Cold Shooting Decides It

8:47 p.m.

North Texas went cold from the floor in the second half, making only 11-of-37 field goal attempts for a shooting percentage of 29.7 percent.  Western Kentucky, meanwhile, hit 52 percent of its shots in the second half which was the difference.  North Texas out-rebounded the Hilltoppers 37-36.     

Mean Green Bows Out

8:43 p.m.

Despite a valiant comeback effort, North Texas has lost in the Sun Belt Conference semifinal to Western Kentucky by the final score of 77-70. 

Need a Three

8:38 p.m.

North Texas is down six with 30 seconds but just missed a three by Dominique Johnson that would have made things very interesting.  Western is back at the free throw line to try to ice it.    

Short Time

8:32 p.m.

The Mean Green trail by eight with 1:21 to play but has the ball trying to mount a comeback.  Adam McCoy just hit his second three-pointer of the game to cut the lead to five with 1:12 to play.           

Not Him Again

8:23 p.m.

Just like that Western Kentucky guard AJ Slaughter hit back-to-back three-pointers to give the Hilltoppers a six-point lead at the final media timeout.  It is almost Dj vu all over again as Slaughter single-handedly carried Western Kentucky to a 71-67 win over North Texas early this year scoring 10 points in the final five minutes.        

McCoy Heating UP

8:21 p.m.

Guard Adam McCoy hit back-to-back shots for the Mean Green including a three-pointer to tie the game at 58.     

Josh Finally to the Line

8:19 p.m.

Mean Green guard Josh White made his first trip to the free throw line at the 6:51 mark of the second half, but despite being one of the best free throw shooters in the nation, he missed his first attempt.     

Tied Up

8:15 p.m.

Despite being doubled up in shooting percentage at the 7:43 mark of the second half, North Texas just tied the game up at 52 on a layup by Dominique Johnson.     

Big Possession

8:10 p.m.

With a timeout at the 8:29 mark of the second half North Texas is trying to cut into a 4-point Western Kentucky lead.  

Pace has Slowed  

7:55 p.m.

After 38 points in the first half, North Texas has scored just eight points through the first nine minutes of the second half.  North Texas has gone cold from long range, missing its last seven attempts from beyond the arc.  Still, the game is tied at 46 with 11 minutes remaining.   

Stem the Tide  

7:49 p.m.

North Texas has gone cold in the early part of the second half, making just 2-of-8 shots from the field.  It still holds a one-point lead thanks to a runner by Josh White. 

Holding Slightest of Lead  

7:45 p.m.

North Texas is still holding a 42-41 lead at the first media timeout of the second half.  The Mean Green has done a great job of defending Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year Orlando Mendez-Valdez, who has just three points through 25 minutes of action.  Mendez-Valdez came into the game averaging 14.3 points.       

Harold Hits High  

7:43 p.m.

Forward Harold Stewart hit a short jumper for the Mean Green’s first points of the second half and now has tied his season high with eight points in the game.    

Need to Toe the Line  

7:40 p.m.

North Texas leads the nation in free throws made with 673 this season.  In the first half Collin Dennis was the only Mean Green player to make it to the charity stripe, but was productive, going 4-of-4.    

Josh Sharing the Wealth  

7:35 p.m.

North Texas guard Josh White exploded for 27 points last night in the quarterfinal win against Middle Tennessee, but tonight he is helping his teammates get in the game.  At halftime, White has five assists which more than doubles his season average of 2.3.       

Stat Rundown  

7:29 p.m.

North Texas is shooting 48 percent from the floor in the first half which is slightly better than its season average of 44 percent.  The Mean Green is 6-of-15 from three-point range.  Western Kentucky hit 44 percent of its shots in the first half, but was just 1-of-11 from long range.  North Texas holds a slight rebound advantage of 18-16.  North Texas has 15 points from its bench, while Western Kentucky has just five.       

Halftime Lead  

7:22 p.m.

North Texas will enter the locker room with a 38-35 halftime lead.  Mean Green guard Domique Johnson leads all scorers with 13 points.  North Texas is 16-5 this season when leading at halftime.           

Dennis Dialed In  

7:16 p.m.

