Game 10
UTSA Roadrunners (3-6) vs. Colorado State Rams (3-7)
Dec. 29 ? 7 p.m.
Convocation Center (4,080) ? San Antonio, Texas
Series History: Colorado State leads, 2-1
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Game 11
UTSA Roadrunners (3-6) vs. High Point Panthers (3-7)
Dec. 30 ? 7 p.m.
Convocation Center (4,080) ? San Antonio, Texas
Series History: First meeting
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Opening Tip: UTSA returns to action to hosts the Wells Fargo New Year’s Classic this week. The Roadrunners will face Colorado State on Monday and then against High Point the following day.
Roadrunners on the Web: Fans can follow the Roadrunners this season at goUTSA.com. All 29 games can be heard for free with Stu Paul providing play-by-play analysis. Fans also can enjoy watching the Runners on the Web, as all 16 home games will be broadcast live on goUTSA.com (RowdyZone subscription required). Live stats will be available at no cost.
Series Meeting: The Rams lead the all-time series, 2-1, against the Roadrunners. The last meeting between these two clubs was on Dec. 31, 2005, in San Antonio at the Wells Fargo New Year’s Classic. Colorado State held off a late rally by UTSA to score the 63-59 win. Meanwhile, High Point and the Runners are meeting for the first time.
Last Time Out: Senior forwards Onika Anderson and Ryba Pawlaczyk posted double-doubles to lead UTSA to a 74-62 win over Oral Roberts in the final day of the Cozumel Cup on Dec. 20 Anderson scored a team-high 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while Pawlaczyk chipped in with 15 points and a game-high dozen boards for the Roadrunners (3-6). Meanwhile, senior guard Monica Gibbs added 13 points and sophomore guards Amber Gregg and Whitney York netted 10 apiece.
Scouting Colorado State and High Point: CSU is 3-7 on the season and are winless on the road this year. Colorado State is coming off a 67-56 loss at Creighton on Dec. 21. The Rams have dropped three of its last five contests. Kandy Beemer tops the team in scoring (8.9 ppg), while Britney Minor ranks second on the squad averaging 8.0 points per game.
High Point visits the Alamo city with a 3-7 mark. The Panthers snapped a three-game losing streak after defeating Chowan, 75-57, on Dec. 20, in High Point, N.C. HPU has a trio of players scoring in double-figures with Jurica Hargraves leading way with an 14.1 points per game. Shamia Brown’s 11.9 points per contest ranks second-best, while Mackenzie Maier is averaging a third-best 11.0 ppg.
Balanced Attack: UTSA posted five players in double-figure in the win against Oral Roberts on Dec. 20. The Roadrunners were led by senior forward Onika Anderson’s 20 points, while senior forward Ryba Pawlaczyk added 15 points. Senior guard Monica Gibbs netted 13 and sophomore guards Amber Gregg and Whitney York chipped in with 10.
Gibbs Set Another Milestone: Senior Monica Gibbs became the first UTSA player in school history to record a triple-double with 19 points, 13 assists and grabbed 12 rebounds against Huston-Tillotson on Dec. 6.
The Gibbs’ Watch: Senior guard Monica Gibbs is on pace to rewrite the program’s record book once again this season. She is 39 rebounds shy of passing Margaret Martinovich, who holds the all-time mark with 778 rebounds. Gibbs is now ranks second with 760 career rebounds and is the second player in the school-history with over 750 rebounds.
700-Rebound Club: Senior Monica Gibbs became the third Roadrunner in the program’s history to haul in 700 boards. Gibbs has collected 760 rebounds in her four-year career.
500 Dimes and Counting: Senior guard Monica Gibbs is the first Roadrunner in the program’s history to record over 500 assists. The Stillwater, Okla., native has dished out 536 dimes in her four-year career.
Reaching A Milestone: Gibbs became the 11th player in the program’s history to score over 1,000 points. She eclipsed that point total at Kansas State on Nov. 23. She currently has 1,077 career points in her four-year career. Gibbs currently stands 10th on the all-time scoring list.
On Pace for 30 Double-Doubles: Senior Monica Gibbs has collected third double-double this season to bring her career tally to 27 double-doubles in her four-year stint.
