Women’s basketball wants to have a fun season that comes with high expectations
The North Texas women’s basketball team is opening their 2021-22 season against Texas Women’s University in an exhibition match at the Super Pit on Thursday at 6 p.m. The Super Pit will be at full capacity for a basketball game for the first time in over a year.
Head coach Jalie Mitchell says she is excited for the start of the season and their annual match against TWU.
“There are fans, people in the community who enjoy watching both UNT and TWU, so I think it’s always nice for us to play,” Mitchell said.
The match against TWU gives North Texas a more precise idea of improvements they need to make and how the team will look moving forward, Mitchell said. However, Mitchell emphasized that the team does not want to forget their season-ending loss in the first round of the Conference USA Championships.
“I think for this group you have a very invested, very committed, very hungry group,” Mitchell said. “They enjoy winning and competing, so it’s important for them to be better than last year. It’s important to come with a better energy, better excitement [and a] better season from beginning to end.”
After winning the most conference games in the school’s history with 10, the three-seeded Mean Green lost to the sixth-seeded Old Dominion University 71-66 in the first round of the C-USA playoffs. Despite forcing 23 turnovers and getting 30 points off the bench, Old Dominion outrebounded North Texas 46-28, which ultimately cost them the game.
Despite last year’s early playoff exit, redshirt Junior and guard Quincy Noble says she is excited season to start.
“Basketball season is back […] I feel like we have a lot of goals that we want to achieve,” Noble said. “[We want to] Have fun and play together. I think that’s super big for us and have that chemistry all around.”
Mitchell echoed the same sentiments as Noble about the team focusing on playing well as a cohesive unit on both ends of the court, whether a transfer or a freshman.
“We want to play the game together,” Mitchell said. “Meaning ball movement, we want to get a great shot [and] not just settle for any shot. We focus on our pace…pace is big for us, [and] we also, of course, focus on team defense.”
Mitchell says that Noble, who was recently named C-USA preseason Co-Player of the Year, has a lot of high expectations going into the season but let her know that not all the pressure is on her. Mitchell says she can level with Noble because, in 2002, Mitchell won Sun Belt Player of the year for North Texas.
“We’ve had a couple long talks, and I’m glad I can kind of speak from experience with her, as far as being picked to be that person and to play that role,” Mitchell said. “You have a great team. So, it’s not like everything is on her, so she’s in an awesome position to play the game the way it’s supposed to be played.”
Noble emphasized the team wants to have fun while playing this season despite the early expectations and accolades.
“We have a lot of talent,” Noble said. “I feel like if we play together, the sky’s the limit. […] And having a good time, because when we have a good time, great things happen for us.”
Image source Mean Green Sports
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