Senior guard Collin Dennis has exploded on the scene in this game.  Dennis has nine points and three rebounds through the first 15 minutes.  Dennis came into the game averaging 7.7 points per game.      

Nice Run  

7:13 p.m.

Taking a break for the four-minute media timeout in the first half and the Mean Green is enjoying a 36-29 lead which was courtesy of a 13-1 run during the last three minutes.    

Mean Green Takes Lead  

7:08 p.m.

Dominique Johnson just hit a shot to give North Texas its first lead of the game.   

All Knotted Up  

7:07 p.m.

Dominique Johnson just hit a long three in the corner to tie the game at 28 which is the second tie of the game.  North Texas now has the ball looking for its first lead.              

Fans in High Places

7:04 p.m.

Among the North Texas supporters here to cheer the Mean Green on are University President Dr. Gretchen Bataille and Board of Regents member C. Dan Smith.  Both are decked out in green from head to toe and both have been very vocal in their support through the early going.             

Favorable Pace

6:55 p.m.

The game in on a frantic pace through the early going which is good news for the Mean Green.  At the 10 minute mark of the first half North Texas trails 21-19 which means it is nearly on pace for 80 points.  North Texas is 65-16 when scoring 80 points or more under Johnny Jones.          

Three D

6:52 p.m.

The Mean Green is playing good perimeter defense during the early going, holding Western Kentucky to 0-of-3 from behind the arc in the first five minutes of the game.  North Texas has made its only three-point attempt when Dominique Johnson was successful from long range

Stewart Looking for 78

6:45 p.m.

North Texas senior forward Harold Stewart has made his first appearance in the game and hit two quick shots.  Stewart, along with fellow senior Justin Howerton are the winningest players in North Texas basketball history, enjoying 77 and looking for 78 wins during their storied careers.  They surpassed Waymon Lister who enjoyed 76 wins while playing for North Texas from 1975-79.         

Aggressive Man Defense

6:39 p.m.

North Texas is playing an aggressive man defense early which has allowed Western Kentucky to get some easy dunks off of dribble penetration.  After falling behind 8-2, Mean Green head coach Johnny Jones called a timeout to help his team settle down.     

Starting Lineups

6:34 p.m.

North Texas will begin the game with its usual starting lineup which consists of Dominique Johnson, Josh White, Tristian Thompson, Eric Tramiel and George Odufuwa.  The guard play will be a big factor in this game as Johnson and White will face two of the best guards in the league in AJ Slaughter and Orlando Mendez-Valdez.

Another Nice Mean Green Contingent

6:31 p.m.

The North Texas faithful has not been deterred by a workday game, the two sections behind the Mean Green bench are mostly full of green-clad crazies.  Western Kentucky has also brought a nice crowd but it seems that there are just as many fans from Texas that made the trip.        

While We Wait for Tipoff

6:20 p.m.

We are just 10 minutes from tipoff in the semifinal game against Western Kentucky and while we wait the blog just learned this tidbit about the host city Hot Springs.  It seems that this mountain retreat used to serve as the spring training site for the Negro Baseball League.  No doubt there were many notable former great baseball players who spent time on the diamond in this gem of a city. 

Back In Black!
5:54 p.m.
Just to get the Mean Green crazies ramped up for tonight's tilt, NT just took the floor for warmups doning their fan-favorite black jerseys. The alternates are usually broken out on special occasions as a reward for the players, and the Mean Green usually respond with a little added energy. They get an added bost from the black jerseys, and are 2-0 this season with them on.

A 360 To The Mix
4:35 p.m.
Add ESPN 360 to the list of places you can watch the North Texas-Western Kentucky game tonight. That’s a free service to log onto and watch.

Just under 2 hours away from tip at the Summit and while the second semifinal of the women’s tournament rolls green and red are starting to work their way into the stands. North Texas is the road team tonight so green is the color of choice for fans this evening....Although we aren’t 100 percent sure that North Texas will sport the green’s tonight. The last two road games the Mean Green won going away in the black unis....Just saying.

