2016–17 North Texas Mean Green men's basketball team

2016–17 North Texas Mean Green men's basketball
ConferenceConference USA
Record8–22 (2–16 C-USA)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home arenaThe Super Pit
(Capacity: 10,040)
Seasons
2016–17 Conference USA men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Middle Tennessee † 17 – 1   .944 31 – 5   .861
Louisiana Tech 14 – 4   .778 23 – 10   .697
Old Dominion 12 – 6   .667 19 – 12   .613
UTEP 12 – 6   .667 15 – 17   .469
Rice 11 – 7   .611 23 – 12   .657
Marshall 10 – 8   .556 20 – 15   .571
UAB 9 – 9   .500 17 – 16   .515
Western Kentucky 9 – 9   .500 15 – 17   .469
UTSA 8 – 10   .444 14 – 19   .424
Charlotte 7 – 11   .389 13 – 17   .433
Florida Atlantic 6 – 12   .333 10 – 20   .333
Southern Miss 6 – 12   .333 9 – 22   .290
FIU 3 – 15   .167 7 – 24   .226
North Texas 2 – 16   .111 8 – 22   .267
† 2017 C-USA Tournament winner

The 2016–17 North Texas Mean Green men's basketball team represented the University of North Texas during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Mean Green, led by fifth-year head coach Tony Benford, played their home games at UNT Coliseum, nicknamed The Super Pit, in Denton, Texas, as members of Conference USA. They finished the season 8–22, 2–16 in C-USA play to finish in last place. They failed to qualify for the C-USA tournament.

On March 5, 2017, the school fired head coach Tony Benford after five years without a winning season.[1] On March 13, the school hired Arkansas State head coach Grant McCasland to the same role.[2]

Previous season

The Mean Green finished the 2015–16 season 12–20, 7–11 in C-USA play to finish in a three-way tie for ninth place. They lost in the second round of the C-USA tournament to WKU.

Preseason

The Mean Grean was picked to finish in 10th place in the preseason Conference USA poll.[3] Jeremy Combs was selected to the preseason All-Conference USA team.[3]

Departures

Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Notes
Carrington Ward 0 G 6'2" 180 RS Junior Philadelphia, PA Graduate transferred to Norfolk State
Chris Campbell 12 G 6'3" 180 Senior Houston, TX Graduated
Mike Thomas 14 C 6'11" 225 Junior Ville Platte, IN Ineligible for the 2016–17 season
DeAndre Harris 15 G 6'3" 191 RS Junior Milwaukee, WI Graduate transferred to Nicholls State
Eric Katenda 20 F 6'9" 240 Senior Paris, France Graduated
Todd Eaglin 30 G 5'11" 180 Senior The Woodlands, TX Graduated

Incoming Transfers

Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous School
Ryan Woolridge 0 G 6'3" 170 Sophomore Mansfield, TX Transferred from San Diego. Under NCAA transfer rules, Woolridge will have to sit out for the 2016–17 season. Will have three years of remaining eligibility.
Kevin Frazier 4 G 6'5" 190 Senior Dallas, TX Transferred from SMU. Under NCAA transfer rules, Frazier will have to sit out for the 2016–17 season. Will have one year of remaining eligibility.
Derail Green 11 F 6'7" 215 RS Senior Houston, TX Transferred from Incarnate Word. Will eligible to play since Green graduated from Incarnate Word.
Shane Temara 50 F 6'9" 235 Junior Syracuse, NY Junior college transferred from Angelina College.

Recruiting class of 2016

College recruiting information
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
A.J. Lawson
SF 		Bryan, TX Bryan High School 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 191 lb (87 kg) Oct 4, 2015 
Star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 0
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2016 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved August 7, 2016.

Roster

2016–17 North Texas Mean Green men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown
G 0 Ryan Woolridge (I) Current redshirt 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79 kg) So Lake Ridge HS
San Diego 		Mansfield, TX
F 1 Jeremy Combs 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Jr Carter HS Dallas, TX
G 2 Greg White-Pittman 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Jr Holy Cross HS New Orleans, LA
G 3 Ja'Michael Brown 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) So Pro-Vision Academy Raceland, LA
G 4 Keith Frazier (I) Current redshirt 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Sr Kimball HS
SMU 		Dallas, TX
G 5 Allante Holston 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 190 lb (86 kg) So Clinton Christian School Capitol Heights, MD
G 10 Deckie Johnson 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Sr Southwind HS
Angelina College 		Memphis, TN
F 11 Derail Green 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) RS Sr Klein Forest
Incarnate Word 		Houston, TX
G 12 A. J. Lawson 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Fr Bryan HS Bryan, TX
F 14 Bryce Jackson (W) 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 203 lb (92 kg) Jr Fossil Ridge HS
New Orleans 		Keller, TX
F 22 Khalil Fuller 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 260 lb (118 kg) So Rancho Verde HS Moreno Valley, CA
C 23 Rickey Brice, Jr. 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 270 lb (122 kg) So Pantego Christian HS Arlington, TX
G 24 Jacob Gross (W) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 191 lb (87 kg) RS Jr Sachse HS Sachse, TX
F 50 Shane Temara 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Jr West Genesee HS
Angelina College 		Syracuse, NY
G 52 J-Mychal Reese 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) RS Jr Bryan HS
Texas A&M 		Bryan, TX
G 55 D. J. Draper (W) 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 155 lb (70 kg) RS Fr Birdville HS Beford, TX
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster

