2015-16 CLIFF NOTES
- Improved its field goal percentage from 2014-15 by an NCAA-best 7.23 percent
- Averaged 9.5 more points per game than the year before
- Averaged 4.3 more assists per game than the year before
- Defeated a ranked opponent for the first time in the program's history
- Beat Metroplex-rival SMU for the first time since 2011
- Won a Conference USA Tournament game for the first time in the school's history
- Recruited four transfers from power-five conferences and three are eligible this season
- Picked to finish 6th in 2016 C-USA preseason poll after finishing 13th the year before
- Return three of their top-four scorers, including leading scorer Kelsey Criner
- Invited to play in the prestigious Preseason WNIT
2015-16 In Review
North Texas 61, No. 17 Oklahoma 57
Mitchell's head coaching career started off with a bang. On Nov. 16, she collected her first win as a head coach with a program-first, as the team beat No. 17 Oklahoma on the road. Led by Terra Ellison's 15 points, a Mean Green women's basketball team beat a ranked opponent for the first time.
"We couldn't have come away with that win without our team believing. They believed they could win and they did everything they could possibly do to come out on top of that game. I was really proud of them. They always play hard and their unity was there but they believed in each other and they worked as a team. It was a big-time win for our program." - Jalie Mitchell
North Texas 70, SMU 67
North Texas' first home win under Mitchell came against Metroplex rival SMU. It was far from easy, though, as the Mean Green's early lead evaporated in the second half. North Texas point guard Kelsey Criner kept the Mustangs from taking the lead with what at the time was a career-best 17 points and 8 rebounds. As a team, the Mean Green held SMU to 38 percent shooting while also forcing 19 turnovers. North Texas hadn't beaten the Mustangs since 2011.
THIS TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON OVERCOMING ADVERSITY, ON TAKING A PUNCH AND BEING ABLE TO PUNCH RIGHT BACK." - JALIE MITCHELL
North Texas 68, UTSA 58
On the first day of 2016, North Texas opened C-USA play with a 10-point victory over Texas San Antonio. The home win over the Roadrunners gave the Mean Green a 6-5 overall record, it's first winning record since November of 2013. In the game with UTSA, Criner again flexed her versatility with a team-high 23 points and also lead the team with five rebounds and five steals.
"I think the big start was huge for our team. If you can start and finish well, you can win a game. This was probably our most consistent game." - Jalie mitchell
North Texas 79, FAU 74
Despite only winning two of their final 10 regular season games, North Texas bounced back to knock off the higher seeded Florida Atlantic Owls in the first round of the C-USA tournament for its first postseason win since the 2011-12 season. The Mean Green only played seven players in the game and still managed to hold off the conference's top 3-point shooting team by having five players score in double figures and sinking 10 3-pointers of their own. The Owls' Allie Gorrell scored 30 second half points but a late 3-pointer from North Texas' Terra Ellison ended up being the dagger as the Mean Green won their first C-USA tournament game.
"If you look at the stat sheet, it's pretty balanced and everybody stepped up and did something to help us advance. Everything that we did helped us to get to this point" - Jalie Mitchell
2016-17 SCHEDULE
SCHEDULE NOTES
- 13 home games
- Longest home stand: three games (twice), 12/22/16-1/1/17, 1/14/17-1/21/17
- Longest road trip: four games, 2/16/17-2/25/17
- Seven of final 11 regular season games are on the road
- Second time North Texas has been invited to the Preseason WNIT (2006). Five of 16 teams in this year's field reached the 2016 NCAA Tournament
- This will be the 23rd all-time meeting between North Texas and their former Sun Belt foe Arkansas-Little Rock
- The Mean Green's home game versus Indiana will be the first time since 2003 the two schools have played one another
- On Nov. 30, North Texas will travel to Metroplex-Rival SMU. If the Mean Green win, it will be the first time since 1982 they've beaten the Mustangs in consecutive seasons. They've played one another every year since 1982
- North Texas only plays last season's C-USA regular season champion, UTEP, and C-USA tournament champion Middle Tennessee one time each. Both games are on the road
- Two games scheduled for national television (1/21/17 vs. Louisiana Tech & 3/2/17 vs. W. Kentucky)
- The Mean Green's 11/22/16 game at Arizona will be exactly 40 years since it's inaugural game in 1976 at Baylor