Who wants to know?
2:38 p.m.
Time to play catch up on the e-mails that have been pouring in. A lot of questions about Scrappy vs. Big Red, which we will get to. Also we have gotten a lot of e-mails about TV tonight. The game is on ESPN Plus, and in the DFW area it is available on Direct TV or Dish Network if you subscribe to ESPN Full-Court Package. Our advice, go to a local sports bar and tell them to put the game on, most have ESPN Full Court Package. It will be worth it just to see if Wimp Sanderson puts on a checkered sports jacket (we asked him yesterday but he was non-committal).

If you can’t watch it, don’t forget the MGRN has the game starting at 6 p.m. on 88.1 FM KNTU and 100.7 FM KWRD.

Q: Steve from Aubrey - Due to his lack of minutes yesterday, do you think Adam McCoy's rest will play a big part in the Monday night matchup with WKU?

A: Yes and no. Anytime you have to play three games in three days you need as many players as possible and a deep bench. Western Kentucky was able to rest its five starters yesterday in the last five minutes against FIU in preparation for tonight. Adam McCoy rest was more of the play of Tristan Thompson and Josh White. McCoy has been so good down the stretch that other teams are really playing tight defense on him, which in turn has made Thompson and White a little more open to create space and do there damage. It all goes hand in hand but if you can get away with it and then put McCoy in tonight, fresh, I think Coach Jones will be happy.

Q: Matt from Houston Scrappy vs. Big Red, who wins?

A: The blog is very torn on this one, Big Red is one of the great mascots of all-time having been featured on many ESPN commericials and everywhere else. Scrappy is the young, up and coming mascot that is on the rise. We view this battle like the game, Old league power vs. New kid on the block.

A Dip In The Pool
2:09 p.m.
One of the many different attractions in the Hot Springs area has to be, well of course the hot springs. There is a “bathhouse” row on the main drag in town and we highly recommend taking advantage of one of those opportunities.

There were many Mean Green fans taking the opportunity to take the plunge into one of the bathhouses but if were walking along and see one of the fountains, word of caution, be careful.

There is steam coming from those and while it looks enticing, that spring water is coming out at over 135 degrees. It feels good for a second or two, but after that, ouch!

Blog is back
1:45 p.m.
Okay after post-game duties, wireless internet breakdowns, smoke coming out of the scorer’s table at the arena, and the South Alabama bus breaking down, we are happy to say we are back.

We’ve got a lot of e-mail questions that we will get to momentarily before the game tonight. What we can tell you is after an early morning walk around town there is a lot of green. The renformcement are arriving every minute from Denton and the blog has a feeling the crowd tonight will be pretty big.

WKU has brought probably the largest contingent of fans (UALR doesn’t count, it’s a 45 minute drive!) but North Texas isn’t far behind.

There is defiantly a buzz starting to pick up and the prevailing sentiment is that North Texas is ready for another shot at what most people consider the traditional power of the league.

Buffalo Dance
4:35 p.m.
The blog absolutely loves mascots and among the one’s today have included Ronald McDonald, Big Red, Scrappy, and the buffalo from a local sports bar has taken to the floor. His dance moves leave a little to be desired but the crowd seemed to like it.

North Texas meanwhile is continuing to inch closer to its third straight 20-win season. Up by 13 with under seven to play.

Best Mascots About To Collide
4:29 p.m.
The Blog certainly isn't trying to counts its chickens before they hatch, but NT's shots just keep falling, and we have to look ahead to tomorrow's mascot matchup. Tomorrow's semifinal would pit the ever-powerful Scrappy with Western Kentucky's No. 1 seed Big Red.

As far as mascot matchups go, this is pretty much like Ali vs. Frasier. I can never turn my back on Scrappy, but this is certainly a tough assignment for the big bird. The Blog is going to let the fans decide. We want to hear what you think!

Start Stretching
4:14 p.m.
That’s what North Texas is doing with this lead. It was 10 at the break, slowly but surely the Mean Green are taking control of this game. The Mean Green has led wire-to-wire and are showing no signs of slowing down. Odufuwa and Tramiel are also back in and proving to be a load to handle for MTSU.

