· Game notes (.pdf)
SAN ANTONIO - UTSA looks to even the season series at I-35 rival Texas State this Saturday afternoon. The game can be heard on goUTSA.com with Stu Paul calling the action from courtside and Assistant Sports Information Director Carlos Valdez will providing color.
Series meeting: Texas State leads the rivalry 27-20 against UTSA. The Bobcats have won three straight against the Roadrunners and are 13-9 at Strahan Coliseum. However, UTSA has won 4-of-5 at Strahan. UTSA coach Rae Rippetoe-Blair is 8-5 against Texas State.
Last meeting: In their first meeting on Jan. 20, Texas State used a 17-6 run in the final four minutes of the game to seal the 76-64 victory. Senior Vivian Ewalefo led UTSA with 15 points and seven rebounds, while sophomores Monica Gibbs and Tia Bogan chipped in with 12 points apiece. Junior Brooke DeGrate’s game-high 19 points led Texas State in scoring.
About Texas State: The Bobcats improved to 16-8 on the season and 9-3 in Southland Conference play, after defeating Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 74-63 Thursday night at American Bank Center. Senior Joyce Ekworomadu led three Bobcats in double figures with 16 points. Senior Erica Putman and junior Brooke DeGrate added 14 and 10 points, respectively. Ekworomadu leads Texas State in scoring with 14.0 points per game, while Putman ranks first on the squad with 7.4 rebounds per contest.
Last time out: Sophomore Monica Gibbs’ third straight 20-point performance was not enough, as UTSA dropped a 68-52 decision against undefeated West Division leader Texas-Arlington on Thursday night at the Convocation Center. Gibbs led the Roadrunners with a game-high 22 points and six rebounds. Senior Vivian Ewalefo added 13 points and freshman Lynsey Freeman dished out three assists.
Carrying the load: Sophomore Monica Gibbs has carried the scoring load for UTSA. Gibbs has led the team in scoring over the last four games, including three straight 20-point performance. Against UTA, Gibbs posted a game-high 22 points to collect her fourth 20-point effort on the season. In the overtime loss at Southeastern Louisiana on Feb. 8, Gibbs recorded 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 on Feb. 10. 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. 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 15.4 points per game. The Las Vegas native has scored double figures in 20 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 Texas-Arlington, Gibbs made a career-high 12 freebies.
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 14 of the 23 games played this season, at least one player has played the entire game. Sophomore Monica Gibbs and freshman Lynsey Freeman are tied with seven complete games, while junior Terrie Davis has played in six 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 December. 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 fifth double-double 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.
