North Texas (6-1) vs. Texas Southern (1-5)
Houston, Texas • H&PE Arena (8,100)
Dec. 4, 2010 • 7:00 p.m.
Radio: KWRD 100.7-FM, KNTU 88.1-FM - Hank Dickenson
TV: None
Live Video & Stats
Series: TSU leads 4-2 • Last: NT won 71-69 (12/28/10)
Game Notes
HOUSTON - The North Texas basketball team stretched its home winning streak to 10 games against Grambling State on Thursday night, and now looks to extend its overall win streak to five at Texas Southern on Saturday night. Tip off from H&PE Arena is slated for 7 p.m.
The Mean Green (6-1) is off to the best start by a Mean Green squad since 1977-78 and has done it in a flash. NT will play its fourth game in eight days against the Tigers (1-5) on Saturday, easily its busiest week of the season.
Tristan Thompson leads the Sun Belt and ranks 16th in the NCAA in points per game with 22.3. Only 11 players in NT history have ever carried an average of 20 points per game for an entire season, the last being Chris Davis in 2002 (22.5). Thompson is shooting 58.3 percent from the floor, including 68.2 percent from 3-point, over his last three games - averaging 26.7 points.
North Texas has been unstoppable from 3-point of late, hitting 28-of-50 (56.0 percent) from deep over its last three games. North Texas shattered its school record for 3-point percentage in a singe game at Texas State, connecting on 9-of-11 from deep (81.8), and hit 12-of-24 (50) against UTA and 7-of-15 (46.7) against Grambling State.
Last year vs. TSU, Jacob Holmen came off the bench and hit the biggest shot of his career, the go-ahead baseline jumper with 3-seconds remaining to knock off the Tigers 71-69 at the Super Pit. With the win, Johnny Jones tied Bill Blakeley for second place in program history in career wins with 134. Thompson led all scorers with 21 points. He was joined by Holmen (12 points), Josh White (12 points) and 11 points off the bench from junior Shannon Shorter.
Texas Southern was picked to finish fifth in the SWAC in 2010-11 in their annual preseason predicted order of finish, garnering two first-place votes. Travele Jones, who has yet to see the floor for TSU, was selected the league's Preseason MVP. Future North Texas opponent Jackson State was tabbed to finish first in the poll.
Texas Southern always has a schedule chocked full of top flight competition, but is no stranger to the upset. Last month, the Tigers went to Oregon State and shocked the Beavers, 66-60. Lawrence Johnson-Danner led the Texas Southern scoring efforts with 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting, and Kevin Galloway provided 12 assists.