More On The Four
3:37 p.m.
Tristan's four-point play was just one of the daggers from deep that the Mean Green has dropped on the Blue Raiders. MTSU has no answer for North Texas' perimiter presence, which has splashed home 4-of-6 attempts. The Blue Raiders are shooting just over 26 percent themselves, but the free throw line has bailed out MTSU on multiple occasions. They are 13-of-16 from the stripe in the half - that's right half!

Make That Four Please
3:31 p.m.
Is there anything more exciting than a 3-pointer in college hoops? How about a four-point play. That’s what Tristan Thompson just dropped in. Using perhaps the quickest release this side of the Mississippi river Thompson tossed up a jumper from the right side and was taken down in a hurry. And he finished from the free throw line.

They Are Who We Thought They Were!
3:17 p.m.
The Blog thinks fans of both teams are getting what everyone expected of the No. 4 versus No. 5 matchup - a close-fought battle! Seven minutes into the game North Texas leads 11-6, but bodies are definitely flying in the paint. Eric Tramiel and Kedrick Hogans have been in the middle of a couple of tussles, and layups have been tough to come by for both teams.

Hogan’s My Hero
3:13 p.m.
Kendrick of the bench with a quick rebound, a put back, and a defensive stop of MTSU’s Desmond Yates. With George Odufuwa on the bench with two fouls Hogans is going to have to come up big. So far Hogans has four points and four rebounds off the bench.

Crowd Update
2:54 p.m.
Both the North Texas and MTSU sections have filled up nicely while the near side is full of locals, fans of other teams, and the curious. All in all a nice turnout on a Sunday afternoon. Battle of the bands edge goes to North Texas, the blog just doesn’t like horizontal stripes and that’s what the Blue Raider bands is decked out in.

That’s for teams that play soccer in Europe, not basketball bands.

Q and A
2:27 p.m.
Checking the e-mail questions as we get closer to the top here at the Summit Arena

Q: Steve from Lewisville: How is the turnout looking for the men’s game?

A: Still about 35 minutes away but the Mean Green side is starting to fill in nicely. An educated guess would be around 250 or so.

Quit Being A Wimp
1:56 p.m.
Among the other dignitaries that are in the house are former UALR, Alabama, and I’m sure somewhere I’m forgetting coach Wimp Sanderson. Wimp is in town to do color on the TV games for ESPN...something, and was talking with SBC commissioner Wright Waters about a number of topics

The one that stood out was Sanderson complaining about coaches these days who complain too much about officiating. Maybe not so much about complaining, but not coaching like they did in his days.

I’m hoping before the tournament is over we get to see Wimp in that classic checker coat on TV.

In The House
1:31 p.m.
Johnny Jones and company have arrived at the Summit Arena. Have to admit, there is a nice turnout from the locals here in Hot Springs. If your wondering about the mood its pretty relaxed. No looks of apprehension more of a locked in look of anticipating. Which is what March is all about.

Over Already?!?!

8:31 a.m.

The players are wrapping up with some free throws, and it looks like our time in Summit Arena is done for the morning. The Blog will try to gather some interesting tidbits for you leading up to the game, but as always, shoot us your questions and comments.

We already have a question from Tim Smith about the dance team that we will dive into this afternoon!

Submit your question or comment here.

Jeezy In The House

8:29 a.m.

There are some who think that North Texas’ array of shooters and depth at the guard position are the reason the Mean Green are so tough to guard on a nightly basis. The Blog and the Mean Green Radio Network know differently, and we’re going to let you guys in on a little secret It’s Young Jeezy.

As a (strange) gift from the Sun Belt Conference and the Louisiana-Lafayette sports information department, the Blog was given a gift pack prior to the 2007 SBC Tournament that included a bottle of red wine, Mardi Gras beads, a Prejeans shirt, a plastic crawfish and a Young Jeezy cd. Despite the gifted cd being a little out of place with the rest of the items, the Blog proudly displayed the cd on press row, and the Mean Green went on to win the Sun Belt Championship.

That Young Jeezy cd has been at every Mean Green game since then. The cover is a little cracked, and the cd has never been listened to, but it remains the official good luck charm of the Blog and the MGRN.

Getting Right Down To It

8:20 a.m.

