Dec. 1, 2005
Contact: Carlos Valdez III. (210) 458-4930
Roadrunners face perennial power Louisiana Tech Friday in first round of Rice Gene Hackerman Invitational
Complete Release | Live Audio | Rice Athletics
SAN ANTONIO - The UTSA women's basketball team will look to get back on the winning track this weekend at the Gene Hackerman Invitational hosted by Rice on Friday-Saturday, Dec. 2-3, at Autry Court. The Roadrunners (4-2) face perennial power Louisiana Tech (1-1) on Friday at 5 p.m. and will face either Davidson or Rice on Saturday at 5 or 7 p.m.
Gene Hackerman Invitational
Friday, Dec. 2- Saturday, Dec. 3
Autry Court - Rice University - Houston, Texas
UTSA Roadrunners (4-2)
vs.
Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters (1-1)
Friday, Dec. 2 - 5 p.m.
UTSA Roadrunners
vs.
Davidson Wildcats (1-2) or Rice Owls (2-2)
Saturday, Dec. 3 - 5 or 7 p.m.
Last Outing
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s second half surge aided the Islanders to a 56-44 win over the UTSA women’s basketball team Tuesday night at the American Bank Center, snapping the Roadrunners' two-game winning streak.…The Islanders were led by senior forward Terra Andrews’ double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds…Junior guard Kirbria Lewis added 15 points and grabbed six rebounds…Senior guard Nicole Dunson scored a team-high 13 points and collected six boards in the loss, while freshman guard Monica Gibbs nearly missed a double-double with a career-high 11 points and nine rebounds…TAMU-CC out-rebounded UTSA, 48-33, including a 15-7 edge on the offensive broads…The Islanders pounded the Runners in points in the paint with a 30-22 advantage.
Setting The Scene
The Roadrunners look to regroup after their 56-44 lost to TAMU-CC on Tuesday, when they face Louisiana Tech in the Rice Gene Hackerman Invitational on Friday, Dec. 2, at the Autry Court. Tip set for 5 p.m.
Scouting Report On The Lady Techsters
Louisiana Tech is coming off a 95-91 double overtime win over Big Ten member Iowa back on Nov. 22 at the Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston, La. The Lady Techsters had a 20-win season last year, capped off with an appearance in the 2005 NCAA Tournament, where they lost to Temple, 66-61, in Storrs, Conn., on Mar. 20, 2005.
Last Meeting Between UTSA and La Tech
The Roadrunners and the Lady Techsters will meet again for first time since the 1984-85 season. In their previous encounter, La Tech defeated UTSA, 80-39, on Dec. 15, 1984, at the SMU Classic in Dallas, Texas.
Possible Matchups For The Runners
In day two of the Rice Tournament, UTSA will either face Davidson or host Rice on Dec. 3.
Davidson is 1-2 after hammering Oglethorpe, 95-39, on Nov. 29 at the Belk Arena in Davidson, N.C. The Wildcats are led by sophomore guard Danielle Hemerka’s 13.7 points per game and junior forward Brynn Kelly leads the team in rebounding averaging 7.7 boards per game.
Rice enters its own tournament with an 2-2 mark. The Owls are coming off a 1-1 record, after defeating Pennsylvania, 59-54, on Nov. 26 and losing to Washington, 86-62, on Nov. 27 at the Seattle Times Classic held in Seattle, Wash. The Owls finished the 2004-05 season with a 24-9 mark and a 14-4 conference mark. The Owls 2004-05 year ended with a 75-49 loss to Georgia in the First-Round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament on Mar. 19, 2005.
Islanders Have Runners' Number
TAMU-CC improved to 4-0 against UTSA with the 56-44 victory on Tuesday. The Islanders used a 10-5 run with 14:19 left in game to pull away from the Runners after a cold shooting performance in the first half. For the game, the Islanders bettered their field goal percentage to 34 percent, including shooting nearly 40 percent in the second half.
Sore Homecoming For A Roadrunner
Nicole Dunson, a native of Corpus Christi, Texas, led the team with 13 points and a season-high six rebounds as she played in front of friends and family members. Dunson shot 6-of-11 from the field in 40 minutes of action.
No Glass Presence Leads To Paint Points
UTSA was out-rebounded by Texas A&M-Corpus Christ, 48-33, including 15-7 in offensive boards, giving the Islanders a 30-22 edge in points in the paints.
All-Classic Team
Seniors Lacy Mingee and Katie Sandefur were selected to the UTSA Thanksgiving All-Classic team over the weekend. The two combined for 23.0 points and 11.0 rebounds in their two wins against Arkansas-Little Rock and New Mexico State.
Mingee’s Weekend Show
Mingee put on a show against the Aggies on Nov 26., as she led the team in scoring with a season-high 21 points on 9-of-13 in 21 minutes of action. She also collected six rebounds and four steals. Mingee was also a presence in the paint for UTSA as show altered shot attempts against UALR and NMST.
Destiny Shines Against The Aggies
Freshman forward Destiny Brown set career-highs with 18 points and eight rebounds, five of which came on the offensive side, against New Mexico State. The Stillwater, Okla., native was 6-of-10 shooting from the floor.
Fast Start For UTSA
UTSA is off to its second best start in school history at 4-1. During the 1996-97 season, former UTSA coach Terry Gray began the season winning his first six games.
Free Throws Shooting Woes
UTSA is shooting 58 percent from the charity stripe this season. Over the weekend, the Roadrunners were 21-of-36 for 58 percent from the free throw line. Brown, Sandefur and Ewalefo are the only players on the team shooting over 70 percent from the line.
Young Ones Playing Like Veterans
Gibbs, Fox, and Brown have stepped up their game early in the season. The three have combined for nearly half the offense, averaging 31.0 points per game.
Defensive Stand Over The Weekend
UTSA’s defense was nothing but perfect against Arkansas-Little Rock and New Mexico State. The Trojans and Aggies combined for 29-of-109 shooting from the floor for 26 percent. The Roadrunners was even more stingy, allowing 21 percent on 12-of-58 shooting in the first half of both contests.
First Timers
This season UTSA will play four teams for the first time in school history. Beginning with West Virginia and Florida A&M in the Central Florida Tournament. Davidson on Dec. 2 at the Rice Tournament. Play host to Buffalo in the Wells Fargo New Year’s Classic on Dec. 30.
Looking For Number 200
Head Coach Rae Rippetoe-Blair is eight wins shy of reaching 200 career wins.
High Expectations In The SLC
UTSA was picked to finish second in the SLC coaches and SID’s polls, behind Texas-Arlington.
Who’s Next For The Roadrunners
UTSA hits the roads to Tempe, Ariz., to square off against nationally-ranked Arizona State on Dec. 19, in the Wells Fargo Arena at 7:30 p.m. (CST).