North Texas visits South Florida after Sissoko's 27-point outing
North Texas Mean Green (19-6, 10-3 AAC) at South Florida Bulls (13-14, 6-8 AAC)
BOTTOM LINE: North Texas faces South Florida after Moulaye Sissoko scored 27 points in North Texas' 63-44 victory against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.
The Bulls are 9-4 in home games. South Florida is 7-5 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponents and averages 11.3 turnovers per game.
The Mean Green have gone 10-3 against AAC opponents. North Texas is 16-4 against opponents over .500.
South Florida averages 76.1 points, 17.3 more per game than the 58.8 North Texas gives up. North Texas averages 6.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.4 fewer makes per game than South Florida gives up.
The Bulls and Mean Green match up Sunday for the first time in AAC play this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jamille Reynolds is scoring 13.2 points per game and averaging 7.8 rebounds for the Bulls. Jayden Reid is averaging 1.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Atin Wright is shooting 38.7% and averaging 13.8 points for the Mean Green. Latrell Jossell is averaging 0.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Bulls: 4-6, averaging 71.1 points, 32.0 rebounds, 13.5 assists, 7.8 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 40.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 75.1 points per game.
Mean Green: 8-2, averaging 66.9 points, 32.0 rebounds, 10.6 assists, 6.2 steals and 2.6 blocks per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 59.1 points.
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New York Times
20 hours ago
- New York Times
Nate Schmidt ‘found his fun again' with Panthers en route to sensational playoffs run
FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. — It was one of Nate Schmidt's first preseason games with the Florida Panthers. He tried something on the ice, but it didn't exactly work as planned. He returned to the bench, and in no uncertain terms, someone shouted over to him, 'We don't do that here.' It wasn't coach Paul Maurice, whom he played for briefly in Winnipeg and loved every second with, nor assistant Sylvain Lefebvre, who runs the defensemen. Advertisement It was one of his new teammates. Schmidt won't reveal who. Asked if he could at least say what he did, Schmidt — 33 years old and a veteran of 741 regular-season games and another 95 in the playoffs — said with a laugh, 'I cannot.' But it was in that moment with those few terse words that Schmidt realized how high the standards were in Florida. 'This team has such a defined way that they play, and you just have to get on board,' he said. It also reinforced why he chose to sign a one-year, $800,000 contract to play here. Schmidt wants to win and reestablish himself after a rough final year with the Winnipeg Jets as a quality, trustworthy and (as we all know by now) energetic, talkative and bubbly hockey player. He could have made double the money elsewhere, but he turned down that opportunity to sign with the Panthers two days into last summer's free agency. So this decision wasn't financial. Coming to South Florida was about finding the right fit and potentially winning the Stanley Cup, knowing full well that if he played well and won, he'll probably get paid on his next contract this summer. 'It's not easy to do this year after year, and this team went to the finals two years ago and won the Cup last year,' Schmidt said after Sunday's practice in advance of Monday night's Game 3 against the Edmonton Oilers. 'So you wonder, 'Would they have enough in the tank? Can I be a help?' But when I went through the roster early last summer, this is exactly what I envisioned.' VIDEO! Inside the @flapanthers Radio Booth for the first of Nate Schmidt's two goals during Tuesday's Game 1 win over the Lightning. — Doug Plagens (@DougPlagens) April 23, 2025 The one thing about the Panthers and the culture that players like Aleksander Barkov, Aaron Ekblad and Sergei Bobrovsky have cultivated is that everybody is welcome and can be themselves. Carter Verhaeghe says one of the nicest things he can say about the Panthers is that when you walk into their locker room, you feel like you've been there for 10 years. Advertisement Schmidt, a former University of Minnesota star who grew up in St. Cloud, Minn., feels that way now. But he admits that even being as comfortable in his own skin as he is, as confident as he can come across, he was walking on eggshells those first couple of weeks. The longtime NHLer with a long pedigree of playoff success still saw a winning recipe that worked and didn't want to mess it up. Plus, when a significant defenseman like Brandon Montour departs via free agency, there is an internal pressure to make everyone feel like you're replacing that player perfectly. 'There were still (nerves),' Schmidt said. 