Chalk talk -- Louisiana Tech at North Texas: Two of C-USA's hottest teams face off in series

Where: Super Pit, Denton

Records: UNT 9-5, 5-1 Conference USA; Louisiana Tech 14-5, 7-3 Conference USA

Last game: UNT 79, Rice 53; Louisiana Tech 65, Southern Miss 62

TV: Stadium

Radio: Learfield IMG College

Projected UNT starting lineup:

PG: Javion Hamlet, 6-4, Sr. — Hamlet scored a career-high 30 points in UNT’s first game against Rice last week and followed up that performance with a 12-point outing in the series finale. He has scored in double figures in six of UNT’s last seven games and is averaging 13.9 points per game.

G: Mardrez McBride, 6-2, Jr. — McBride has been up and down all season and is coming off a four-point outing in UNT’s win over Rice in its last game. The junior scored 12 points in the first game of the series. He is shooting 43.4% from 3-point range and is averaging 7.9 points per game.

G: James Reese, 6-4, Sr. — Reese is coming off a good shooting night in UNT’s win over Rice in its last outing. The senior went 4 of 7 from the field on his way to scoring 12 points. The senior has hit two 3s in each of UNT’s last four games and is averaging 10.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.

F: Thomas Bell, 6-6, Sr. — Bell has been an efficient scorer throughout the season and went 7 of 8 from the field in UNT’s series against Rice. The senior will be key when the Mean Green take on a big and athletic Louisiana Tech team. He is averaging 9.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.

F: Zachary Simmons, 6-10, Sr. — Simmons was terrific for UNT in its series against Rice, scoring 30 points and pulling down 17 rebounds over the course of two games. The senior has scored in double figures in five of the Mean Green’s last six games and is averaging 10.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.

Scouting Louisiana Tech:

Louisiana Tech has won six of its last seven games and knocked off Western Kentucky in Bowling Green in that span. That run has vaulted the Bulldogs into the race for the Conference USA West Division title. UAB (7-1) and UNT (5-1) are just in front of Louisiana Tech (7-3).

The Bulldogs will face UAB after taking on UNT. Louisiana Tech has a chance to make a run up the West Division standings in the next week.

Louisiana Tech has five players averaging double figures in scoring and is led by senior guard Kalob Ledoux, who is averaging 11.7 points per game.

What you need to know:

Two of the hottest teams in C-USA will square off this week at the Super Pit. UNT has won four straight, while Louisiana Tech has won three in a row.

The Mean Green are 7-0 at home. This series will mark another step up for UNT. Coach Grant McCasland said this will be the best team the Mean Green have played at the Super Pit.

UNT can all but bury Louisiana Tech when it comes to the C-USA race by sweeping the Bulldogs, who already have three losses in league play.

The Mean Green rely heavily on their play on the defensive end of the floor. UNT ranks second in C-USA with an average of 62.9 points allowed per game. The question is if the Mean Green can slow down a talented and balanced Louisiana Tech team.

The Bulldogs have a number of players who are capable of leading the way offensively. If Ledoux is having an off night, forward Isaiah Crawford, guard Amorie Archibald and a host of other players are capable of stepping in and carrying the load offensively.

Hamlet has been on a tear of late for UNT. The Mean Green could use another big game from their senior leader.

The matchup between UNT’s front line and Louisiana Tech star freshman forward Kenneth Lofton Jr. is one to watch and was the subject of a story posted earlier today.