North Texas Men's Basketball Fan Guide
The Mean Green enter the intensely-anticipated 2012-13 season with a new head coach leading perhaps the most talented roster in the program's history.
Tony Benford, with a resume as one of the nation’s most respected assistant coaches, becomes the 17th head coach of the North Texas men’s basketball team, and he has assembled an impressive and experienced staff consisting of assistant coaches Rob Evans, Bart Lundy and David Anwar.
Benford inherits a fully-stocked cupboard, a deep and talented roster that includes the top seven scorers from last season. Leading the way is NBA draft-lottery prospect 6-8 forward Tony Mitchell, who averaged a double-double in 2011-12. Also back are guards Chris Jones, Jordan Williams and Alzee Williams, who all averaged double figures in points, along with Brandon Walton, Roger Franklin and Jacob Holmen. Adding to that veteran mix are three intriguing transfers: 6-10, 250-pound forward Keith Coleman, forward Justin Patton, and guard T.J. Taylor.
A Seriously Upgraded Schedule
For his first season, coach Benford has dramatically upgraded the Mean Green's non-conference schedule, putting together a slate loaded with teams from the RPI Top 100 and 10 games against opponents that reached the NCAA Tournament or the NIT a year ago.
The five-game home non-conference schedule is highlighted by visits from Lehigh (December 20), which was just the sixth No. 15 seed to knock off a No. 2 seed when the Mountain Hawks (27-8) downed Duke, 75-70, in the opening round of last year's NCAA Tournament, and UT-Arlington (November 28), which is coming off a 24-win season and NIT berth in 2011-12. The Mean Green will also host Cameron, Jackson State and Southeastern Louisiana.
The six-game road non-conference schedule features games at mid-major powers Creighton and St. Louis, which both reached the NCAA Tournament third round last season, as well the first trip to the prestigious NIT Preseason Tip Off in school history. North Texas will open that event on November 12 in Manhattan, Kansas, against Alabama-Huntsville, followed by a game against Lamar or Kansas State. The tournament continues the following week.
The Mean Green's final Sun Belt schedule includes home dates with 2011-12 league regular-season champ Middle Tennessee on January 24 and 2011-12 Sun Belt tournament champ Western Kentucky on February 7.
TonyMitchell13.com Website
The North Texas Athletic Department has launched a new website dedicated to North Texas sophomore forward Tony Mitchell, TonyMitchell13.com.
The site displays Mitchell's remarkable skills and features "Anatomy of a Dunk," allowing site visitors to go step-by-step through a detailed dissection of a Tony Mitchell dunk, with comments from the 6-8 sophomore. The site also features a bio page, a gallery of photos and video highlights, and reviews of Mitchell from basketball experts across the nation. The site will be updated throughout the season with Mitchell's statistics and more photos and videos.
The Super Pit and Game Parking
North Texas plays all men's and women's home basketball games at the UNT Coliseum, better known as the Super Pit, on the campus of the University of North Texas.
Parking for North Texas home basketball games is free. The primary parking lot is at Fouts Field, just across North Texas Boulevard from the Super Pit. Parking is also allowed in the Lot 27, which is at the corner of Highland and Avenue D, directly across Avenue D from the Pit. Mean Green Club members also have access to parking next to the Super Pit on Highland Street.
For a detailed map of all Super Pit parking and the routes into each lot, click here for our interactive Super Pit Parking Map.
The Pit Crew
The Pit Crew is the official student section at North Texas home basketball games. There's a reason that North Texas has such a home-court advantage - because Mean Green students are loud and proud and give the Super Pit the reputation as being an intimidating place to play.
The Pit Crew assembles prior to each home game at the staging area on the Super Pit concourse at Gate B. Students are encouraged to get there as early as possible to get their Mean Green giveaways, cheer sheets, and newspapers to use for visiting team introductions. The Pit Crew staging area closes just after tip-off.
Students, click here for the North Texas Students' Fan Guide, with ticket information for all Mean Green Sports.
Click here for the Pit Crew photo album.
If you have any suggestions for the cheer sheet, send an e-mail to: AthMarketing@unt.edu.
Season Tickets and Mini Plans
Season tickets are available now for the 2012-13 season. North Texas has 15 home games this year, including the November 16 home opener against Cameron, a meeting with local rival UTA at the Super Pit on November 28, the Sun Belt opener on December 1 against Louisiana-Lafayette, and a three-game homestand December 8-20 against Jackson State, Southeastern Louisiana, and Lehigh.
