UTSA Roadrunners (8-10, 4-3)
vs.
Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks (3-14, 3-4)
Thursday, Feb. 5 • 6:30 p.m.
Johnson Coliseum • Nacogdoches, Texas
RADIO/TV
Thursday's game will be televised by Fox Sports Southwest at 6:30 p.m. It also can be heard on the Roadrunner Radio Network (KSJL 92.5 FM/810 AM) and on goUTSA.com beginning with the women's pregame show at 6 p.m. Assistant Sports Information Director Erin Molina will handle the play-by-play.
UTSA TODAY
On Thursday night the Roadrunners will attempt to do what no other UTSA team before them has done. That is beat the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks in Nacogdoches. The ’Runners will also try to win their third straight game, a feat which they have not yet accomplished this season. UTSA (8-10, 4-3 SLC) is coming off a pair of victories over Lamar and Nicholls State.
THE SERIES
SFA leads the all-time series with UTSA by the count of 26-2. UTSA won the first-ever meeting between the two teams, 76-67, on Dec. 20, 1986. The ’Runners then lost 25 straight to the ‘Jacks until last season ’s first meeting, a 64-50 win at the Convocation Center.It was SFA who snapped UTSA’s school-record 13-game winning streak last season downing the ’Runners 54-42 in Nacogdoches. The Roadrunners are 1-8 against the Ladyjacks under Coach Rae Rippetoe-Blair.
SCOUTING THE LADYJACKS
SFA enters tonight’s game with an overall record of 3-14 and 3-4 in SLC play. The Ladyjacks are fresh off a 69-64 come-from-behind victory over Southeastern Louisiana Saturday night in Hammond. Kendria Smith and LaToya Mills are each averaging double-figure scoring to lead the ‘Jacks with 11.6 and 10.5 points per game, respectively. Mills adds 7.8 rebounds per contest will Kirby Killingsworth averages 5.4 boards per game.
AT THE HELM
UTSA Head Coach Rae Rippetoe-Blair (Oklahoma State ‘85), in her fourth year with the Roadrunners, is a two-time Southland Conference Coach of the Year (2001, 2003). She is 58-46 at UTSA (.558) and 165-90 (.647) over a career that spans eight years. Her most recent coach of the year selection came in 2003 when she led the Roadrunners their first-ever SLC regular season championship. She is tied for second on UTSA’s all-time wins list.
LAST TIME OUT
1/31 ROADRUNNERS RUN PAST NICHOLLS STATE, 79-60, FOR FIRST HOME CONFERENCE WIN OF THE SEASON
SAN ANTONIO -UTSA senior Nikki Hendrix scored a season-high 26 points to lead the Roadrunners past Nicholls State, 79-60, in Southland Conference play Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center.
The point total, on 26-of-49 (53.1%) shooting from the field, is a season-high for UTSA. The Roadrunner defense, currently ranked first in the SLC, held the Lady Colonels offense to 37.3% shooting.
UTSA started the game on a 9-2 run led by Hendrix who had five points in the first four minutes of play. The lead would grow to double digits at the 12:27 mark by the count of 17-7.Hendrix was the story of the game for UTSA as she recorded 18 first-half on 4-of-7 shooting from the field, a 3-pointer and nine free throws. The Oklahoma native finished a career-day with an 11-for-11 performance at the free throw line.
The Roadrunners would never trail with their largest lead of, 41-18, coming with 3:22 left in the first half. After leading 45-27 at halftime, UTSA got off to a slow second-half start allowing Nicholls State eight unanswered points. Back-to-back steals along with a lay-up by Nicholls State's Lisa Lawrence would cut the UTSA lead to seven, 49-42, with 15:00 minutes to go in the second.
A pair of free throws by UTSA senior Dewella Holliday, who finished with 16 points, and consecutive lay-ups by Hendrix pushed the Roadrunner lead back to double figures. Lacy Mingee was again the leader off the bench for UTSA with 14 points. The 'Runners would push the lead back out to 23 twice more before wrapping up the 79-60 victory.
Kaci Fulton led three Lady Colonels in double-figures with 16 points. Marneshia Bryant had 13 and Jamie Octave added 11.
THE JOHNSON JINX
UTSA has never won a game at William R. Johnson Coliseum with an overall mark of 0-12 in the building.
GOOD AS NEW
Lacy Mingee is making a quick recovery after missing four games due to a foot injury. The sophomore center is averaging 7.0 points and 2.1 rebounds per game since her return.
