM, features two teams that met on Feb. 7, also in Denton and with the Mean Green (20-9, 8-8 C-USA) pulling out the convincing 27-point win.

UNT and its seniors aim to bring that same performance on Sunday against the defending conference tournament champs.

TOP 13 RANKED DEFENSE
As of Friday, North Texas owns the nation's 13th-best scoring defense. They give up just 61.9 ppg. It ranks second in C-USA behind Old Dominion who ranks eighth in the nation at 61.1 ppg.

FRESHMAN RECORD
On Feb. 16 at FIU, Umoja Gibson set the North Texas freshman record for single-season three-pointers with 78. He enters Sunday's game with 83 on the year. Steph Curry's (Davidson) freshman record of 122 was broken on Thursday by Detroit Mercy's Antoine Davis. 109 three-pointers would put Gibson in the top five for a freshman. 

THIRD-MOST THREES
In the second half of Thursday's game against FAU, North Texas redshirt freshman Umoja Gibson's made his 81st three-pointer of the season. That moved him into third-place for most three-pointers made in a single season in program history. He ended Thursday with 83 three-pointers on the season

FOUR WINS SHY
North Texas is four wins shy of tying the school-record for most wins in a single season. In 2009-10, North Texas won 24 games. 

SHAKEEM
Freshman Shakeem Alcindor has played a combined 14 minutes in the Mean Green's two most recent games. Prior to the first game (at LA Tech on Feb. 23), he hadn't seen action in 20 games. Prior to playing at LA Tech, his last appearance came in Roosevelt Smart's return from injury on Nov. 24 versus Saint Peter's. On Thursday versus Florida Atlantic, Alincdor checked in five minutes into the game. It was the earliest he had come into a game all year. Alcindor has only played basketball for four years and is still learning how to play without fouling. Thursday was his first game played without a foul committed.