One of the top offensive line prospects in the Houston area committed to North Texas this week.

Matt Tomlinson, a first-team All-District 16-5A tackle from Klein, confirmed on Tuesday that he has orally committed to play for the Mean Green and its new head coach, Todd Dodge

Oral commitments are non-binding. The first day recruits can sign national letters of intent is Feb. 7.

Tomlinson (6-5, 270) is a member of the Houston Chronicle's list of the top 100 players in the area.

"I didn't hear much from North Texas until coach Dodge got there," Tomlinson said. "As soon as he got there, UNT contacted me. They recruited me as a left tackle."

Tomlinson visited UNT on Sunday and committed late Monday night.

Indiana, UTEP and Rice also offered Tomlinson a scholarship.

"Matt's potential is unlimited," Klein coach Stan Labay said. "He was our best offensive lineman and plays on the basketball team. He is a young kid who is going to get a lot bigger and stronger and he has great feet."

Tomlinson was a late bloomer at Klein. He did not earn all-district honors until his senior season.

"We were thinking he was going to be a really good player last spring," Labay said. "He had a good summer and fall and got better as the season went along. He will be a player in college."

Tomlinson played in a run-based offense at Klein and will have to adjust to playing in a spread formation at UNT. The transition is one Tomlinson is looking forward to making.

"It will be an adjustment, but I like pass blocking," Tomlinson said. "It will work out great."

UNT lost starting left tackle Joel Foster to graduation but returns all three other tackles that were on its depth chart at the end of the season. Josh Alexander, a junior who was expected to start at left tackle last season, will also return.

Alexander sat out last season with a knee injury.

"Coach Dodge told me to come in with the mentality that I am going to compete for a spot," Tomlinson said. "But I will probably redshirt."

 UNT has now received commitments from 17 high school players and three transfers, including JUCO running back Cam Montgomery, who will be eligible to play next season.

North Texas commitments

The following is a list of players who have orally committed to play for North Texas

Pos.     Player            School

LB            Marquese Davis            Atlanta

DL       Jesse DeSoto            San Antonio Lee

WR      Sam Dibrell  S.A. Alamo Heights

S          Bron Hager   Austin Westlake

WR      Breece Johnson            Colleyville Heritage

OL       J.J. Johnson            Plano West

WR      Marcus King     Euless Trinity

WR      Jason Martinson            Birdville

RB       Micah Mosley            Nederland

LB       Justin Padron            Southlake Carroll

LB       A.J. Penson Lufkin

WR      Sam Roberson            Sommerville

DE Kyle Russo            Southlake Carroll

DT       Jordan Scoggins            Euless Trinity

OL       Matt Tomlinson            Klein

QB            Giovanni Vizza            S.A. Alamo Heights

WR      Evan Walker            Colleyville Heritage

Transfers

WR      Evan Fentriss            Rice*

DB       Greg Garden Navy*

RB       Cam Montgomery            NE Miss. Junior College**

* -- Will be eligible beginning in the 2008 season

** -- Midterm transfer

Women's basketball

UNT looks to end skid tonight

The last time UNT played at home, the Mean Green left the Super Pit with reason to hope that it was about to turn its season around.

The feeling is one UNT will look to regain tonight in a game against Troy at 7 p.m.

The Mean Green (5-14, 2-7) enters the game on a two-game losing streak that includes a 72-57 loss at South Alabama on Sunday.

UNT beat Florida Atlantic in the first game of a two-game homestand on Feb. 20 and hung with nationally ranked Middle Tennessee four days later only to fall apart in the second half.

The Mean Green failed to carry over the momentum it picked up in those two games when it fell behind early and failed to complete a comeback against USA.

"We have to continue to try to find a solution for when we are in a close game," UNT head coach Tina Slinker said. "We are in a situation where we are afraid to lose. That explains why we played so well against Middle Tennessee and when we have our backs to the wall. We can't be afraid to lose and do what we can in those moments when we let the game get away."

A game against Troy (11-10, 4-7) could offer the Mean Green a chance to break through. UNT has never lost to the Trojans in four all-time meetings.

Troy starts five players from Australia, including sophomore guard Kylie Morrissy and junior guard Amy Lewis. Morrissy is averaging 15.1 points a game for Troy, while Lewis is posting 15.0 points a game.

UNT has turned to Amber Jackson to power its offense in its last few games. The sophomore forward has led UNT in scoring in four straight games and is averaging 11 points a game.

Jackson battling shoulder injury

Sophomore guard Sanetra Jackson is battling a shoulder injury she suffered after colliding with one of the Mean Green's practice players during a workout last week.

UNT practices against a group of male students at times during the season.

Jackson wore a brace on her shoulder during a game against South Alabama on Sunday.

The injury is one of several Jackson has suffered this year. She also struggled early in the season with a strained hip flexor and a sprained ankle.

Men's basketball

UNT to get rematches after losses

UNT will get a chance for revenge when it takes on three Sun Belt Conference opponents in the next few weeks that handed the Mean Green losses on the road.