BLOCK PARTY
Through 16 games this season, sophomore center/forward Katie Sandefur has 13 blocks, surpassing her total of 12 from last season to lead the team. The Oklahoma native averages just under one block per contest. Kim Duncan (1983-85) is the all-time and single-season blocks leader at UTSA with 57 and 93 blocks, respectively.
MAY I HELP YOU?
Katie Sandefur’s seven assists against Northwestern State is a personal career-high for the Oklahoma native as well as the most by a Roadrunner this season. Sandefur has dished out 37 assists this season, the second-most on the team.
BIRDS BATTLING FOR BOARDS
After being out-rebounded in 12 of their first 15 games, the Roadrunners are turning around their early-season struggles by crashing the boards. The ’Runners have out-rebounded their opponents in three consecutive games grabbing 40+ rebounds in each of the contests for a 126-94 advantage on the glass.
EVERYDAY IS A HOLLIDAY
UTSA’s second leading scorer senior Dewella Holliday (14.7 ppg) has scored in double-figures in 15 of the Roadrunners 18 games played this season. The Monroe City, Mo., native reached double digits in 11 consecutive games from Nov.21-Jan.10, which still holds as the team-high.
SHE’S ON A ROLL
Senior Nikki Hendrix is currently riding an eight-game streak of double-figure scoring performances. The string ties her career-high which she accomplished a year ago. In all, the Ardmore, Okla., native has scored in double digits in 12 of 13 games since returning to the Roadrunner lineup in December.
MOVIN’ ON UP
Hendrix is currently 9th all-time on UTSA’s scoring list with 930 points. Averaging 357 points per season, the Oklahoma native is on pace to reach 1000+ points by the end of her career. She would be the ninth Roadrunner to reach 1,000 career points. Hendrix has 357 career rebounds, making her 13th all-time at UTSA She is second on the team this season averaging 6.4 per game.
THAT 70’s SHOW
With Saturday ’s 79-60 win over Nicholls State, UTSA has scored 70+ points on three occasions this season. The 79 points is a season-best and the most for Coach Blair ’s team since her first year, 2000-01.The most points scored by a Roadrunner team is 113 in 1990 against Schreiner. The most points in a conference game is 92 against Nicholls State in 1994.
IN THEIR TWENTIES
Seniors Nikki Hendrix and Dewella Holliday have scored 20+ points three and two times, respectively. Hendrix is averaging 16.6 points per game to lead the ’Runners, while Holliday is second with 14.7.
GOT THE MOJO RISIEN
Freshman J.J. Risien (Dripping Springs, Texas) leads all UTSA newcomers averaging 3.5 points and 2.1 rebounds and 9.5 minutes per game off the bench. J.J. is the daughter of former Texas A&M football standout and 11-year Cleveland Brown veteran Cody Risien.
REED’S HELPING HAND
Junior guard Kim Reed (Dallas, Texas) has dished out 56 assists on the season to lead the team with 3.1 per game. She had the second-most assists on the team last year with 57.
SOUTHLAND HONORS FOR HOLLIDAY
Senior Dewella Holliday (Monroe City, Mo.) was named the Southland Conference (SLC) Player of the Week it was announced Monday (Dec.8) in a release by the league's office. The UTSA guard/forward earns her first-ever weekly honor after scoring her second double-double of the season with 18 points and 12 rebounds in the Roadrunners only game of the week at Alabama. She also tacked on two assists and one steal. The 2002-03 SLC Newcomer of the Year has scored in double figures in 10 of UTSA’s 11 games this season.
ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
UTSA returns two all-conference selections from a year ago, with each of them landing a spot on the 2003-04 SLC preseason all-conference squad Senior forward Nikki Hendrix (Ardmore, Okla.) was named to the first-team squad. Senior forward Dewella Holliday (Monroe City, Mo.) tied for the last available spot on the second-team.
The duo joins the following Roadrunners on the all-conference teams: Angel Singleton, second team, 1997; Joyce Howard, second team,1998; Rosie Smith, second team, 1999; Keelah Wilson, second team, 2000; Renda Churman and Julie Rampley, second-team, 2001; Nikki Hendrix, second-team, 2002.
’RUNNERS UP
After winning the regular season Southland Conference (SLC) championship in 2002-03,UTSA is picked second in both the coaches and sports information director’s SLC preseason polls for 2003-04.Texas State, who edged out the Roadrunners for the SLC tournament title last year was placed atop UTSA in the preseason voting.
INJURY REPORT
UTSA: Nicole Dunson is out for the season with a torn anterior crucial ligament.