Our conference title defense began on December 22nd, 2007 with a trip to face the Denver Pioneers. The Mean Green got off to a horrendous start from the field and fell into an early hole. Josh White came off the bench and led a run to keep us with striking distance. At the break we trailed by 7. Collin Dennis was our high scorer with 14, but it wasn’t enough as Denver was clutch from the line in the 2nd half, repelling every run we threw at them. The Pioneers escaped with a 63-59 win, and we were left to seek revenge later in the campaign.

We stepped out of Sunbelt action one last time as we ended 2007 destroying the Dustdevils of Texas A&M International. North Texas grabbed 71 rebounds in the affair led by Justin Howerton’s 13. Every player on the roster had at least 2 points and 1 rebound (Quincy led the way with 13). It was an all around great confidence booster for the rest of the season & we stayed undefeated at home.

The Belt scheduling committee did us no favors in early league play as we again went on the road. This time the Troy Trojans were awaiting our visit and one of the more compelling endings of the season unraveled. Trailing by 6 with less than a minute to go in regulation Dez Willingham cut the lead in half. Then after Troy missed on the front half of a one and one we had a chance to tie. Josh White’s shot was blocked, but on the scramble for the loose ball Collin Dennis hit a trey with under 5 seconds to go. Off the overtime we went. The extra frame was all us initially as NT went up 86-79. Troy then proceeded to go on a 9-0 run to take 88-86 lead. Wooden tied the game at 88, but O’Darien Basset hit three late free throws (he had a game high 30) as the Trojans were victorious 91-88.

Returning home was just what we needed as on January 7th we hosted the Warhawks of Monroe. We jumped on them early and never let up as we posted a 78-57 win. Josh White and Dez Willingham led 5 players in double figures as we shot 51.9% from the field and 55% from behind the 19’9. The Mean Green drained 11 treys in total, one of our higher marks of the season. We improved to 8-0 at the SuperPit, and more importantly got our 1st league win.

North Texas again went on the road for the next game. Arkansas State was seeking payback for losing to us in the SBC Final last year. It was not to be as we led wire to wire, winning 74-63. Collin Dennis lit up the Indians for 30 points – the most by a Mean Green player since the days of Chris Davis. Two others got into double figures and we out rebounded ASU by 12. At one point in the second half we were up 18 and despite surrendering some of the advantage, this game us the tantalizing suggestion that perhaps our road woes were over. This unfortunately turned out to be a mirage.

In our next contest we hosted Division leader ULL. This was a game we desperately needed to get back in the West race, and both sides played like it was a championship type affair. The first half was close throughout, with 6 ties and six more lead changes. The teams walked off the floor square at 35 after Ben Bell hit a remarkable 3 at the buzzer. We controlled the first ten minutes of the second stanza eventually going up 56-46. The Ragin’ Cajuns responded with a 19-8 run, retaking the lead 65-64. The last 8 points of the game would belong to us as we pulled away late 72-65. Quincy led the way with 18 huge points. Despite the lackluster opening, we were now back in the Sunbelt West race. In what would become a common theme this season, every time we thought we knew where we were headed – a change of plans was in the offing.

A flu bug swept thru the Mean Green lineup before UNO came calling. In recent years the Privateers have been a bit of a nemesis for the NT, and this night would be no different. On a night when Sunbelt legend Bo McCalebb would become the conference’s all time leading scorer, we just had nothing left for the second half as UNO dismantled us 83-61. The Mean Green gamely fought the Privateers in the first half, trailing by only 5. But the effects of the flu took their toll near the midway point of the 2nd as McCalebb and company took a 3 point lead and expanded it to 29 with 5:33 to go in the game. This was as crushing a defeat as we’ve suffered in the SuperPit during the Johnny Jones era. Back to the drawing board time.

It was back to the road as we traveled to Boca Raton, Florida to play the Owls of FAU. Josh White was injured late in the first half, but that seemed to fuel Dez and Ben. Bell actually had a career high of 26 in this game as he almost willed us to victory. Likewise, Willingham had 21 in relief of Josh and played arguably his best game of the season. With just over ten minutes remaining Ben hit a 3 to put us up a dozen. However FAU wouldn’t go away. The Owls used a late 18-5 run to erase an 8 point deficit at the 4:23 mark. Final score: FAU 86-81.

We hoped to end the skid when we arrived in Murfreesboro to play MTSU. Things started off well as Josh was back and Dez sparked an 11-0 run right out of the gate. At half we were up a bucket and a sense of dread was in the air with our recent meltdowns. The Blue Raiders made a run right after the break, but we quickly retook the advantage. Kevin Kanaskie hit 4 treys – leading a 20-7 late run as MTSU grabbed the lead and cruised to 69-60 win. Our 3 game win streak had been supplanted by a 3 game losing streak. With conference leading (and undefeated in SBC play) South Alabama visiting the SuperPit next, the season looked on the brink of unraveling totally.

Despite the familiarity everyone has with the OSU program, the best win of the ’07-08 campaign was January 31st when USA invaded the SuperPit and was turned away 70-68. We showed the kind of play that too rarely came out. There were a handful of times when this team clicked on all cylinders – and when we did we were tough. Dez Willingham got pile drived into the basket early on, and was out for the year - with a torn ligament in his knee. Keith and Quincy both got into early foul trouble.

It didn’t matter.

Out bench outscored USA’s by 20 – led once again by Collin Dennis. USA led by 10 early in the first half but we were within six at intermission. In the 2nd NT shot 50% from the floor and quickly took the lead at 42-41. After briefly going up 47-41 a few minutes later, the game ratcheted up in intensity. Neither squad led by more than 5 till the buzzer. After tying the game for the 8th time at 63, NT got a slight advantage. Then Collin Dennis hit a 3 pointer with 1:37 to go to put us up 5 and it looked like we might escape. USA quickly responded and with seconds remaining Demetric Bennett had a shot to win, but it was off the iron. North Texas had just defeated the Jaguars and given hope for saving the season.

At the midway point in league play we stood at 4-5(13-7 overall). But with the attrition in the West we were still very much in the division race, and with a favorable draw come tournament time anything was possible. We had just shown we could beat anyone by knocking off the Jaguars. The season was still very much for the taking.