SAN ANTONO - The UTSA women’s basketball team to host I-35 rival Texas State Saturday night at the Convocation Center. The game can be heard on goUTSA.com with Stu Paul will bring the action from courtside, with Assistant Sports Information Director Carlos Valdez providing color. The contest also will be televised by Time Warner Cable on channel 50. Calling the game will be Jason Minnix, with color commentary provided by San Antonio Silver Stars Head Coach Dan Hughes.
Series meeting: Texas State leads the all-time series, 26-20, against UTSA. The Bobcats and the Roadrunners met once last season, with Texas State defeating UTSA in overtime, 73-71, on Feb. 18 at the Convocation Center. UTSA has dropped four out of the last six meeting against the Bobcats.
About Texas State: The Bobcats visit San Antonio with a 4-1 Southland Conference record and an 11-7 mark overall. Texas State handed Nicholls State a 72-64 loss on Jan. 13. The Bobcats rolled past Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 76-48, on Jan. 18 in San Marcos. Texas State is led by junior Joyce Ekworomadu’s 14.1 points per game and Janesha Washington ranks second on the team with 10.5 points per contest. Senior Erica Putman leads the team in rebounding with 7.3 rebounds per game. Texas State is averaging a league best 75.2 points per contest.
Old man winter: Due inclement weather, UTSA's game at Texas-Arlington was postponed to Tuesday, Jan. 23, at Texas Hall. The contest will tip off at 7 p.m.
Last time out: UTSA held Northwestern State to a season-low 23 percent from the floor and picked up a convincing 55-38 victory on Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center. It was the Roadrunners’ fifth win in their last six contests. Senior Vivian Ewalefo scored a game-high 18 points and collected nine rebounds. Junior Terrie Davis, who added 13 points, drained a pair of 3-pointers and moved into fourth place on UTSA’s all-time list (89).
Vintage Roadrunners: UTSA’s defense held Northwestern State to a season-low 23 percent shooting from the floor (14-of-60). The Roadrunners also held the league’s top scorer Chassidy Jones below her season average of 19.6 points per game to 14 points on 5-of-20 shooting.
Climbing the charts: Junior Terrie Davis moved to fourth on UTSA’s chart with 89 career 3-pointers surpassing former Roadrunner Tammy Rogers. The Houston, Texas, sharpshooter is on pace to move into second place by end of the season and surpass last season’s total of 39 3-pointers.
A First: Junior Terrie Davis and freshman Courtney Laing posted their first career double-double in the win against Central Arkansas on Jan. 11. Davis scored 13 points and grabbed a career high 10 rebounds, while Laing tied her career-best with 15 points and hauled in 10 rebounds.
Toughest test ahead: UTSA’s next three opponents are within the division and are a combined 11-2. Texas State has a 4-1 mark, UTA sports a perfect 4-0 record and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi stands at 3-1 in SLC play.
Rebounding machine: Senior Vivian Ewalefo set a career-high with 19 rebounds in the loss at Lamar on Jan. 6. The Las Vegas, Nev., native collected 11 boards in the first half alone. Her 8.6 rebounds per game this season ranks second in the Southland Conference.
Double digits: In the win against Central Arkansas, UTSA had four players score in double figures. Freshman Courtney Laing led the way with 15 points, while senior Vivian Ewalefo and junior Terrie Davis added 13 points apiece. Sophomore Tia Bogan chipped in with 10 points.
Double fever: Sophomore Monica Gibbs added two more double-doubles during the Wells Fargo New Year’s Classic to bring her season total to four. The Stillwater, Okla., native posted her first one against Eastern Washington with 20 points and 14 rebounds. At UALR, Gibbs had her second double-double of the year with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Freebies: UTSA tops the Southland Conference with a 75% free throw percentage and is 22nd in the nation. The Roadrunners are on pace to break the school record of 71.5% set during the 1989-90 season.
Reaching a milestone: Head coach Rae Rippetoe-Blair added another milestone to her coaching career, as she recorded her 100th UTSA victory on Nov. 24 against EWU.
UTSA inks four for the 2007-08 season: UTSA coach Rae Rippetoe-Blair announced the signing of Amber Gregg (Austin, Texas/McNeil HS), Cierra Martin (Pflugerville, Texas/Pflugerville HS), Magdalena Pawlaczyk (Wroclaw, Poland/Casper College) and Jordan Stark (Weatherford, Okla./Weatherford HS) to National Letters of Intent for the 2007-08 season.
UTSA picked third: UTSA was tabbed to finish in third place of both the Southland Conference coaches and SID polls in the West Division behind Texas-Arlington and Stephen F. Austin. The Roadrunners picked up two first-place votes in both polls.
Preseason honors: Senior Vivian Ewalefo received preseason Southland Conference first-team honors. Last season, Ewalefo led the UTSA in scoring (12.2) and rebounding (7.6) en route to garnering the 2005-06 SLC Newcomer of the Year and first-team all-conference accolades.