Season tickets start at $85, and include all 15 home non-conference and Sun Belt games as well as the November 1 exhibition.
North Texas also offers two mini plans this year. The Holiday Pack is $30 for premium seats to the seven games (four men's, three women's) at the Super Pit from December 16 to January 5, which includes the men's game against Lehigh and the women's game against UTA. The 4 For $40 mini plan is premium reserved seats for four games (men's or women's) of your choice for $40.
Tickets can be purchased online or at the North Texas Athletic Ticket Office located on the west side of Apogee Stadium. The ticket office is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the year. To purchase online, click here. For the Super Pit seating chart, click here.
Click here for the 2012-13 Basketball Ticket Brochure.
Mean Green Family Fun Pack
The Family Fun Pack is four game tickets and four food items and four drinks from the concession stands. Season-ticket Family Fun Packs are $345, or single-game Fun Packs are $35 purchased in advance or $40 at the gate.
Single-Game Tickets
Single-game tickets are $12 for premium reserved seats and $7 for baseline reserved. Tickets may be purchased at the North Texas Athletic Ticket Office located on the west side of Apogee Stadium. On home-game days, tickets are available at the Super Pit, at Gates A and D.
Mean Green Hospitality Package
Business and community leaders, come to the Super Pit for a great night out with your colleagues, clients or congregation. Hospitality Packages start at $500 for a group of 50 and includes a catered meal, pregame visit from spirit groups, and a coach's chalk talk. For more information, call the Athletic Ticket Office at 940-565-2527.
Group Ticket Packages
Groups of 15 or more can purchase reduced-price tickets, starting at $6 per ticket, and come with various amenities. For more information, call the Athletic Ticket Office at 940-565-2527.
Birthday Parties At The Super Pit
Have your kid's birthday party at the Super Pit! Packages start at $90 and include tickets, pizza and drinks for 10, with tables and chairs in the concourse area for the pre-game party. For more information, call the Athletic Ticket Office at 940-565-2527.
2013 Sun Belt Conference Basketball Tournament
This season's Sun Belt post-season tournament will be in Hot Springs, Arkansas, March 8-11, and tickets will be available through the North Texas Athletic Ticket Office. The tournament book this year will be $90 and includes admission to all men's and women's games.
Mean Green Club
The Mean Green Club raises funds for North Texas athletic scholarships. As tuition costs continue to rise, the need for increasing membership rises as well. Donations to the Mean Green Club help support nearly 350 North Texas student-athletes each year, and provide them with the best collegiate experience possible. As we continue to progress as a department, growth in the Mean Green Club is vital.
Members receive exclusive access to North Texas Athletics and year-long benefits such as invitations to member-only events, the best parking and seating available, and so much more. Mean Green Club membership and season-ticket purchases also increase your Priority Points, which are awarded for donations, consecutive-season ticket purchases and longevity of membership within the Mean Green Club. Click here for information on becoming a member.
Beth Marie's Junior Mean Green Club
North Texas fans, get started early in support of your Mean Green! The Beth Marie's Junior Mean Green Club is perfect for young fans to experience special opportunities and join all the excitement of North Texas athletics! Children 15 years of age or younger can join the Beth Marie's Junior Mean Green Club. Annual membership is only $20 per child. Click here for details on how to sign up your child.
Mean Green Radio Network
The Mean Green Radio Network broadcasts North Texas football and basketball games on KHYI 95.3 FM The Range and KNTU-FM 88.1. The MGRN broadcast team is led by North Texas alumnus and top-rated sports talk show host George Dunham of 1310-AM, KTCK - The Ticket and Hank Dickenson, the Mean Green's Deputy Athletic Director. Click here to listen live.
MeanGreenSports.com
Keep up with all Mean Green sports through the official website of North Texas Athletics, MeanGreenSports.com.
There's simply no better source for Mean Green men's basketball information, including news, schedules and results, rosters, statistics, and coach profiles.
Mean Green On Twitter And Facebook
Twitter and Facebook are great sources of up-to-the-minute news and results of North Texas athletics. A steady stream of scores and notes are posted on Twitter @meangreensports. Click here for a list of all the Mean Green Twitter and Facebook pages.
Mean Green Spirit And Traditions
The spirit of the Mean Green is prevalent throughout the University of North Texas but never more so than during Mean Green sports events. Participate and enjoy these Mean Green game-day rituals.