With just 20 minutes on the floor, there is no time for the usual array of warm up drill that the Mean Green normally runs through. Instead, coach Jones has his troops work on their full-court offensive sets, and most importantly, getting shots up on both ends of the floor.

This session is about getting the players comfortable with playing in this arena, and I don’t need to tell you what happens when players like Adam McCoy get comfortable. The Blue Raiders found out on Valentines Day when the senior exploded for 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting.

McCoy is easily one of the nation’s hottest shooters right now, averaging 20.2 points per game on 57.4 percent shooting over his last six games.

Stretch It Out

8:11 a.m.

Hot Springs saw a little overnight rain last night, but to steal a joke from trainer Brad Anderson, “I talked with their trainer, and we have decided to go ahead and play the game indoors.”

Every time one of the players complains about the weather, that line is sure to follow. Brad is leading the guys through their pre-practice stretches right now and will have them ready for the 20-minute shoot around.

The Blog has gotten a couple questions about the short practice times, but it simply boils down to space and time. There is just one floor, and 16 teams (men and women) that need to use it for games and practice. This is NT’s first go in Summit Arena. They decided to skip their short session yesterday, and opted to go for a longer practice a Hot Springs High.

Top O’ The Mornin’

8:04 a.m.

Just a little over seven hours removed from the last entry, the MeanGreenSports.com Blog is back on the job for the morning shoot around of the No. 4 seed North Texas men as they prepare for No. 5 Middle Tennessee at 3 p.m. today.

North Texas and Middle Tennessee seem to only play on “make-out holidays”, but I promise there is no love loss between these two. The Mean Green fell in overtime to the Blue Raiders on New Years Eve, but avenged the loss on Valentines Day in Murfreesboro.

Despite the earliest (and quickest) shoot around of the year, all of the North Texas players seem bright-eyed and ready roll. Coach Jones has a confident grin on his face and is watching troops warm up.

Blogging Resumes In A Few Hours

11:44 p.m.

Thanks to the PA guy here at Summit Arena, we now know that Daylight Savings Time rolls our clocks up an hour tonight. That means that the Mean Green men will take the court for shoot around in a little over seven hours.

The Blog will be back up and running for the morning shoot around, and will continue to give you insights into North Texas basketball. Check back with us tomorrow morning for the next update as the men take on Middle Tennessee at 3 p.m.

Denver Pulling Away

10:42 p.m.

Denver has pushed their lead to 57-43, and is showing no signs of letting up with just over seven minutes left. The Mean Green has pulled a few punches this year, and the Blog would say that the inaugural year of “94 Feet of Heat” has been a success despite the soon-to-be 11-20 record.

Head coach Shanice Stephens and her staff have instilled a new level of discipline in the program, and an up-tempo style of play that fans are going to enjoy for years to come. Combine that with a killer recruiting class coming to Denton next year, and the Mean Green will be no stranger to Hot Springs over the next few seasons!

Three-Ball Barrage

10:26 p.m.

This Denver squad has used the three-ball to survive a palpable Mean Green surge. The Pioneers have stretched their lead to the largest of the game (47-34) by hitting 4-of-10 from deep. When these two squads played last Sunday night Denver couldn’t buy a 3-pointer, hitting just 1-of-13 from beyond the arc.

Whatever Coach Stephens Said At Halftime Is Working

10:12 p.m.

Who is this team wearing the North Texas jerseys? The Mean Green have come out of the half on fire, scoring five straight points in under a minute to prompt a timeout from the Denver bench.

With the crowd yelling the signature “North ... Texas” chant, Brittney James hit a 3-point play to bring the Mean Green back to within six points at 32-26. NT has also forced a pair of DU turnovers with a renewed defensive intensity.

Jo Knows Free Throws

10:08 p.m.

Jo Hall played that first half like she didn’t want this to be her last game. The senior tallied a team-high 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting, but most importantly, got to the free throw line six times.

Sometimes when the offense isn’t clicking, a few trips to the charity stripe will help slow the game down, and Hall was the catalyst.

Cold Shooting

9:55 p.m.

The first half has come to an end here at Summit Arena and the Mean Green has yet to find its shooting touch. North Texas is hitting 18.2 percent of its shots so far, which is its second lowest outing of the year. That mark is countered by a hot-shooting DU squad that has made over half of its attempts.