UNT fell at Arkansas State, Arkansas-Little Rock and New Orleans in the first half of the conference season and will play all three at home in the stretch run of the regular season.

"If we want to contend for a regular season championship it is important to win these games," UNT head coach Johnny Jones said. "I am excited about those teams coming here. I enjoy playing at home at this time of year because we are getting better."

UNT (14-7) is 5-5 in conference play but is only two games out of first place in the Sun Belt Conference West Division.

A return home seems to bode well for the Mean Green, which has won eight straight at the Super Pit.

UNT hoping for big crowds late

UNT heads into its game against Troy on Thursday having won its last eight home games. It is just two games behind Louisiana-Monroe in the Sun Belt Conference West Division standings.

The Mean Green is hoping that history of success and a shot at the division title will bring out big crowds for the rest of the season.

UNT is averaging 1,764 fans a game at the Super Pit.

"We play a great brand of basketball, have got some exciting guys on the floor, shoot the three, run the floor and lead the league in scoring," UNT head coach Johnny Jones said. "We are a fun team to watch. Our students have done a tremendous job of coming out. I wish our fans would do the same. Our guys enjoy playing in front of their fans and they give us a big boost when they are here."

Track and field

UNT to get look at full team this week

UNT head coach Rick Watkins will get his first look at his full team in action this weekend when the Mean Green competes in the J.D. Martin Invitational at Oklahoma.

UNT was off last weekend after opening the season at the Texas Tech Invitational on Jan. 20.

"We are not entering every event," Watkins said. "We planned to run relays at Texas Tech but got snowed out. This will be our first chance to see our relay teams run and will be a good measuring stick to see what we have."

Sophomore Brandi Stanfield, who burst onto the collegiate track scene and earned Indoor All-American honors last season, will compete in the long jump and triple jump.

Watkins said Stanfield and senior high jumper Mark Lee could have a chance to qualify for the national meet this week.

Watkins said Stanfield has improved her strength and speed since last season, which will make her an even more prominent athlete on the national level.

"Brandi is so much faster and stronger," Watkins said. "She has not quite figured out how to harness all that power. When she does, she will have a chance to jump really far."

Swimming and diving

Dykstra expects Leslie to turn heads

UNT head coach Joe Dykstra is expecting Nicole Leslie to make a big impression at the Sun Belt Conference meet in a few weeks.

Leslie was somewhat of an unknown commodity when she arrived at UNT because she did not swim at the club level.

"She is really starting to light it up," Dykstra said. "I am excited to see what she can do."

Leslie has already set the school record in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 24.25 seconds, and has four of the Mean Green's five fastest times in the event this season.

UNT to make decisions on top 20

UNT will only be able to take 20 swimmers to the Sun Belt Conference Meet on Feb. 15-17 in Nashville, Tenn., due to conference rules.

The Mean Green already knows who its top competitors in the conference meet will be but will begin to decide who will fill out the bottom few spots in its roster this weekend in a meet at New Orleans.

"We will bring some girls on this trip that I wouldn't ordinarily because I need to see some matchups," said head coach Joe Dykstra said. "We are going to have some internal competition trying to see who our last few scoring competitors will be."

Tennis

Lama starting out shorthanded

New UNT tennis coach Sujay Lama is starting nearly from scratch with the Mean Green.

Lama had five scholarship players heading into his first season at UNT but has already lost two of them to major injuries.

Junior Sara Giles and sophomore Sammie Moreton are not expected to play for at least the next few weeks.

Lama was forced to fill the void by searching campus for walk-ons. Former Ryan standout Mary Poe, Emi Itabashi and Hollie Caras are all playing for the Mean Green after being offered spots by Lama.

UNT has struggled early in the season without its top players and fell to UT-San Antonio, 7-0, in its first match of the season.

Lama has commitments from three high school players ranked among the top 30 in Texas and is also set to add two international players. Lama expects his lineup to change dramatically next season.

"It's a challenge, but you can look at it in a positive way or a negative way," Lama said. "I could have tried to rush and fill out the roster in January, but those players were not recruited for a reason. You have a choice to do the short fix and be a mediocre program or take your time. I am glad we did the right thing.

"We are excited about our recruiting class and still have a scholarship to fill. We could completely turn it around next year."

Player of the week

Calvin Watson posted one of the best nights of his career from behind the 3-point arc while giving the North Texas men's basketball team a boost last week.

Watson hit five 3-point shots in a win over Middle Tennessee that gave the Mean Green 14 wins, equaling its total from the last two seasons with a full month of the season remaining. Watson finished with a game-high 21 points.

Watson came back to score 15 points and grab three steals in an overtime loss to South Alabama on Sunday.

Watson is averaging 16.1 points a game to lead the Mean Green, which is still in the race for the Sun Belt Conference West Division title. For his performance, Watson is the Denton Record-Chronicle UNT Player of the Week.