Schedule and results

Date
time, TV 		Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Non-conference regular season
November 11, 2016*
7:00 pm, AFN 		Sul Ross State W 85–77  1–0
 The Super Pit (1,226)
Denton, TX
November 15, 2016*
6:30 pm, FSSW+ 		at Texas Tech L 43–70  1–1
 United Supermarkets Arena (9,534)
Luboock, TX
November 20, 2016*
1:00 pm, AFN 		Drexel
Scarlet Knight Showcase 		L 62–83  1–2
 The Super Pit (1,457)
Denton, TX
November 23, 2016*
6:30 pm, BTN+ 		at Rutgers
Scarlet Knight Showcase 		L 53–66  1–3
 Louis Brown Athletic Center (3,351)
Piscataway, NJ
November 25, 2016*
7:00 pm 		Niagara
Scarlet Knight Showcase 		W 80–71  2–3
 The Super Pit (1,411)
Denton, TX
November 27, 2016*
1:00 pm 		Hartford
Scarlet Knight Showcase 		W 81–78  3–3
 The Super Pit (1,566)
Denton, TX
November 30, 2016*
11:30 am 		Texas College W 73–45  4–3
 The Super Pit (2,006)
Denton, TX
December 3, 2016*
2:00 pm 		Texas–Arlington L 61–77  4–4
 The Super Pit (2,386)
Denton, TX
December 8, 2016*
7:00 pm 		Delaware State W 73–40  5–4
 The Super Pit (1,707)
Denton, TX
December 17, 2016*
6:30 pm 		at Sam Houston State W 71–65  5–5
 Bernard Johnson Coliseum (763)
Huntsville, TX
December 20, 2016*
7:00 pm 		Southeastern Louisiana W 71–65  6–5
 The Super Pit (1,707)
Denton, TX
December 22, 2016*
7:00 pm 		San Diego L 68–69  6–6
 The Super Pit (2,717)
Denton, TX
Conference USA regular season
December 31, 2016
11:00 am 		at Charlotte L 76–101  6–7
(0–1) 		Dale F. Halton Arena (3,792)
Charlotte, NC
January 2, 2017
4:00 pm 		at Old Dominion L 48–55  6–8
(0–2) 		Ted Constant Convocation Center (5,123)
Norfolk, VA
January 5, 2017
7:00 pm, ESPN3 		UAB L 52–54  6–9
(0–3) 		The Super Pit (1,603)
Denton, TX
January 7, 2017
2:00 pm 		Middle Tennessee L 68–79  6–10
(0–4) 		The Super Pit (2,263)
Denton, TX
January 14, 2017
2:00 pm 		at Rice L 79–101  6–11
(0–5) 		Tudor Fieldhouse (2,749)
Houston, TX
January 19, 2017
7:00 pm 		at Southern Miss L 65–75  6–12
(0–6) 		Reed Green Coliseum (2,285)
Hattiesburg, MS
January 21, 2017
6:00 pm 		at Louisiana Tech L 57–81  6–13
(0–7) 		Thomas Assembly Center (3,066)
Ruston, LA
January 26, 2017
7:00 pm 		Charlotte L 81–82  6–14
(0–8) 		The Super Pit (2,006)
Denton, TX
January 28, 2017
2:00 pm 		Old Dominion L 67–73  6–15
(0–9) 		The Super Pit (1,647)
Denton, TX
February 4, 2017
2:00 pm 		Rice L 80–95  6–16
(0–10) 		The Super Pit (2,154)
Denton, TX
February 9, 2017
6:00 pm 		at Florida Atlantic W 70–64  7–16
(1–10) 		FAU Arena (1,330)
Boca Raton, FL
February 11, 2017
6:00 pm 		at FIU L 71–90  7–17
(1–11) 		FIU Arena (877)
Miami, FL
February 16, 2017
7:00 pm, beIN 		UTEP L 71–77 OT 7–18
(1–12) 		The Super Pit (2,672)
Denton, TX
February 18, 2017
2:00 pm 		UTSA W 83–73  8–18
(2–12) 		The Super Pit (3,384)
Denton, TX
February 23, 2017
7:00 pm 		Louisiana Tech L 67–85  8–19
(2–13) 		The Super Pit (2,217)
Denton, TX
February 25, 2017
2:00 pm 		Southern Miss L 53–76  8–20
(2–14) 		The Super Pit (3,360)
Denton, TX
March 2, 2017
6:00 pm 		at WKU L 63–74  8–21
(2–15) 		E. A. Diddle Arena (3,676)
Bowling Green, KY
March 4, 2017
6:00 pm 		at Marshall L 104–106  8–22
(2–16) 		Cam Henderson Center (6,017)
Huntington, WV
*Non-conference game. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Central Time.

Source[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ "North Texas fires head coach Tony Benford after 5 seasons". USA TODAY. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
  2. ^ "North Texas hires McCasland as new coach". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
  3. ^ a b "MBK: UAB Voted C-USA Preseason Favorite". Conference USA. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  4. ^ "C-USA Announces Mens Basketball Conference Schedule - MEANGREENSPORTS.COM - The University of North Texas Official Athletic Site". www.meangreensports.com. Retrieved August 2, 2016.