Preview: Florida Atlantic Owls vs. North Texas Mean Green

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Interstat) — The Florida Atlantic Owls and the North Texas Mean Green will meet for the third time this season in a first-round women’s NCAA Division I basketball game at the American Athletic Conference Championship on Wednesday.

The game is scheduled for March 11, 2026, at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex.

seed Florida Atlantic (14-17) enters after a 74-70 road victory over Charlotte on Tuesday, snapping a three-game skid. The Owls’ season has been inconsistent, but they showed resilience in the play-in win.

seed North Texas (16-12) last played on March 3, falling 60-55 at Wichita State. The Mean Green had won three straight prior to that loss and will have had over a week to prepare.

North Texas has dominated the season series, winning both matchups decisively. The Mean Green won 81-56 in Boca Raton on Dec. 30, 2025, and 67-49 in Denton on Jan. 31.

A key player for Florida Atlantic is guard Destyne Jackson. She scored 16 points in a win over Tulsa on Feb. 14 but has been held to single digits in three of her last four outings. Her production will be critical for the Owls’ offense.

North Texas is led by guard Aysia Proctor, who averages 16.4 points per game. She is coming off a 19-point performance against Wichita State and has scored in double figures in 12 consecutive games. Proctor tallied 22 points in a blowout win over UAB on Feb. 17.

The winner will advance to face seed South Florida in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

For Florida Atlantic, the challenge is reversing the lopsided results from the regular season and building on Tuesday’s momentum. North Texas aims to leverage its rest advantage and defensive prowess, having held the Owls to an average of 52.5 points in their two meetings.

The opening tip is set for 7 p.m. EDT.