North Texas Daily

Matt Brune | Staff Writer

Throughout the hall that runs underneath the Super Pit, a familiar name reverberates off the empty seats and hard concrete floor.

“Ty!” they yell.

No one on the women’s basketball team is named Ty, but everyone knows who they’re referring to.

It’s sophomore guard Tyara Warren.

Warren was a highly touted guard from Plano, Texas, coming out of high school. As a result, she had plenty of Division I schools at her disposal. The original choice for California-born Warren was West Virginia University.

“They recruited me pretty hard,” Warren said. “ [And] I wanted to get out of Texas, so I chose West Virginia.”

Her freshman year in Morgantown looked to be a good fit on paper. Out of the three freshmen on the team, she played the second-most minutes. With six upperclassmen on the roster, she was slated for even more action in the years to come.

Something just didn’t feel right.

“I was really homesick,” Warren said. “I needed to come back home and have a better support system.”

In addition, the basketball progress was not sufficient for her during her stint at West Virginia. And while she struggled to improve on the court, she grew to be tougher mentally during her time away from home.

“It definitely helped me grow as a person, get myself together a little bit,” Warren said. “I didn’t really grow much as a basketball player, but as a person.”

As a result, she transferred to UNT. There was just once catch.

Warren was forced to sit out the 2015 season due to NCAA transfer regulations, a penalty that only helped in the end as she did not lose a year of eligibility.

“It was definitely hard, but I think I grew basketball-wise,” Warren said. “I got to see where I fit in on the team, how I can help and what I need to do to help them.”

North Texas sophomore guard Tyara Warren (1) dribbles against Indiana. Colin Mitchell

Now, she has certainly helped this year’s team, starting 10 of the 16 games she’s played in so far. She averages 6.9 points per game in 23.5 minutes, while also disrupting opposing wings on the defensive side of the ball.

With injuries popping up in the backcourt, Warren has proven to be an essential piece, especially in conference play.

“Her being consistent on both ends of the floor is very important [for us],” head coach Jalie Mitchell said. “She is getting more comfortable being back in the fold and understanding what this grind is like after being out last season.”

Warren’s defensive prowess has been vital for the Mean Green, perhaps more important than her offensive game — which is fine by Mitchell. She is a constant spark on defense for a team that forces nearly 20 turnovers per game.

Warren has received praise from the coaches for her defense, and her teammates love it even more.

“She’s a huge defensive threat,” freshman post Madii Townley said. “And when she shows it [we’re] like, that’s the Ty we know.”

Offensively, however, is a different story.

Warren admits that offense is a weaker part of her game, and is something she is working to improve. Fortunately for Warren, she is a gym rat with a high work ethic — an intangible her coach has taken full notice of.

“Her motor [is impressive],” Mitchell said. “Ty doesn’t give herself enough credit for the shape that she’s in. She has a natural motor, she can go and she’s played a lot of minutes for us so that gift is very healthy.”

With 13 games left in Warren’s sophomore season, she is already an essential piece to Mitchell and the team as they attempt to right the ship and be in a position to make a run in the C-USA tournament in March.

“I think she’s huge,” Mitchell said. “There are some things she’s able to do on the defensive end. We really count on her and Kelsey [Criner] to wreak some havoc for us. Offensively, I think [we need] her continuing being a threat from three and putting the ball on the floor. I want her to finish better.”

With the rare pairing of motor and abilities, Warren is set to contribute often throughout this season and in her final two years at North Texas.

Now that she’s back home in the D-FW area, the 5-9 guard known as ‘Ty’ looks forward to where she and this team are headed, but also appreciates how far they’ve come over the past months.

“I’ve enjoyed the growth of our team [this season],” Warren said. “[I’m looking forward to] growing as a basketball player and seeing where my career takes me.”

Featured Image: North Texas sophomore guard Tyara Warren (1) looks to pass to the inside against Rice. Colin Mitchell