'I found it pretty difficult for the first couple of weeks, being like, 'Hey, how do you find your way with this team that just won? How do you know where you fit in with this group and what you can do to provide? Is it enough? Is it the same as (the players) they lost?' All those things get in your head until the first couple weeks. Then you start to settle in and you get into the system and then you start to get integrated with the guys and then, as a veteran guy, you start to let your own personality start to show. I found that just being me is the easiest way to go about doing it.' And one reason the Panthers showed such interest in Schmidt is his motormouth personality. As Maurice jokes, some of the players Florida lost — Montour, Nick Cousins, Josh Mahura and Ryan Lomberg, to name a few — were loud, boisterous and 'didn't shut up.' Schmidt could fill that role. 'I think it's something we knew right from training camp, right when he came in,' said first-line right winger Sam Reinhart. 'You need those personalities in the room, especially this time of year when games get tighter. Nothing changes with him. It's huge to have personalities like that in the long run.' Advertisement Plus, Schmidt is a good player. Just look at his postseason for the Panthers. On a blue line that leads the NHL with 17 goals and 46 points in 19 playoff games, Schmidt is tied with Ekblad for the lead with 11 points. He scored the game winner in each of his first two playoff games against Tampa Bay, becoming the second defenseman since 1943-44 to score the winner in each of his team's first two playoff games. He has scored at least one postseason goal with four different franchises (Washington, Vegas, Winnipeg and Florida), the only active defenseman to achieve this feat. He joined Mike Green, Janne Laukkanen and Sergei Gonchar as one of four NHL defensemen in the past 30 years to score multiple goals in a playoff debut with a franchise. And two games into the Stanley Cup Final, Schmidt has four assists, three primary, including some beauties on two goals by Sam Bennett and one by Brad Marchand, and one secondary assist on a Seth Jones goal that was downright gorgeous after evading a couple of defenders. SETH JONES! WHAT A PLAY BY NATE SCHMIDT! 2-2 — Spoked Z (@SpokedZ) June 7, 2025 'I'm so happy for him, especially because I go back to the kind of conversations we had (last) summer of what he was looking for from a tour with the Florida Panthers,' Maurice said. 'He's not 23 anymore, and he wanted to get his game back. That was the whole point. He felt he was a better player than he was playing, and he took full responsibility for that. There was no blame to anybody else. 'He just thought he had more to give, and it took him probably three or four months to get used to the way that we play, and since that time he's been incredibly effective. What I'm most happy for, for him, is especially in Game 1, (Game 2) as well, but he's getting up the ice and he looks like he did when he was a kid when he first came into the league in Washington. He was dynamic with the way he'd get up the ice. And then coaches beat that out of you and take the fun out of the game for you, but it looks like he's found his fun again.' This postseason, Schmidt is reminding the rest of the league he can still play this game and at a high level. If the Panthers don't have the cap space to bring him back, that'll come in handy July 1 when he's due for a new contract. 'The other part of it is kind of reminding yourself that you have that game in you and you're just unlocking it,' Schmidt said. 'Being able to feel the confidence from your staff and any other guys, and just the team in general. Our team believes that we have a good structure, a good chemistry, all those things. But when you get on the ice and when all the things have to come together in order to win a game, that's when you start to really feel that continuity on the bench and on the ice.' Advertisement Schmidt said when he first arrived in Florida, he sat down with Lefebvre and was provided a blueprint of how he wanted his defensemen to play, but then the coaches adapt the plan to the new players' strengths and begin tailoring it for them. But he also said the Panthers' system is complicated and it takes time to master the nuances. Schmidt admittedly struggled at first. He was scratched in the season opener but has been a lineup constant for the most part since. He says he started to feel comfortable when the Panthers traveled to Finland for the Global Series late last October and early November to play Dallas. 'It was like, 'OK, there's a role for you here,'' Schmidt said. 