Last Year: 19-15; 10-8, Seventh in the American Athletic Conference, lost in the second round of the NIT
Head Coach: Ross Hodge (Second Year)
Projected Starting Lineup
PG Jasper Floyd – 6’3″, 190 Senior
G Atin Wright – 6’1″, 190 5th-year Senior
G Rondel Walker – 6’5″, 180 5th-year Senior
F Grant Newell – 6’9″, 225 Junior
C Moulaye Sissoko – 6’9″, 250 5th-year Senior
Experienced Reserves
G Latrell Jossell – 6’1″, 185 Senior
G Matthew Stone – 6’4″, 200 Senior
W Johnathan Massie – 6’6″, 205 Senior
F Brenen Lorient – 6’9″, 210 Junior
Freshmen
G Tyran Mason – 6’6″, 195
F/C Baron Smith, Jr – 6’9″, 220
F/C Brock Vice – 6’10”, 230 (Redshirt)
Long days and pleasant nights, 2023-24 Mean Green. It’s time for a very new group to contend in Denton, TX.
Even relative to the current realities of college athletics, it’s been an eventful couple of years for North Texas. Just two winters ago, Grant McCasland was leading UNT on their second straight postseason run on the heels of a big, loud, successful campaign. Then, McCasland departed for the Big 12, as did superstar guard Tylor Perry. No matter; the Mean Green tabbed Ross Hodge, a promising young assistant to McCasland, to lead the returning core. In his first rodeo, Hodge lured some quality players from the transfer portal and kept North Texas right in the mix. Despite a fistful of injuries and six losses by five points or fewer in American Athletic Conference play, Hodge debuted with 19 wins and an NIT win at LSU before being knocked out of the tournament by its eventual champion, red-hot Seton Hall.
By any measure, it was a solid first year for Hodge and his staff. So, of course, virtually UNT’s whole rotation left for bigger opportunities in more prestigious leagues.
That’s alright, though, because Hodge knows how to play ‘portal combat’, too. He and his staff have brought in a host of proven perimeter players and some up-and-coming bigs to support them. After things momentarily looked bleak, Hodge & Co have quickly re-energized the program with guys who know how to win. The strengths of last year’s Mean Green, in keeping with the program’s reputation, were guard play, toughness, and stingy defense. Those elements will remain unchanged, though the faces will be different.
Three new fifth-year senior guards will lead the UNT attack at both ends of the floor. Atin Wright, Latrell Jossell, and Jasper Floyd have all led the way for winning teams in the past
Three new fifth-year senior guards will lead the UNT attack at both ends of the floor. Atin Wright, Latrell Jossell, and Jasper Floyd have all led the way for winning teams in the past, and each of them brings a set of clearly translatable skills. Wright has been his team’s go-to guy before. At Cal State Northridge two years ago, he ranked fourth in the Big West Conference by averaging 16.7 points. Last year at Drake, he played a dangerous #2 role alongside Tucker DeVries as Drake won the Missouri Valley tournament and went to the Big Dance. A volume scorer for the Matadors, Wright was wonderfully efficient last year on a deeper team, shooting 49.8/40.6/81.8% on two’s, three’s, and freebies.
Always a dangerous jump shooter, Wright’s career year from three at Drake makes him so much more of a threat. At CSUN, Wright finished 13th nationally by shooting 49.3% from mid-range two years ago, and he owns a reliable 42.2% career mark from the in-between spots on the floor. Prior to last year, Wright had often been under tremendous duress from immense defensive attention, and he managed just a 31.3% rate on triples as a Matador. With quality options around him, Wright’s value as a facilitator increases as well. He’s a smart ballhandler who keeps the ball out of trouble and moving towards good opportunities. Additionally, Wright’s career 84.8% free throw percentage and responsible, assignment-sound approach defensively makes him the type of closer that provides value late in games. Speaking of, Wright also notched his first game winner last year, sinking a late heave from nearly mid-court at Evansville to give Drake the dub for three of his career-high 26 points.
There’s nothing new about Jossell’s reputation as a deep threat. From his freshman debut at Kansas, right through three productive years at Stephen F. Austin, Jossell has never made less than 37.0% of his triple tries in a season. Now, coming off of his highest-scoring campaign yet, Jossell arrives in Denton as the proud owner of 195 made three’s and a 38.8% career mark from downtown. Hodge has had great results lately in running sets to get first Perry and then last year’s breakout star, Jason Edwards, into positions to thrive as smaller guys who can really shoot. As the heir to that legacy, a fourth straight career season is a reasonable expectation for Jossell.