Still, the Mean Green is still down just 11 points (32-21) at half, which isn’t insurmountable considering NT’s history of second-half surges.

Even the cheerleaders are having trouble with their shots. One NT cheerleader just fell to a DU counterpart in a layup contest. Luckily she isn’t suiting up for the Mean Green.

They’ve Got A Fever!

9:49 p.m.

The Blog was given a helpful update from Troy Phillips of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He made a special trip down the floor to check out the Denver band, and has let the Blog know that the Pioneers have, in fact, brought nine band members rather than seven as erroneously reported earlier.

Troy also let me know that on top of the electric violin, the Pioneers also feature TWO cowbell players. The Blog is pretty sure that was a Saturday Night Live skit!

Thanks For The Heads Up
9:40 p.m.

The public address announcer here at Summit Arena just reminded all fans in attendance to wind their clocks forward for Daylight Savings. How helpful, and unusual at the same time. Another first at the Sun Belt Tournament!

Spark Off The Bench
9:37 p.m.

Not only did Kelli Buckley come right off the bench and nail a run-stopping three-pointer, but the senior also just came up with a very timely steal. Down eight points with 7:32 left on the clock, the San Antonio native dove through a laid-out DU player and smartly called a quick timeout to secure the Mean Green possession.

Buckley might just be the spark the Mean Green was looking for!

Stuck In Neutral
9:27 p.m.

After that Tricia Lee three, North Texas has gone ice cold. The Mean Green has missed its next 16 shots from the floor. Denver has responded with a 12-1 run that spanned nine minutes.

Hopefully the 2-3 zone look that NT has shifted to will slow down the DU attack and put the Mean Green into a new flow offensively.

Cold Streak Halted By Dance Team
9:19 p.m.

The Mean Green Dance Team just made its Hot Springs debut to the Basketball Band’s rendition of “Fly Like an Eagle”. And the Blog has a feeling that any neutral fans in attendance just started pulling for North Texas!

It looks like the Mean Green is going to need them too after hitting just one of its first 10 shots. NT now trails the Pioneers 10-4, but there is still plenty of time left in frame.

Lee Kicks Things Off In Style
9:07 p.m.

We’re underway here in Hot Springs after the Sun Belt’s epically long pregame intros, and Tricia Lee put North Texas on the scoreboard first with a deep three from the left corner. Lee has been one of NT’s best 3-point sharp shooters all year, and that offering was her 32^nd of the year which ranks second on the squad.

Her look from deep sent the Mean Green fans in attendance into a frenzy. The Mean Green fans easily outnumber the Denver contingent. The Blog thinks that might have something to do with the electric violin.

Tip Off Inquiry
8:59 p.m.

It’s time for another quick question before the action kicks off here in Hot Springs. Bob Campbell from Rogers, Ark. wants to know ...

If (when) the ladies win tonight, when will they play their next game?

The Blog is going with WHEN the Mean Green wins rather than IF, but thanks for the question Bob. With a win tonight, No. 11 seed North Texas would move on to face No. 2 UALR in the semifinals on Monday. Tip off is scheduled for 3 p.m., and will be available on ESPN Regional television. If you can’t get ahold of the ESPN broadcast, the Sun Belt is webcasting the entire tournament on its website sunbeltsports.org.

Finally, time for tip off!

Follow The Leader
8:52 p.m.

The Mean Green and the Pioneers are about to tip off, and just judging by coach Shanice Stephens, North Texas is ready for action. The first-year head coach was looking anything but a rookie backstage. She said that the squad has had its best practices of the season since arriving in Hot Springs, and is expecting big things from the Mean Green. Coach couldn’t be more relaxed heading into just her second ever Sun Belt Tournament game.

After NT’s performance in Jonesboro, Ark. on Wednesday, the Blog doesn’t find that too hard to believe ... tip off is in eight minutes.

Battle of the Bands
8:45 p.m.

The game hasn’t even started yet, but the Mean Green has already notched one victory. That would be in the battle of the bands, where the Mean Green Basketball Band brought everything (including the kitchen sink) to help NT take on Denver.

