ESPN

North Texas will leave the Sun Belt to join Conference USA, a source close to the program said Thursday.

The source also said that Louisiana Tech and Florida International will be joining the Mean Green in Conference USA, along with UT-San Antonio, whose move was approved by the University of Texas System regents on Thursday morning.

The source said that Old Dominion and Charlotte also possibly could be added to the revamped Conference USA lineup.

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Johnny Jones made 20-win seasons an expectation at North Texas, a program that had a grand total of 20 wins in four seasons before his arrival in Denton.

That’s how the former LSU point guard and assistant coach earned his dream job at his alma mater, which hired Jones to replace new TCU coach Trent Johnson.

That’s also why North Texas has never been a more attractive job for a head coach. Athletic director Rick Villarreal, who hired Jones about two weeks into his UNT tenure, should have a pretty impressive pool of candidates in his search to find an experienced head coach that can keep the Mean Green program’s momentum going.

“You probably need somebody that you’re not taking a chance he’s pulling the trigger for the first time,” Villarreal said. “That’s my preference. As a program, we’re at that point.”

The program, which qualified for the NCAA tourney twice in the last six years, is at a point where it could be poised to join the midmajor powers.

The Mean Green’s five-year streak of 20-win campaigns was snapped this season, when UNT finished 18-14 and lost a down-to-the-wire Sun Belt tournament final for the second straight year, but the entire rotation should return intact with an impact juco big man headlining the recruiting class. Potential first-round pick Tony Mitchell has decided to wait at least a year to declare for the NBA draft, opting to focus on improving his game and leading UNT back to March Madness, unless he reconsiders following Jones' departure.

This will always be known as a football state, but there aren’t many more fertile basketball recruiting bases than the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. UNT has a 10,000-seat arena and has positioned itself, with a facilities overhaul highlighted by its new $78 million football stadium, to benefit from future conference realignment dominoes falling.

This is no longer a job for a man desperate for a chance to become a head coach. It’s a job for a proven winner who can build on the foundation Jones leaves as he heads home to LSU.

DENVER -- Brian Stafford and Chris Udofia scored 15 points apiece Sunday to lead Denver to a 64-52 victory over North Texas.

Royce O'Neale had 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Brett Olson scored 10 points for the Pioneers (21-8, 11-5 Sun Belt), who set a school record with their 21st victory and fourth in a row.

Brandan Walton led the Mean Green (16-13, 9-7) with 13 points. Alzee Williams scored 10 points, and Tony Mitchell grabbed 12 rebounds.

The Pioneers nailed down the third seed and a bye in the conference tournament. They will play Sunday in Hot Springs, Ark.

The Mean Green, whose 52 points represented a season low, took fifth and will face No. 4 Louisiana-Lafayette in Sunday's quarterfinals.

The teams split the season series, with North Texas having won 75-74 in overtime Jan. 21.

North Texas freshman Tony Mitchell has been named the Sun Belt Conference player of the week for the third consecutive week.

Mitchell becomes just the second player in league history to receive three consecutive weekly honors and the first since the 2008-09 season, when Brandon Hazzard of Troy received three consecutive honors.

Mitchell, a Pinkston High School grad, had 30 points and a Sun Belt-season high 17 rebounds to lift North Texas (12-8, 5-2 SBC) to an overtime win over Denver and into a tie for first place in the West Division.

The Mean Green has now won five of its last six games, with the only loss coming on a half-court buzzer beater on the road at Arkansas State on Jan. 7.

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.