North Texas Mean Green vs. Tulane Green Wave
Date: March 12, 2014
Time: 1:00 pm CT
Location: El Paso, TX
Line: UNT -3
TV:None
Webcast: C-USA Digital Network (March 11-13)
Radio:MGRN – 88.1 KNTU-FM, 95.3 KHYI-FM
All-Time Series:Tulane leads 1-0
Statistical Break Down
|
North Texas |
|
Tulane |
|
16-15 |
W-L |
16-15 |
|
70 |
POINTS FOR |
64 |
|
73 |
POINTS AGAINST |
70 |
|
42% |
FG% |
41% |
|
43% |
FG% DEF |
44% |
|
70% |
FT% |
70% |
|
33% |
3PT FG% |
35% |
|
34% |
3PT FG% DEF |
35% |
|
37 |
REB |
34 |
|
38 |
REF OPP |
34 |
|
10 |
ASSISTS |
9 |
|
13 |
TO’s |
13 |
|
7 |
STEALS |
5 |
Projected Starters:
Tulane
|
NAME |
POS |
PPG |
REB |
AST |
STL |
BLK |
FG% |
3PT% |
|
Tomas Bruha 7-0 |
F |
3 |
2.5 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.4 |
60% |
0% |
|
Tre Drye 6-6 |
F |
6.6 |
7.4 |
0.8 |
0.8 |
0.3 |
47% |
24% |
|
Jay Hook 6-3 |
G |
13.9 |
5.0 |
0.8 |
0.8 |
0 |
45% |
48% |
|
Louis Dabney 6-3 |
G |
15.8 |
4.2 |
2.1 |
1.3 |
0.1 |
42% |
29% |
|
Jonathan Stark 6-0 |
G |
14.2 |
2.7 |
4.2 |
0.8 |
0 |
41% |
36% |
|
Key Reserve |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cameron Reynolds 6-6 |
G |
3.7 |
1.9 |
0.5 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
26% |
32% |
|
Payton Henson 6-8 |
F |
3.4 |
2.7 |
0.4 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
26% |
0% |
North Texas
|
NAME & HT |
POS |
PPG |
REB |
AST |
STL |
BLK |
FG% |
3PT% |
|
Armani Flannigan 6-8 |
F |
2.4 |
2.1 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
0.9 |
55% |
0% |
|
Colin Voss 6-7 |
F |
6.9 |
5.8 |
0.6 |
0.5 |
0.4 |
48% |
0% |
|
Jordan Williams 6-6 |
G |
12.3 |
6.2 |
0.4 |
0.8 |
0.5 |
41% |
31% |
|
Alzee Williams 6’4 |
G |
11.5 |
2.3 |
1.3 |
0.7 |
0 |
47% |
25% |
|
Chris Jones 6-2 |
G |
7.9 |
3.8 |
4 |
1.6 |
0 |
42% |
28% |
|
Key Reserves |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TJ. Taylor 6-3 |
G |
7.3 |
3 |
1.3 |
0.6 |
0.2 |
50% |
30% |
|
Maurice Aniefiok 6-5 |
G |
6.7 |
3.5 |
0.6 |
0 |
0.2 |
39% |
38% |
|
Ventrail Vaughns 6-2 |
G |
7.4 |
1.4 |
1.2 |
0.7 |
0 |
36% |
33% |
|
Brandon Walton 6-2 |
G |
6.5 |
2.1 |
0.6 |
0.8 |
0 |
37% |
35% |
|
Keith Coleman 6-10 |
F |
3.2 |
3.4 |
0.1 |
0 |
0.8 |
42% |
0% |
Game Preview:
“Let’s huddle up here. We’ve got some work to do. We got lucky in the first round. We caught those dirty Krauts napping, but that won’t happen again… “
UNT did get lucky yesterday. They survived a massive letdown by mounting a second half comeback against abysmal Rice. UNT overcame adversity, poor shooting, poor defense, and a super hot 3 point shooter to advance on to the second round. Rice provided some help along the way by going 14-30 from the free throw line. It was not pretty, but it doesn’t matter at this time of the year. It’s about surviving and advancing. Next up for UNT is the seven seed Tulane Green Wave, which is another team that UNT lost to during the year. They were able to sit and watch UNT yesterday by securing a first round bye. It should be a pretty evenly matched game with both teams having the same record.
Scouting Report:
UNT
Offense – Motion Offense with dribble drive principles. UNT likes to spread the floor and attack off the dribble with its guards. UNT will try to use their bigs to set screens in the high post in order to free up a driving lane. There is no threat of a roll from the big who set the screen due to the lack of scoring ability. To me it’s a waste to have either Gaines or Coleman setting screens on the ball. They need to work more off the ball trying to free up shooters. There really is no low block scoring threat for the Mean Green outside of Voss who is more suited to be taking the 15 ft jumper instead of playing with his back to the basket.
Defense- Man to Man / 2-3 Zone. UNT has to keep Tulane out of the paint and off the free throw line.
Tulane
Offense – Better shooting team than Rice. They get to the free throw line and knock them down (70%). 27% of their points come from the free throw line. Not going to try to run much they are more of a half court team ( Avg poss length 19 secs). Best player is Louis Dabney. Guard oriented team much like UNT. They want to get to the basket. They like to go one on one a lot. Not much of an assist team ( Last in the conf 9 per game in conf).
Defense – Mostly Zone. Good rebounding team out of the zone.
Advantages:
These two teams are pretty evenly matched in the back court. Tulane has 3 guys who are pretty good and played well last time out against UNT. UNT has 6 to 7 guys who could go for double digits. Brandon Walton has been playing really well lately and they will need his long distance shooting today. Chris Jones and Jordan Williams have been pretty solid. It’s going to take one more guy to step up and have a big day if UNT wants to win this advantage.
Neither one of these teams are particularly good in the front court. I give the slight advantage to UNT here because Colin Voss played about as good as he could yesterday. Plus I think Coleman or Flannigan can give UNT something against Tulane.
Ed Conroy doesn’t have a great resume, but he has been a decent coach. He won 20 games last year at Tulane and has taken a team to a post season tourney ( The Citadel CIT 09’).
Key Personnel Matchup:
Tulane’s Jonathan Stark vs. UNT’s Chris Jones
Last time out against the Mean Green the freshman Stark went for 20 points 6 rebounds and 1 assist. Stark is really the keys to the car that drive Tulane. He has a nice balance of driving and shooting ability that makes him a tough guard. On the other side Jones is the guy who could really push UNT over the edge. In crunch time UNT turned to Jones and he provided the closing points that UNT needed for the win.
Keys to the Game:
- Quick Start. Please whatever we do before games, let’s change it up. We just can’t afford these slow starts at this time of year.
- Finishing at the Basket. Still an issue. If UNT could just finish better around the rim this team would’ve won 20 games.
- Stop Dribble Drive Penetration. It’s going to be a high priority again today
- Strong Help Defense. Been non-existent many time this year for UNT. Better performance against Rice, but still sub par.
- Take Effective Shots. I’m tired of the shots that UNT takes where they drive into a crowded lane and force it up. Stop it, that’s junior high stuff.
The Pick:
I’ve gone back and forth with this one. When the brackets were first released, I had UNT winning this one. Then yesterday happened and it caused me to re-think my initial thoughts. The talent is about as even as it gets in this game, but UNT has the depth. Tulane has to have good production from its 3 guards. If they don’t get it they will struggle, like they have they past two games. UNT on the other hand has more guys who could provided scoring. If UNT can keep this game close and under 70 I like their chances a lot. I’m going to stick with UNT in a squeaker.
UNT
Go Mean Green!
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