The Pioneer Pep Band is not looking quite as impressive. Only seven strong, the Pioneer Band has the most unusual instrument the Blog has ever seen at a basketball game. One of the seven DU band members is rocking an electric violin. Seriously.

Warmups Start Time For First Question
8:35 p.m.

Our first email question arrived not more than five minutes after the Blog opened up the forum. So, Courtland from Los Angeles, you get the first crack.

“Do you see a lot of fans from NT and/or other schools around town? You mentioned locals were very welcoming...does it seem like they're also attending the games?”

Good question Courtland. The city of Hot Springs has really been buzzing with excitement since we got here yesterday. We are in the same hotel as Middle Tennessee, Troy and Denver, all of which brought quite a contingent of fans down for the games. It seems like everywhere you go around the city there are folks with different Sun Belt school shirts and hats.

I talked with one set of Troy fans that drove 11 hours to be here yesterday. Now that’s pretty impressive!

North Texas’ fans are spread throughout a handful of hotels, but were definitely out in force. The Mean Green will have a pretty nice cheering section when they take on the Pioneers in a few minutes.

The locals seem to be filling up Summit Arena as well. UALR’s women played just before NT, and with Little Rock just an hour down the road, they brought in a ton of people. Hopefully a few of them will stick around and help cheer on the Mean Green!

Ready To Rock!
8:15 p.m.

NT and Denver are set to take the floor for warm-ups, and the Blog thinks there probably isn’t another team that the Mean Green would rather face out of the gates here in Hot Springs.

First off, the Mean Green and the Pioneers are getting quite familiar with each other. Tonight’s quarterfinal game will be their second matchup of the last six days, with DU taking a 61-48 win last Sunday in the Mile High City.

But that loss was on Denver’s turf. North Texas has to like its odds in this neutral court matchup. Denver has struggled mightily on the road this year with a 4-10 mark away from Magness Arena. One of those 10 losses came in a 76-69 loss to the Mean Green in Denton on Jan. 14.

-First if your in Hot Springs, head to the Arlington Hotel by 7:30 p.m. to send off the ladies with a bang. The cheerleaders, dance team, and band will be outside to serenade the Mean Green before heading to the Summit Arena.

-Two: game time is at 9 p.m., air time for KNTU is at 8:45, blogging is non-stop, not just during media timeouts. We will have more than just the score too, it’s the tournament, the blog needs to kick into tournament gear and we will do all we can to give you a courtside view.

-Three: the Mean Green is facing a Denver team that hasn’t had a lot of success away from the thin air. The Pioneers have won 15 games, but 11 of those have been at home, just four away from home. Why is that important? The Mean Green has won seven of its 11 games this season away from home, tying the school record, we think Shanice Stephens squad prefers the road Green’s this year.

-Four: No other first-year head coach at North Texas has taken their team further in a conference tournament than Shanice Stephens. Also keep this in mind, she’s been part of tournament success before, taking her alma mater Oklahoma State to the Sweet 16 as a player and the blog knows that she lives for tournament play.

Five: Home Court advantage. It’s the late game, 9 p.m., Denver is 937 miles away, Denton 327. Word on the street is the Mean Green could have a nice showing of support tonight, and throw the 75 or so members of the band, cheerleaders, and dance team, the Mean Green will have the edge in that category. And here’s hoping Denver didn’t rent a band this year!

Got A Question?
4:34 p.m.
The Blog is getting ready to head over to Summit Arena for tonight's women's tilt between North Texas and Denver, and wants your feedback! Shoot us a comment or question and we will answer it during tonight's game. We'll be blogging during every Mean Green game in the Sun Belt Tournament, so keep those questions and comments coming.

Submit your question or comment here.

The Blog Goes Gangster
3:38 p.m.
The players and coaches had a little down time this afternoon, which means the Blog had a little time to see the sights of Hot Springs. The Blog headed down past Bathhouse Row on historic Central Avenue, and "hit" (pun intended) up the the Gangster Museum of America. It doesn't look like it now, but Hot Springs was a haven of organized crime in the early half of the 20th century, and was the vacation getaway for some of the most famous mob bosses of all time, including Al Capone, Owney Madden and Lucky Luciano among many others.

