· Game notes (.pdf)
SAN ANTONIO - After splitting a pair of Southland Conference games last week, UTSA returns home to host undefeated West Division leader Texas-Arlington Thursday night at the Convocation Center.
Series meeting: UTA leads the all-time series 21-18 against UTSA. In their previous meeting on Jan. 23, Texas-Arlington used a 24-4 run to end the first half, as UTA picked up the 67-38 win at Texas Hall. The Roadrunners hold a 13-7 advantage against the Mavericks at the Convocation Center and have won the last five meetings.
About Texas-Arlington: The Mavericks are a perfect 11-0 in Southland Conference play and are 16-8 on the season. Last week, UTA collected a pair of SLC wins at Lamar on Feb. 8 and against McNeese State on Feb. 10. Senior Terra Wallace leads UTA in scoring with 16.3 points and 4.3 assists per game. Senior Ashley Bobb ranks first on the squad averaging 8.1 rebounds per contest. The Mavericks’ defense hold opponents to a league best 54.4 points per game.
Last time out: Sophomore Monica Gibbs’ game-high 22 points and senior Vivian Ewalefo’s fifth double-double of the season led UTSA to a hard-fought 66-60 victory against Nicholls State at Stopher Gymnasium. Gibbs added nine rebounds and five assists, while Ewalefo scored 16 points and grabbed a game-high 10 boards. Freshman Lynsey Freeman chipped in with 14 points, hitting 4-of-6 3-pointers for the Roadrunners.
Carrying the load: Sophomore Monica Gibbs carried the scoring and rebounding load for UTSA last week averaging a double-double with 22.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. In the overtime loss at Southeastern Louisiana, Gibbs posted her seventh double-double of the season with a career-high 23 points and 11 rebounds. Against the Lady Loins, Gibbs made a career-best 10 fields en route to her second straight 20-point effort with 22 at Nicholls State on Feb. 10.
Freeman dials long distance: Freshman Lynsey Freeman was instrumental in the win at Nicholls State. The Las Vegas, Nev, native connected on 4-of-6 from the downtown, including hitting three in row in the first half. On the season, Freeman ranks second the team with 34 3-pointers.
Gibbs collects SLC Player of the Week honor: Sophomore guard Monica Gibbs collected her first career Aeropostale/Southland Conference Player of the Week honor for the week of Feb. 1-3. Gibbs, who averaged a double-double with 17.0 points and 10.0 rebounds in the two Roadrunners wins, is the first player to earn the league’s weekly honor since Katie Sandefur on Jan. 23, 2006.
Scoring sensation: Senior Vivian Ewalefo is averaging a career-best 15.5 points per game. The Las Vegas native has scored double figures in 19 games and she started the year with six straight double-digit performance. Ewalefo scored a game-high 20 points in the win against Sam Houston on Feb. 1, including 16 points in the first half. On the year, she has four 20 point games.
Difference a year makes: A year ago, sophomore Monica Gibbs shot 49 percent from the free throw line. This season, Gibbs has increased her percentage by 18% (67%). In 10 games this season, she has shot 70% or better from the free throw line, compare to three times during the 2005-06 season. Against Sam Houston State, Gibbs made a career-high 10 freebies.
Stealing the show: Junior Terrie Davis had a career-high eight steals in the game against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Seven of her eight steals came in the first half. The Spring Woods High School product was one steal shy of tying the school record held by Rhonda Hoffman set against Sam Houston State on Jan. 27, 1984. Davis set a school record with her eight steals in a conference game.
Climbing the charts: Junior Terrie Davis has moved into third place on UTSA’s chart with 98 career 3-pointers and is two shy of passing former 3-point specialist Nicole Dunson. 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. Davis is the fourth UTSA player to connect on 90 or more 3-pointers.
Playing all the way: With a short bench this season, UTSA’s starters are averaging 33 minutes per game, while in SLC play they are playing 34 minutes. Four of the five starters are averaging over 30 minutes per contest. In 13 of the 22 games played this season, at least one player has played the entire game. Sophomore Monica Gibbs has played in seven complete games, while freshman Lynsey Freeman has six complete contests and junior Terrie Davis has played in five complete games.
Double-double tandem: Senior Vivian Ewalefo and sophomore Monica Gibbs have combined for 12 double-doubles this season. Gibbs leads the team with seven double-doubles on the season. She posted her team leading seventh at Southeastern Louisiana with a career-high 23 points and 11 rebounds.In the win against Sam Houston on Feb. 1, she posted her sixth with 18 points and 12 rebounds. On Jan. 27, she recorded fifth double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Gibbs collected three double-doubles during the month of Decemeber. The Stillwater, Okla., native posted her first one against Eastern Washington with 20 points and 14 rebounds. In just two seasons at UTSA, Gibbs has already recorded 10 career double-doubles.
Ewalefo has recorded five double-doubles on the year, giving her 12 for her career. The Las Vegas native posted her first against Eastern Washington with 14 points and 10 rebounds on Nov. 24. Ewalefo collected her second and third double-double in the month of December. Against Texas-Arlington, she added her fourth with 19 points and 10 rebounds on Jan. 23. In the win at Nicholls State on Feb. 10 , Ewalefo picked up her fifth with 16 points and 10 boards.
Freebies: UTSA tops the Southland Conference with a 73% free throw percentage. Against Texas State, UTSA connected on 18-of-20 free throws for a season-high 90%. The Roadrunners are on pace to break the school record of 71.5% set during the 1989-90 season.
