DENTON, Texas - The preseason college basketball previews are hitting the store shelves, and many of them are giving a ton of love to the Mean Green. The Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook picked North Texas atop the Sun Belt West Division and named Josh White the preseason conference MVP.
North Texas is coming off its second Sun Belt title and NCAA Tournament berth of the last four seasons, and has won at least 20 games in each of the last years.
White, along with Tristan Thompson, led the Mean Green in scoring last year with 14.5 points per game and was named Third-Team All-Sun Belt.
Mr. Double-Double, also known as George Odufuwa, also earned a preseason all-conference nod on the Blue Ribbon Forecast. The NT big man led the league and ranked 13th in the NCAA with 10.7 rebounds per game. With 11.5 points per game, Odufuwa was also one of just 20 players in the NCAA to average a double-double last season.
North Texas opens the season at home against Henderson State on Nov. 12 at 5 p.m. The Mean Green will raise its championship banners against Texas Tech on Nov. 16 prior to the 7 p.m. tip off.
2010-11 BLUE RIBBON FORECAST
East
1. Western Kentucky
2. Florida Atlantic
3. South Alabama
4. Middle Tennessee
5. FIU
6. Troy
West
1. North Texas
2. Arkansas State
3. Louisiana-Lafayette
4. Denver
5. UALR
6. Louisiana-Monroe
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
G-Josh White, SR, North Texas
G-Tim Williams, SR, South Alabama
G-Ray Taylor, SO, Florida Atlantic
F-George Odufuwa, SR, North Texas
F-Sergio Kerusch, SR, Western Kentucky
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Josh White, SR, North Texas
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Juan Pattillo, SR, Western Kentucky