The museum told the story of illegal gambling and its ties to politics and the underworld, and even boasts a confiscated roulette table and Tommy Gun from a heist in the 1960s. If you're headed up to Hot Springs for a game this weekend, put the Gangster Museum of America on your to-do list in between a trip to Oaklawn Park and a dip in the bathhouse.

Hot Springs High
11:31 a.m.
That’s the practice location of the Mean Green men today. They hit the floor at noon for their final preparations for Middle Tennessee tomorrow afternoon. North Texas arrived in town last night around 9 then proceeded to have a team-only dinner.

After practice today it’s off to a local steakhouse for the guys at 2 p.m. Early bets have Eric Tramiel as the favorite for who can and will eat the biggest steak served up. My money is on Justin Howerton though, as a senior whose eating steak, I wouldn’t stop until they made me. We’ve advised him to do the same.

Shoot Around Observations
11:05 a.m.
I have to be quick because the shoot-around was only 20 minutes....Shanice Stephens and co. were all business this morning. It was a little helter skelter because of the limited time but Yari Escalera and Tricia Lee were very vocal.

Perimeter game was an area of work while the suddenly resurgent Mimi Goodman looked more confident than ever. I think it’s the Arkansas water (you won’t see that phrase often) that has her going again. Being a native from here she seems to like playing in her home state more than ever these days.

No injuries to report and the team was as loose as they have been all year long. Now the hardest part of the day begins, waiting. T-minus 10 hours and counting till tip.

Top Of The Summit
9:59 a.m.
This is year one of the Sun Belt’s trek to Hot Springs and the Summit Arena. Just to give you a sneak peek inside the arena and what fans can expect, we took some notes. This will make some NT fans squeamish, but there’s a lot of blue in the building.

The seats are blue and the floor is also painted in blue with some white mixed into the logo on the floor but to be quite honest it’s a great venue for the league. If it’s packed, this place holds 6,000 max. But from a logistical standpoint, the league couldn’t ask for a better setup.

The city has also embraced the tournament with open arms, I can’t tell you how many billboards, banners, and signs were up at local business and street corners promoting the tourney. And it’s a short 5-hour drive in from Denton which should mean a lot of Mean Green fans. We’ve heard there will be a bus load of students making there way into the area tomorrow afternoon for the men’s game with Middle Tennessee

Time Killers
9:39 a.m.
Well its still 11 hours until tip between North Texas and Denver so what exactly are the girls doing to make the clock go faster. If your Yari Escalera its homework. Yari was seen studying out of some sort of advance accounting book, which looked more complicated than the US tax code.

Others, the new national pastime of texting and talking on the cell phones. A few smart ones though took our advice and are sleeping. Can’t get enough of that.

The Mean Green does have a 20-minute shoot-around today in the morning but that’s all the prep work they get today because of time limitations at the Summit Arena and the fact that there are three other games before the 9 p.m. tip with Denver.

Getting It Hot In Hot Springs
9:15 a.m.
It’s game day, or shall we say morning, and the North Texas women’s basketball team is trying to kill the time until their game tips with Denver tonight.....Late tonight. Shanice Stephens squad, (also known in these parts as S2) spent the whole day in Hot Springs following its upset win over Ark. State on Wednesday.

After a brief practice (SBC rules only allow 55 minutes on the floor) the Mean Green went back to its hotel, the Arlington (former hideout of Al Capone), and did the obligatory study hall, but not from a boring hotel room or lobby.

The coaching staff took the team out to the top of Hot Springs National Park to study under the watchful eye of the 50-foot magnolia trees and the springs themselves. We weren’t there, but we heard Coach Stephens dipped her toe into the springs only to find out that’s not lukewarm water flowing, that’s 135 degrees of underground heated water.

The team also enjoyed the SBC pep rally last night in which it was the battle of the bands. North Texas went last, but you always save the best for last. Pretty fun night for the girls and anytime you have mascots running around a large ballroom, it makes for a great night. Scrappy was behaved and despite threats of ejection from SBC hired-gun Mike Garrity no feathers were ruffled.