Picking Up Were She Left Off: With a season already under her belt, sophomore guard Jordan Stark picked up where she left off on Nov. 14 against TAMIU. The Weatherford, Okla., native scored 19 points on 6-of-9 from the floor, dished out a career-high six assists and connected on five 3-pointers in the win against the Dustdevils.
Stark Times 3: Sophomore Jordan Stark tied her career-high with five 3-pointers to lead UTSA with 19 points at Wichita State on Nov. 21. She tops the team with 14 treys and is shooting 38 percent from downtown range. Stark also leads the team in 3-pointer made per game at 2.80.
Stealing The Show: Sophomore Jordan Stark posted a career-high seven steals against Texas A&M International on Nov. 14. The Weatherford, Okla, native was two shy of the school-record set by Rhonda Hoffman, who collected nine against Sam Houston State on Jan. 27, 1984. Stark currently tops the conference averaging 3.20 steals per game.
Onika Leads the Way: Senior Forward Onika Anderson recorded her team-leading fifth double-double of the season. The Pine Bluff, Ark., native tallied 20 points and 11 rebounds in the win against Oral Roberts on Dec. 20.
20 and 10: Senior forward Onika Anderson has posted three games with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. She is averaging a double-double with 13.8 points and 10.2 rebounds per game this season.
Anderson Doubles Up The Wildcats: Senior forward Onika Anderson posted her second double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds at Kansas State on Nov. 23. The Pine Bluff, Ark., native has recorded 11 double-double in her two-year career.
Onika Brings The Offense: Senior Onika Anderson collected her first double-double of the season at TCU with 22 points and 13 rebounds on Nov. 16. Last season’s SLC Newcomer of the Year led UTSA with nine double-doubles in 2007-08.
Ryba’s Breakout Season: Senior forward Ryba Pawlaczyk opened the 2008-09 campaign with back-to-back double-doubles. The Wroclaw, Poland, native is posting career-high numbers in scoring (11.9 ppg) and rebounding (11.0 rpg) this season.
Block Party: Senior forward Ryba Pawlaczyk leads the team with 20 blocks and is averaging a league-best 2.2 blocks per game this season.
Ryba Posts Back-To-Back Double-Doubles: Senior forward Ryba Pawlaczyk has already tallied a pair of double-doubles to open the season. The Wroclaw, Poland, native netted a 20 points and hauled in 12 rebounds against Texas A&M International on Nov. 14. She followed that performance with 17 points and a career-best 15 boards at TCU on Nov. 16.
Onika and Ryba double up H-T: Seniors Onika Anderson and Rbya Pawlaczyk each posted double-doubles in the win against Huston-Tillotson on Dec. 6. Anderson chipped in with 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Pawlaczyk added a career-high 24 points and hauled in 11 boards.
Gregg Steps Into New Role: Sophomore guard Amber Gregg made three starts last season, but in 2008-09 she has made four starts and is responding with career numbers. The Austin native is averaging a career-high 11.4 points per game. She netted a career-best 15 points against Oakland on Dec. 19.
UTSA Tube: The Roadrunners will be featured on television three times this season. Time Warner Cable (Channel 50) will broadcast the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi contest on Jan. 24 and UT Arlington on Feb. 14. The Southland Television Network will air the Northwestern State home game on Jan. 24.
Runners preseason favorites: UTSA was the unanimous choice to win the West Division in both the Southland Conference Coaches and Sports Information Directors preseason polls, the league office announced on Oct. 21.
The Roadrunners collected seven first-place votes and totaled 62 points in the coaches rankings, finishing ahead of 2007-08 SLC Regular Season Champion Texas State, which picked up 49 points. Meanwhile, UTSA garnered 10 of the 12 first place votes in the SIDs Poll for a total of 65 points. The Bobcats nabbed the other two first-place votes and finished with 47 points, while the Lamar tied Texas State with 47 points.
It makes the second time the Roadrunners were selected as preseason SLC favorites. The last time they were picked atop in the rankings was 2003-04.
UTSA lands three on All-SLC preseason teams: Seniors Onika Anderson and Monica Gibbs were named to the league’s preseason first team and sophomore Whitney York collected second-team honors on Oct. 21.
Next Game: UTSA opens the New Year against Rice on Jan. 3 in the Convo at 2 p.m.