'That's the biggest thing with Paul and our D coach, Sly — what they talk about is where you are in our system, how you fit, what your role is, and knowing that it's OK just to do that. We don't ask you to do more. So that's one of the biggest things that I felt once I learned that and understand that that's good enough. And then you don't have to try and be like, 'Oh, I need to be playing more.' It was like, you're right where we needed to be.' After the Panthers won their third straight conference title late last month, Matthew Tkachuk came to the podium in Raleigh and without prompting credited the Panthers' new guys — players like Schmidt, Marchand, Jones, Tomas Nosek and A.J. Greer — for providing that extra hunger needed to a roster that largely was part of last year's championship. Maurice couldn't have agreed more, saying, 'Toward the end, they became our identity. They were closer to our identity game than the guys who had been here for a couple of years, and they got us back in that Toronto series. So the different dynamic is when you come into our team after Vegas, you're coming in to help push them over the top. But when you come into our team this summer, you don't want to screw things up.' Maurice said in some ways, players like Schmidt are the drivers now because they have such a desire to help their new teammates repeat and, in most cases, other than Marchand, win the Stanley Cup for the first time themselves. 'You don't want necessarily the entire team back the next year where everybody's reasonably well-fed,' Maurice said. 'You want a few hungry guys in there, too, because they can push you.' ELITE display of vision from Nate Schmidt 😮💨 #StanleyCup 🇺🇸: @NHL_On_TNT & @SportsonMax ➡️ @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ — NHL (@NHL) June 5, 2025 Schmidt has gone on long runs before. His first year in Vegas, the Golden Knights made a shocking run to the Stanley Cup Final before losing to his old Capitals. His third year there, they went to the conference final before losing to the Dallas Stars. But that first year was a blur, he said, and came and went too quickly for him to appreciate it. Advertisement Now? He's trying to cherish every second. 'When you're at that stage of your career, you're thinking, 'Oh, our team's good. We're back here all the time,'' he said. 'But the reality is that it's hard. It's incredibly hard to get back to this stage, and this time I'm just trying to slow it down and enjoy it. Just not knowing if you're ever going to get a chance again or be in a position or on a team again that's going to have a chance to do that. 'This is the pinnacle of our sport and to be able to be here at the end is special, and it's fun to be a part of. You just never know.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Deion Sanders Made Transfer Earn Number—and it Paid Off
Deion Sanders Made Transfer Earn Number—and it Paid Off originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Colorado head coach Deion Sanders offers something more foundational compared to other college coaches. An NFL-experienced staff and a culture built on competition. It's a big reason why everything at Colorado must be earned. When LaJohntay Wester wanted to get No. 1 last year, he earn it from Sanders, who doesn't give out his best jersey to anyone. Advertisement Sanders' message has been clear to all his players. Show up and be the best you can at all times. Tulsa transfer wide receiver Joseph Williams recently went on the record about being courted by Coach Prime while being committed to Utah. The 2024 AAC Freshman of the Year told the Reach The People Media's Darius Sanders there was another school willing to give him No. 8. But Coach Prime explained Williams it's that easy, it's not worth it. 'I'm not going to say the school, but a school made a phone call when I told them I wanted No. 8. He said, 'Yeah, reserve the number until I say otherwise,'' Williams said. 'But Coach Prime said I had to come in and earn it. That really got me. He's not going to give me what I want just because I want it. I have to earn everything. My jersey number, things I need, things I want.' Advertisement For Williams, Sanders' basis for earning the number was eye-opening. Related: Deion Sanders' Cryptic Three-Word Message Comes After Publicizing Health Setbacks 'My whole life, we didn't live the best, we struggled a little bit,' Williams said. 'My mom always taught me never take the easy way out. If you take the easy way out, nothing good is gonna come out of it. Hearing Coach Prime say that, all I heard was my mom—'No easy way outs.' That was super big for me.' Related: Lil Wayne Sends Clear Message to Deion Sanders in Tha Carter VI Sanders' message isn't for everyone. Especially with NIL deals being offered in massive amounts. But Williams is a natural fit for his mindset. He brings character to a deep WR room ready to catch passes from either Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter or five-star Julian 'JuJu' Lewis. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
CBS News
a day ago
- CBS News
South Florida professional sports teams are inspired by the success of the Florida Panthers
