Saturday, March 1st, 8:00 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Human Performance Center (2,000) -- New Orleans, Louisiana. Television: None. Home Record: UNT 14-2, UNO 7-6. Away Record: UNT 3-8, UNO 9-4. Neutral Record: UNT 1-0, UNO 2-1. Conference Record: UNT 9-8, UNO 8-9. Series Record: New Orleans leads, 13-5.

GAME NOTES: A set of programs trying to build some confidence before the upcoming Sun Belt Conference Tournament collide at the Human Performance Center tonight, as the North Texas Mean Green lock horns with the New Orleans Privateers. The Mean Green were recently in action on Thursday, when it suffered a 63-58 setback at UL-Lafayette. The loss snapped a four-game win streak and dropped UNT to 18-10 overall and 9-8 in conference action. As for UNO, it too was in play on Thursday and like the Mean Green, it was on the short end of an 81-61 setback at South Alabama. It was the second loss in the past three games for the Privateers, who fell to 18-11 overall and 8-9 in conference play. UNO, though, leads the all-time series with UNT, 13-5, and that includes an 83-61 triumph in the first encounter this season.

UNT shot a horrific 32.8 percent from the floor, as it suffered a 63-58 loss at UL-Lafayette on Thursday. The team also struggled greatly at the foul line (14-of-31) as well as from long range (4-of-15). Adam McCoy scored 14 points to lead the Mean Green, while had a double-double of 10 points and 15 rebounds. Josh White, though, had a game he would rather forget, finishing with just six points on 1-of-12 field goals. Despite the low output, White still leads the team in scoring (14.0 ppg) for the season and he is also shooting 45.1 percent from long range. Collin Dennis nips at his heels with 13.7 ppg and he is knocking down 43.8 percent of his three-point attempts. As a team, the Mean Green is making good on 39.3 percent of its shots from downtown for an average of 76.8 ppg.

The Privateers turned the ball over 14 times and those miscues resulted in 20 points for South Alabama in a lopsided loss on Thursday. UNO shot a lackluster 36.6 percent from the field and that includes a poor 3-of-16 effort from long distance. Bo McCalebb guided the squad in defeat with 19 points and six boards, while Kyndall Dykes posted 15 points. For the season, McCalebb not only leads UNO in scoring, but the entire SBC with a healthy 23.2 ppg average. He is also a tremendous defender as his team-best 70 steals would indicate. Dykes has helped to take some of the pressure off McCalebb, as he turns in 13.6 ppg and a team-high 5.4 rpg. Overall, UNO is turning in 73.6 ppg on 45.1 percent shooting from the field for the season.

UNO has the edge playing at home, and with another big effort from McCalebb, expect the Privateers to defeat UNT tonight.

Predicted Outcome

New Orleans 77, North Texas 70