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North Texas’ Tristan Thompson became just the ninth D-I player to hit 20 or more free throws without a miss in a game. Thompson went 20-for-20 from the line on his way to a career-high 36 points, as the Mean Green pulled off a 78-64 win in the Sun Belt quarters over regular-season champs Florida Atlantic. The last player to hit more free throws without a miss was Steve Nash in 1995. Thompson is the first player to go 20-for-20 or better in March since 1959, when Oklahoma State’s Arlen Clark set the record by shooting 24-for-24 against Colorado.

Most Free Throws in a Game Without a Miss, Last 20 Seasons
21-21: Steve Nash, Santa Clara vs. Saint Mary’s (1995)
20-20: Tristan Thompson, North Texas vs Florida Atlantic (2011)
20-20: Stefon Jackson, UTEP vs Marshall (2009)
20-20: Jeron Roberts, Wyoming vs UTEP (1998)
20-20: Donyell Marshall, Connecticut vs St. John’s (1994)

The University of North Texas will open its new, $78 million home against Houston on Sept. 10.

Here's the complete schedule and release from UNT:

The season-opener against FIU on Sept. 1 will be the first of five games against teams that played in postseason bowl games last season. North Texas will debut its brand new state-of-the-art football stadium in the home-opener against Houston on Sept. 10. The $78 million Mean Green Stadium will play host to six games in 2011, including Indiana on Sept. 24th as well as four Sun Belt Conference games. This will be the first time in the 96-year history of the program a Big 10 Conference opponent has played in Denton. Non-conference road games against 2010 bowl teams Alabama and Tulsa fill out the first part of the schedule for the Mean Green. Three of the first five games of the season will pit North Texas against teams that won bowl games last season.

The schedule:

Sept. 1 (Thursday) at Florida International*
Sept. 10 Houston#
Sept. 17 at Alabama
Sept. 24 Indiana
Oct. 1 at Tulsa
Oct. 8 Florida Atlantic*
Oct. 15 at Louisiana-Lafayette*
Oct. 22 Louisiana-Monroe*
Oct. 29 at Arkansas State*
Nov. 12 at Troy*
Nov. 19 Western Kentucky*
Dec. 3 Middle Tennessee*

* Sun Belt Conference
# First game at Mean Green Stadium

Tony Mitchell, a prized recruit for Missouri out of Pinkston High School, has been ruled academically ineligible by the NCAA and the school plans no further appeals.

The 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward was considered one of the top high school prospects in the nation after averaging 20.5 points and 13.2 rebounds last season.

A source confirmed to ESPNDallas.com that Mitchell is in the process of enrolling at North Texas as an academic non-qualifier and would not be eligible to play until at least the second semester of the 2011-12 school year.

For more, click here.

New North Texas football coach Dan McCarney made his first official hires to his staff Tuesday: Clint Bowen (defensive coordinator and safeties coach), Nick Quartaro (assistant head coach, wide receivers coach) and Mike Canales (associate head coach, offensive coordinator).

In what can only be termed a tumultuous season for the Mean Green, four UNT players earned first team All-Sun Belt Conference honors Tuesday.

Senior linebacker Craig Robertson, junior running back Lance Dunbar and senior offensive linemen Victor Gill and Esteban Santiago were all voted to the first team by Sun Belt head coaches and media.

Only Sun Belt Conference regular-season champion Florida International had more players named to the first team with six. This is also the most players North Texas has placed on the Sun Belt first team since 2004 when it had seven.

It's time again to make some college football predictions for our local teams. Please share your picks in the comment section.

SMU vs. Marshall (2 p.m., Saturday): The Mustangs (5-5) need a win to become bowl eligible and still control their own destiny in Conference USA's West Division. If SMU can win its last two games, they'll play for the C-USA title. It's a "white out" at SMU. The Mustangs are at home and ready. They'll take care of business. Prediction: SMU 28, Marshall 17

Weber State at Texas Tech (2 p.m., Saturday): If there was ever a time for the Red Raiders to get a Big 12 breather, it's this week. Texas Tech was crushed by Oklahoma, 45-7, last week and is 3-5 in conference. Weber State shouldn't provide much of a problem. Houston comes to town next week. Prediction: Texas Tech 45, Weber State 10

Florida Atlantic at Texas (2:30 p.m., Saturday): The Longhorns offense continues to sputter, but the Longhorns should have some chances to score against Florida Atlantic. Texas needs a win Saturday and a victory over Texas A&M on Thanksgiving night just to finish .500. Prediction: Texas 31, Florida Atlantic 13

North Texas at Louisiana-Monroe (2:30 p.m., Saturday): This should be a good game between two pretty even teams. It's on the road, which might normally suggest some struggles for UNT. But I'm going with the Mean Green in a close one. Prediction: North Texas 31, Louisiana-Monroe 28

Nebraska at Texas A&M (7 p.m., Saturday, ABC): The Aggies are sure excited about this one. As of today, 29,520 students have put in for tickets and the university is arranging to have chairs on the track to get everyone in the stadium they possibly can. And why not? Texas A&M has won four straight and is No. 19 in the country. Nebraska better be ready. The Cornhuskers want to clinch the Big 12 North and continue their march toward a BCS bowl. I think the Aggies come to play at home on Saturday. Prediction: Texas A&M 24, Nebraska 21

Oklahoma at Baylor (7 p.m., ESPN2): The Bears had things going after a win over Texas put them at 7-2 and tied for the top spot in the Big 12 South. But losses to Oklahoma State and Texas A&M mean Saturday's game isn't to keep the Bears near the top of the division anymore. They are bowl eligible and hoping for a chance to beat Texas and Oklahoma in the same season. But I don't see that happening Saturday. Prediction: Oklahoma 34, Baylor 21

Oklahoma State at Kansas (11 a.m., Saturday): I can't see the Cowboys having trouble here, even on the road. They want to be sure they keep that Bedlam clash one that would decide the Big 12 South. Prediction: Oklahoma State 38, Kansas 17

North Texas fired head coach Todd Dodge on Wednesday morning.

Dodge, who was hired in 2006 after winning 79 of his last 80 games at Southlake Carroll High, had a 6-37 record at North Texas. The Mean Green are 1-6, ensuring that Dodge won't get to the seven-win mandate set by athletic director Rick Villarreal.

For more, click here.

ESPN.com has brought back its college football "Bottom 10" rankings, and it kicks off the 2010 season with a Lady Gaga theme. What Mean Green fans won't be gaga over, however, is North Texas' return to the rankings.

UNT debuts at No. 4 in the rankings. Here's the comment: "Bad Romance": The Mean Green are 4-31 under Todd Dodge. "Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! Caught in a bad romance."

Here's the North Texas schedule for the 2010 football season:

Sept. 4: at Clemson

Sept. 11: Rice

Sept. 18: at Army

Sept. 25: at Florida Atlantic*

Oct. 2: Louisiana-Lafayette*

Oct. 9: Arkansas State*

Oct. 16: Florida International* (Homecoming)

Oct. 30: at Western Kentucky*

Nov. 6: Troy*

Nov. 13: at Middle Tennessee*

Nov. 20: at Louisiana-Monroe*

Nov. 27: Kansas State