| Five Stats Which Tell The Tale (with national ranks) |
| 64.4 – Opponent Points Per Game (11th) |
| 47.1% – Team 2FG Percentage (299th) |
| 37.7% – Team 3FG Percentage (14th) |
| 70.1% – Defensive Rebounding Rate (307th) |
| 30.7% – Offensive Rebounding Rate (69th) |
Last winter, with opponents understandably worried about his jumper. Jossell showed off some new facets to his game. Across his first two years at SFA, Jossell attempted the vast majority of his shots from beyond the arc. With an improved handle and confidence putting it on the deck, Jossell’s focus on getting to his mid-range spots and employing floaters and fadeaway jumpers off the bounce increased tremendously. Not only did he convert a solid 43.0% of those shots, per Bart Torvik, but Jossell’s career rate on getting to the free throw line more than doubled – which is particularly handy, because Jossell has cashed in 84.9% of his career free throws. Having steeped in the Lumberjacks’ super-aggressive press for the past three years, Jossell knows how to get after the opposition, and after piling up 115 steals in 90 games at SFA, he’s sure to tack plenty more thefts onto the board for Hodge. A talented passer, Jossell has always had the desire to get his teammates involved. He occasionally tries to do something he shouldn’t, though, and must slow his processes down slightly in order to clean that up. UNT generally plays a clean game, and can’t often afford to give away possessions with their grinding style.
With the additions of Jossell and Floyd in particular, Hodge will have the chance to ratchet things up a bit if he so chooses. Just 16.9% of UNT’ field goal tries came in transition last year, the 14th-most plodding rate in all the land, per Hoop-Math. Even more than Jossell, Floyd was at the controls of a go-go group of guards last winter, and Hodge is excited to add his moxie to the point in Denton. Following an accomplished junior college career, Floyd debuted for Fairfield last season by finishing second in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in assists and minutes played while ranking sixth nationally with 87 steals. He’s not quite the shooter that his new co-stars are, but Floyd is a clever opportunist who creates chaos for the opposition and manufactures good looks for his own guys.
Now that he’s in command of Hodge’s offense, Floyd will need to play his cleanest ball yet. His new coach understands the value in Floyd’s two-way dynamism, though, and wants to put him into positions to succeed. Hodge utilized a bigger, drive-oriented point guard last year – when Rubin Jones was healthy, that is. By putting Floyd into ball screens with shooters around him, UNT should reap the rewards of Floyd’s most natural talent: getting downhill to create on his way through the lane. As a bigger, more aggressive player than Wright and Jossell, Floyd will also be the spearhead of Hodge’s perimeter resistance. If he can replicate the sort of mayhem he caused last year while supported by the always-stout defense that North Texas has become widely respected for, Floyd should be one of the most exciting defenders in the AAC.
Hodge has at least one key piece returning to the backcourt, as Rondel Walker is back for a second year in Denton. He missed 13 games last year between awaiting approval from the NCAA to take the floor and then an injury, but Walker brought size, 4-star athleticism, and defensive intensity to the lineup when he was out there. Walker isn’t a particular shooting threat, but he finds all sorts of other ways to help out. His quickness and active hands make Walker a solid stopper on defense, and he fights fiercely for any ball he can get his hands on. He’s also been challenged by Hodge to step up and lead this group, and Walker has taken to the task.
“Right away, the first weekend that we had our whole team in town, he (Walker) took about six or seven of them to his grandma’s house in Oklahoma, and she has about 200 acres,” Hodge recalled this summer. “They fished, shot guns, drove four-wheelers.” With a chance to earn a larger role in his fifth and final season, Walker has put in work on his scoring game this summer. Reports say he’s looking like a more confident player stepping into jumpers, calling out defensive assignments, and talking in huddles, too, and a Walker breakout would be most welcome. Four-year contributor Matthew Stone is also returning. He’s never been a featured piece, but Stone’s coaches and teammates appreciate his attitude and commitment. A strong, physical guard, Stone will stick his nose into any fray and bother quality scorers with his relentless effort. He probably won’t score much this year, either, but Stone will still find ways to help.
As the wing forward in his lineup, Aaron Scott enjoyed a standout year last winter for Hodge. Now that Scott is at St. John’s, North Texas needed someone else to fill the role. Enter versatile forwards Grant Newell and Johnathan Massie. A Chicago product, Newell started 39 games at Cal over the first two years of his career. Big enough to get it done inside, Newell is also excited to show off his full repertoire.
“The experience at Cal helped me…I learned a lot about what it’s like to play at a high major level,” Newell told the Tyler Morning Telegraph upon committing to UNT. “The coaches said I’d play a similar role to what Aaron Scott did last season. They showed me a lot of what he did. I’m capable of doing similar things if I work hard.” The numbers bear out Newell’s analysis. He is a threat on the perimeter, having knocked down 39 triples so far in his collegiate career, and Newell is no stranger to flushing home a good feed. He’s got a diverse repertoire for his size, and Newell will get the reps this winter to show all he’s got. With a coaching staff that wants to feature him, Newell has stepped into position to become a big part of UNT’s success.
