North Texas Head Basketball Coach Johnny Jones during his coaches’ show talked about the LSU game and how LSU Coach Trent Johnson was a stand up guy to play North Texas in Denton because it is hard to get big name programs to play at The Super Pit.  He felt LSU played with renewed confidence compared to last year.  They had a lot taller players and better players this year over last year when North Texas knocked them off in Baton Rouge.

The coach said his team played hard and responded well however, “LSU did a great job of executing on the offensive end.” They also did a better job defensively “they’re one of the better defensive teams we’ve played all year long.”   They made the stops when they needed to and with about “four or five minutes left in the game, they made big plays.”  LSU got up by seven and it was tough for North Texas to make a comeback.

Jones felt that if Tony Mitchell had played several more contests before the LSU game it would have been more exciting. He pointed out when players like Michael Jordan and Michael Vick were away from their game it took awhile for them to get their game back. It is the same with Mitchell. The LSU game was a great learning experience for him to understand what the team is facing in competition and to understand “the level we’re trying to play at.”

Mitchell had a great game against South Alabama which Jones stated “it was one of the better individual performances I’ve had an opportunity to witness.”  He was shooting at the basket, hitting the three pointers and defending against one of the best post players in the league.

As for learning the coach felt Mitchell is not forcing anything and allowing the game to come to him. He’s not out on the court shooting bad shots or hurrying shots which is a sign he is trying to make the players around him better. With him in the lineup the team has become a better defensive and offensive team. It is because Mitchell shares the ball with other players allowing them to make plays.

The next opponent is Western Kentucky. The two teams have faced each other 16 times since being conference members but only four times have they met in Denton. Since 2006 one of the two teams has been in the conference final.  Jones said when he took over the North Texas thought WKU was the cream of the conference he wanted North Texas to have the success they have had. He feels over the last few years “we have closed that gap tremendously.”

On January 18^th, North Texas will face Huston-Tillotson for an exhibition game. It is DISD day where students from DISD will be attending the game. Jones said he liked the high school students being there because it is a way for North Texas to reach down to the students and make contact with the community. He felt some students may never set foot on a college campus and this was a great way for them to get to see a college setting and North Texas Basketball.

Jones stated the Louisiana-Monroe game might be moved to a 2 PM game because the Saints may be playing a 4PM game.

Jones stated that Alzee Williams is making “huge impact for us” with his play. “He’s kind of an unsung hero for us.”  His numbers has been improving over the season and he is making a difference on the team.

There was a question concerning the last shot made by ASU at the buzzer. Jones thought ASU got the shot off and was on his way to congratulate the ASU coaches but he was told to go back because the officials wanted to review that play. It was close, when looking at it one way the red light on the goal was on and the ball was still in the shooters hand. However, just because the light was on, sometimes it goes off a fraction of a second before the actually time expires. ASU did get the shot off before the buzzer.