Jaylen Waddle considers himself the Florida Panthers' good luck charm. The Miami Dolphins wide receiver has been to several Panthers hockey games over the years. He banged the drum before a postseason matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning last season. He cheered on coach Paul Maurice's team after a thrilling overtime win over Tampa Bay this year. Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (17) runs drills during an NFL football practice, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Marta Lavandier / AP By Waddle's estimation, whenever he's in the building, that equals a win for his favorite hockey team. "I'm going to go to the finals," Waddle quipped after a practice last week. "I think they need to invite me sometime soon in an important game, because I think they're pretty undefeated when I'm there. "Panthers – Hey, I'll be waiting." The Panthers are in the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year. They're three wins away from defending their 2024 title. The Panthers went from winning just 25 playoff games in their first 28 seasons combined to winning more than 40 — and counting — in the past three seasons. And their general manager, Bill Zito, has been in conversations for GM of the Year for several seasons after building title-contending rosters year after year. They're the pinnacle of success in South Florida, and other pro sports teams in the region have taken notice. Many are inspired by what the Panthers have built and use it as a blueprint for success. Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel speaks before an NFL football practice, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Marta Lavandier / AP "I think the Florida Panthers as an organization have done an unbelievable job of creating a sense of, 'We've been here before,' or a certain level of expectancy of performance," Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. "All of those things, you can never have too many friendly reminders of what you're fighting for. There's nothing more motivating than watching people that really sacrifice hard earned monthly income to support athletic performance. You can feel it." The Dolphins were once that team for South Florida. Nearly 53 years ago, a fiery coach named Don Shula guided Miami to the NFL's only perfect season. Reminders of that dominant Dolphins era are still plastered throughout South Florida. But it's been a while since Miami has been such a powerhouse. The Dolphins went to the playoffs in each of McDaniel's first two seasons in Miami. They missed them last year and have not won a postseason game since 2000 — the longest such streak in the NFL. Waddle and other Dolphins players, including standout defensive tackle Zach Sieler and linebacker Bradley Chubb have been to Panthers games recently. For them, watching a run like the Panthers' is just the motivation they need. "They definitely bring an urge to the city," Waddle said. "Every professional sport in the city, it's just like they're pretty much the standard with all that they've accomplished over the past years. It's definitely like a fire under us to try to match them." Before the Miami Marlins got ready for a midweek game against the San Francisco Giants last month, manager Clayton McCullough donned a bright red Florida Panthers hat. The first-year Marlins manager doesn't necessarily consider himself a huge hockey follower. He's only able to catch scores here and there. Miami Marlins manager Clayton McCullough wears a Florida Panthers cap before a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Friday, May 30, 2025, in Miami. Lynne Sladky / AP "But I'm a fan now of our local Panthers team," McCullough said. "I hope they can repeat as Stanley Cup champions." McCullough has been tasked with being a centerpiece of the Marlins' latest rebuild. Miami went 62-100 last season, dropping at least 100 games for the second time in six seasons. He knows what success looks like after winning the World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers as their first base coach last season. He said it's good for the entire city when one team is winning titles. "We're all part of a fabric here in the community," McCullough said. "When one team is doing well, it's great for the entire area, for South Florida, for them to be doing so well. And we hope too that we're making deep runs in September and October in the years to come. "The fanbase, they get galvanized by that, and we'd love to support all of our pro teams here that are successful." Maurice and the Panthers players feel the support, and they have no problem sharing their triumphs. "There's room for all of us down here. There's certainly enough people," Maurice said. "I think it's a great thing that you have sports that are foundational: football, basketball, baseball. And then the new sport, hockey. And there's room for everybody there. So how about we just share it? Share the spotlight, share all of it. ... There's room for everybody here. We're happy to be a part of it."
