The North Texas basketball team entered the 2009-2010 campaign with high expectations. The previous season ended with a closely fought contest to WKU in the SBC Semifinals. That Hilltoppers team went onto the 2nd Round of the NCAA Tournament, so many felt we were very close to a breakthrough campaign ourselves. Coach Jones seemed to have been building towards this season, with a huge Junior class, as well as a true Senior leader in Eric Tramiel. The conference coaches seemed to agree with the overall consensus nabbing us as the favorite to win the West in the annual preseason poll. Despite this, the season didn't get off to a promising start as crucial reserve Kedrick Hogans was injured before a game was played and had to be red shirted. Dominique Johnson also was banged up and would be rested early.

The season opened on November 13th, 2009 against Cameron in the SuperPit. We seemed rusty at the outset as the visiting team got out to an 8-3 advantage. Eventually we worked ourselves back in the game and tied the game at 18. From there we cruised the rest of the first half building a 48-31 advantage at the break. In the second stanza we could never drop the hammer down on Cameron, as they closed to within 11 at one point. However we never were seriously threatened and won going away (80-62). Josh White led four players in double figures with 19 points. George Odufuwa had a highly memorable night as he poured in a dozen, and grabbed 24 rebounds - the most by a North Texas player since 1978.

UTA has been a thorn in our side in recent years. Because of this, our early season game with the Mavs was significant to our fan base (if not the team itself). UTA got off to a good start and led throughout the first half as they forced us into 13 turnovers. Down 6 at the break JJ and the staff made some adjustments and we went on a quick 6-2 run to close to 42-40 forcing the Mavericks into a timeout. From there both teams traded leads thru the next couple of media timeouts before UTA seemingly took control, 76-69, with 4:57 remaining. The Mean Green responded with a 10-1 run and the two teams grinded out the last couple of minutes. Freshman Jacob Holmen hit one of two free throws with 15 seconds remaining and the game went to overtime as the Mavs missed a shot at the buzzer. In the overtime neither team could get ahead by much, and again it came down to a team needing a free throw to tie. This time with NT up one, there was a scrum on the floor and Josh White was called for a loose ball infraction. Mavs split their FT attempts and the game went to double OT. The second overtime was just as exhausting. The Mean Green briefly got a four point edge, but UTA fought back. Up one with 12.5 seconds left, transfer Shannon Shorter made one of two at the line giving us a 101-99 lead. UTA missed and we had a 101-99 victory.

Josh White was incredible with 35 points for the game. He seemingly willed us to the 'W' at times. Also giving us big minutes were the freshmen Alzee Williams and Holmen. Odufuwa had another double, double (he would have many as the season progressed) leading the squad once again with 11 boards. The only negative was DJ, who aggravated an injury and only played a few minutes. This victory felt good as we moved to 2-0 before traveling north to Stillwater.

Our three game series with Oklahoma State had reached the rubber match. The initial two were memorable affairs (especially the first) and this one looked to be the same. We got off to a good start and led 8-6 early. The two teams stayed close throughout most of the first half. However, with NT leading 28-27, OSU went on a 17-5 run to close out the half. We countered well in the 2nd, at one point climbing to within 2, after a three pointer by Collin Mangrum. OSU's guards killed us though (especially James Anderson who finished with 25), and despite Eric Tramiel and George Odufuwa both having strong games, we lost 82-68.

NT next welcomed the Jackson State Tigers to the SuperPit. Once again Odufuwa and Tramiel led the way as our frontline superiority slowly wore down JSU. At the break we led by 7 and slowly inched the gap to 15. The Tigers made a run and closed to within four late. We recovered and held on for a fairly workman-like 68-58 victory. Richard Thomas joined Eric and George in double figures.

The Mean Green made a trip out to Boise, Idaho on the Saturday after Thanksgiving for our next game. Josh White, who had been shut down since the UTA game, had 23 points to lead the way as we battled the travel and the thin air. The game got off to a rough start for Odufuwa, as he was in early foul trouble, but Cam Spencer, Holmen, and Ben Knox all filled in admirably. Without his usual partner in crime, Tramiel still had a good game with 14 big points as he tried to counter BSU's Robert Arnold down low. Despite 16 first half points from White, we trailed by 1 at the break. In the second half NT was ahead by 5 when Boise State went on an 11-2 streak and led thereafter. The final was 79-73, but it was a game that we really felt we should have won.

NT returned to Denton for a weekday matinee game against The University of the Southwest. North Texas controlled the game throughout despite an incredible game by Demetrius Evans of the Mustangs. Evans lit up the Mean Green for 40. Otherwise, NT played good defense. Josh White's 21 lead four players in double figures as we shot 56% from the field and won handily 91-62. It was a good confidence builder as we were traveling for one last pre conference trip before the games really started to mean something.

First up on the two game swing was Rice. The Owls roared out of the gate, grabbing a 15-6 lead. Dominique Johnson was inserted in the lineup and our fortunes changed. He spearheaded a 14-3 run and we took a 32-27 lead into the break. The second half was a true struggle as there were ten ties and lead changes. Neither team could get much separation as the game winded down. Trailing by three with less than five minutes to go, Collin Mangrum converted a huge 3-point play. From there Josh White took it home as he scored 11 of our final 12 (mostly from the charity stripe) to put the game away. After Rice missed on a pair of late free throws we had survived and their desperation three at the buzzer was only cosmetic. The final was 64-62 and things looked bright once again in Mean Green Nation. Unfortunately, the news was not all good. DJ, despite having a team high 15, was injured and knocked out for the season. Thankfully, he was granted a medical red shirt, but our depth at PG really took a hit. Josh would have to shoulder even more responsibility from here on out.

In our last game before heading into conference, we traveled to College Station to take on a Texas A&M team that was ranked in the Top 20. We opened up well as Eric Tramiel scored our first 9 points and we led by a bucket. We managed to keep the advantage throughout most of the opening stanza until a late 18-2 Aggie run broke the game open and A&M had a 40-25 lead at intermission. Our team responded with a gutsy 2nd half as we never let the Aggies get comfortable. Our 3's weren't falling, but we held our own in the paint. Despite our shooting woes, when Junior Richard Thomas knocked in a trey with under four minutes to go, we had shaved the lead to 8. We could get no closer and the Aggies held on 75-65.

Heading into conference season we stood at 5-3. We would jump out of conference for games later in the season -- but Sunbelt play was upon us and it looked as though we were getting things figured out. Some setbacks were waiting on us just beyond the horizon.