DALLAS, Texas – University of North Texas-Dallas men's basketball opens the 2024-25 season on Saturday at Dallas Christian College. It will be the second year in a row these teams open, with UNT Dallas prevailing 100-73 last time. The Trailblazers seek a bounce back campaign that resulted in their fewest wins since joining the Sooner Athletic Conference three years ago. UNTD dropped seven contests (six against the SAC) by five points or less including a trio of games by a single digit.
The Trailblazers ended their season on a high note with a 73-64 victory over Oklahoma Panhandle State and claimed two-of-three final home games. Their loss came to Wayland Baptist in one of those single-possession finals. Wayland Baptist finished fourth in the league and reached the conference semifinals with a loss to No. 2 Langston.
Entering his fifth season since the program's inaugural year, Head Coach
Josh Howard looks to lead his squad back to the SAC Tournament for the first time since 2021-22. A first-round selection of the NBA Dallas Mavericks, Howard brings leadership and a perspective from someone that was a successful collegiate and professional player.
He will have 14 players on his roster to start the campaign, with five returners from last year's team. Headlining the veteran quintet is senior
Vernon Johnson. The senior guard from DeSoto, Texas, has remained local and is the only Trailblazer to suit up from his freshman year during the 2020-21 CoVID season to this year. His name is etched in many record-leading categories, and he returns from last season's team leading in points (354), rebounds (161), and steals (52). Johnson has led the team in steals each of the past three seasons and enters the regular season with 982 points and 514 rebounds. Johnson is a three-time all-conference recipient and was named 2021-22 SAC Freshman of the Year.
Another key player back for UNTD and likely to control the ball up the court is senior
Jayden Johnson-Blair from Dallas, Texas. In his first season with the Trailblazers, Johnson-Blair led the team with 91 assists. He added 185 points, 84 rebounds, and 32 steals.
Rounding out the returners are the junior trio:
Jason Orta,
Daniel Sohn, and
Sergio McClain. Orta notched 92 points and was 6-for-6 at the free throw line. Sohn tallied 71 points and 51 rebounds. McClain picked up 85 points and 56 rebounds and now has 109 career boards in two seasons.
Nine newcomers look to contribute on the court with
Ashton Howard,
Joe Davis,
Darion Jones,
Julius Morris,
DaRyan Williams,
Trey Cheatham,
Greg Crawford,
Dante Curry-El, and
Grant Ekakitie bringing different faces to the roster.
Meet the 2024-25 UNTD Men's Basketball Trailblazers
UNT Dallas was tabbed 10th in the
Sooner Athletic Conference Coaches' Poll.
Hear from Coach Howard and Senior
Vernon Johnson about the upcoming season.
