Mean Green

Sophomore guard Sanetra Jackson sat out practice Wednesday after aggravating a hip flexor injury that has bothered her all season.

The good news is head coach Tina Slinker said Jackson's status will be a day-to-day decision and that she shouldn't miss much time. Jackson is leading the Mean Green with an average of 14.6 points a game.

The North Texas men are off to their best start ever under head Johnny Jones at 5-1 heading into a game at Nebraska tonight. UNT hasn't been 5-1 since the 1977-78 season and the Mean Green already has wins over Charlotte, Rice and Tulsa.

Knocking off a Nebraska team that is 4-0 on the season would add to the momentum and wave of publicity UNT has received because of its start.

Jones has already been named Collegeinsider.com's Mid-Major Coach of the Week. The Web site isn't the only outlet or coach that has taken notice of UNT's start. Nebraska coach Doc Sadler told the Omaha World-Herald that UNT is the best team the Huskers will have faced at home so far this season and pleaded with fans to pack the Devaney Center in Lincoln.

The World-Herald requires readers to subscribe to its Web site to view its content, but it only takes a minute. Here is the address for the paper's on-line site: http://www.omaha.com. The paper's preview of the game is on the Big Red page.

The UNT women picked up their second straight win on Tuesday, knocking off Prairie View A&M, but the victory could end up being costly in the long run.

Sophomore guard Sanetra Jackson was hobbling after the game. UNT head coach Tina Slinker said Jackson could have a hip flexor injury. Jackson has been showing signs of developing into an all-conference player for the Mean Green. The San Antonio native scored 19 points against PVU and has scored at least 18 in each of her last three games.

UNT will be in for a tough stretch if Jackson has to miss significant time during a nine-game road trip over the next month.

Former North Texas running back Patrick Cobbs appears as if he might be promoted from the Miami Dolphins practice squad to the regular roster.

The Palm Beach Post reported in its on-line blog that Cobbs would be a likely candidate to replace Ronnie Brown, who broke his hand and is out at least a week.

The opportunity could be just what Cobbs needs to land a spot on the Dolphins regular roster. Cobbs has never seen an opportunity he didn't take advantage of.

Here's the link to the blog:

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/Dolphins/entries/2006/11/rb_cobbs_signed.html

Senior guard DiDi Wali and the North Texas women will be back in the Super Pit today, and they couldn't be happier about it.

UNT opened its season at nationally ranked Baylor and then spent several days on the East Coast. The Mean Green lost all three games on the trip and enters its home opener today against Loyola-Chicago looking for a way to get on track.

The game will be part of a double header with the UNT men, who will be aiming to build on a 4-1 start in a game against Texas State.

UNT enters its game against Louisiana-Monroe looking to send head coach Darrell Dickey and 16 seniors out on a positive note. Dickey and the seniors were all a part of the Mean Green’s four-year run as Sun Belt Conference champions from 2001-04. UNT is already out of the Sun Belt race this season and Dickey was fired on Nov. 8. ULM is also out of the race for the conference title but can build on a late-season surge. The Warhawks beat Florida International and nearly knocked off Kentucky in the last two weeks.

Louisiana-Monroe starting offensive tackle Larry Shappley tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee during a 42-40 loss to Kentucky and will not play against UNT.
Shappley had started ULM’s first 10 games of the season and was a key cog in the Warhawks’ running attack that racked up 351 yards last week.
“It always hurts to lose someone who is a starter and has been playing for two years,” ULM head coach Charlie Weatherbie said.
ULM is averaging 150.9 rushing yards a game.

Former Ryan High School standout Brett McDade will return to Denton tonight when the Tulsa Hurricanes visit North Texas.
McDade helped lead Ryan to the state title as a freshman in 2000 and is averaging 7.4 point a game this year, just iff his career average of 9.9.