A former McNeese and Longwood starter, Massie brings some more Scott-like skills. Long and bouncy enough to cover bigger guys and quick enough to guard on the perimeter, Massie finds ways to help out all over the floor. The last two years, he’s begun figuring things out offensively, too. The past two seasons, he’s knocked down 60 triples and handed out 2.3 assists per game, and Massie has rattled home more than 100 free throws in both seasons. Now, if he could just experience a Wright-like jump in percentages. Massie is just a 37.7% career shooter from the floor, but his jumper has improved noticeably each of the past two years. Surrounded by guards who can handle the primary scoring, Massie should get to pick his spots offensively and, Hodge hopes, find some easier opportunities. Another guy who can be his best self in transition, Massie can scoot from rim to rim and should provide a good target to finish on the break.
The frontcourt would be entirely new if not for the return of stalwart center Moulaye Sissoko. A sixth-year senior (he redshirted his first season at Dayton), Sissoko is a big, wide, strong dude who can hold his own in the lane. He doesn’t play a particularly above-the-rim game, but Sissoko’s brawn and the savvy he’s developed allow him to effectively defend in the paint, clear the glass at both ends, and set some jarring picks for the UNT guards. He started every game for the Mean Green last winter, and though his numbers remained modest, Sissoko posted a host of career-bests. He doesn’t need to have plays run specifically for him in order to contribute, and Sissoko fights effectively for extra opportunities on the offensive glass. If he can take yet further strides as a scoring option, and, Hodge hopes, swat a few more shots, Sissoko will remain a key piece in the UNT lineup.
Hodge & Co have brought a couple of developing big guys in to fight a chance at impact minutes, too. One, Florida Atlantic transfer Brennan Lorient, is a rangy, athletic, 6’9″ forward who is comfortable on the outside. There are times when Lorient looks like a thoroughbred racing through the lane to finish at the rim. He threw down nine dunks and made 62.2% of his shots near the basket last season, per Bart Torvik, but Lorient’s production fell off quickly as he shot it from farther away. Lorient has three-point range, but needs consistency if it’s to become a genuine threat. His length and quickness could become a real advantage for the always-swarming UNT defense.
Freshman Brock Vice took a redshirt last season at Creighton, and with Ryan Kalkbrenner and Fredrick King returning to the Bluejays, he hit the portal this spring. At 6’10”, Vice can play in the middle, and knows how to play with an edge when need be. He’s also got range on his jumper out to the land of trey, and if Vice can play a complimentary offensive role to Sissoko this winter, it could bring a new dimension to the Mean Green. Creighton plays a much faster game than North Texas, and it will be interesting how much better a fit he might be in UNT’s halfcourt-focused attack. He’ll need to hit the boards with alacrity, too, and if Vice can follow Sissoko’s example inside, he should become a solid part of Hodge’s rotation.
Lorient will have competition in the race for minutes as a slashing wing off the bench from this year’s top freshman. Tyran Mason is a wiry-strong 6’6″ prospect who already plays a rather complete game. He defends multiple positions and does so with outstanding energy and plenty of grit – just what Hodge and his staff want in moldable youngsters. Mason also showed good scoring ability in high school, and can get points in transition, on cuts to the cup, or by draining jumpers. There’s no one thing that makes Mason a dominant player at this point, but he does everything well enough that it shouldn’t take him long to start making valuable contributions. Like Mason, UNT’s other rookie is also a Texas native. Though he had initially committed to AAC foe East Carolina, Baron Smith will suit up for the Mean Green this fall. An athletic 6’9″ post with great mobility, improving strength, and an aggressive mindset in the paint. He can block shots, stuff lobs, and generate extra possessions on the glass, and once Smith has proven that he can hang with the grown dudes he’ll be up against, the young pivot figures to help out significantly.
| Five Out-of-Conference Games to Keep an Eye on |
| @ McNeese – November 18 |
| N Utah State/St. Bonaventure – November 29 |
| @ High Point – December 6 |
| N Northern Iowa – November 28 |
| @ Minnesota – November 13 |
Despite all the roster turnover, North Texas expects to win. That didn’t change last winter as their young, new coach took charge and found out how to get results from his guys, and it won’t change just because Hodge has to stitch new guys together. It also didn’t change as the Mean Green put together this year’s schedule. The new rotation will have to come together quickly, because UNT is going to get punched square in the mouth right out of the gates this season.
They’ll play three true road games against Minnesota, McNeese, and High Point over the first month of the season. North Texas will also face Oregon State, Northern Iowa, and either Utah State or St. Bonaventure before AAC play heats up, and skirmishes like those should prepare them for the familiar haymakers they’ll absorb after the new year.
“There are some things that you can point to even when you are faced with a challenge of having to quickly rebuild your roster,” Hodge reflected this summer. “There is a path to success.” North Texas knows that path, because they’ve spent most of the past decade navigating it. Since the end of the 2016-17 season, UNT is 154-80, but they’ve only got one NCAA Tournament appearance to show for all of those quality teams. This is a program that knows how to roll with the punches, and deliver plenty of their own in kind. The Mean Green aren’t going anywhere but into the thick of AAC title contention, and Hodge looks like the right guy to lead them there.
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