Game 19
UTSA Roadrunners (11-7, 4-1 SLC) vs. Lamar Lady Cardinals (13-6, 4-2 SLC)
Saturday, Jan. 31 ? 2 p.m.
Convocation Center ? 4,080
Series History: UTSA leads, 14-12
Opening Tip: After rallying from a 17-point second half deficit and shooting under 30 percent from the floor, UTSA looks to extend its winning streak to two games this Saturday against Southland Conference divisional foe Lamar at the Convocation Center. Game time set for 2 p.m.
Roadrunners On The Web: ans 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 (stream provided by Yahoo! Sports). 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.
Quick Facts:
? This will be the 27th meeting between UTSA and Lamar
? The Roadrunners hold a 14-12 advantage in the series and are 6-6 at home
? The Runners have won three of the last five meetings
? Rematch of the 2008 SLC Tournament Finals
? First meetings of the season
? UTSA is tied for first-place in the SLC West with UT Arlington
? Senior Monica Gibbs leads the league with 5.8 assists per game and ranks fourth in scoring (15.2 ppg) and rebounding (9.2), respectively.
? Senior Onika Anderson is shooting a conference-best 52.8 percent from the floor and averaging a league-best 10.3 rebounds per game.
? Sophomore Amber Gregg tops the SLC averaging 2.9 made 3-pointers per game
? UTSA ranks first in SLC scoring defense at 54.8 points per game
Series Meeting: The Birds lead the all-time series, 14-12, against the Lady Cardinals and are 6-6 at home. However, UTSA has won three of the last five meetings, including a 65-56 win at the 2008 SLC Tournament Finals on March 15, in Katy.
Pack The House: Saturday’s game UTSA will take part of a nationwide Pack The House contest. The Roadrunners need your help to pack the house at 2 p.m. when they take Lamar. Free customized Roadrunners house keys will be given out to the first 1,000 fans and there will be a postgame meet and greet with the players. There will be UTSA fan packs, Rudy’s Bar BBQ and many more prizes will be for grabs. The program would also like to invite all 2008 summer campers to join them for a camper reunion. Campers are encouraged to come out and win a free admission to one of this summer’s UTSA Women’s Basketball camps. Campers wear your T-shirts to get $5 admission for the whole family.
Last Time Out: Despite shooting less than 30 percent from the floor and down as many as 17 points in the second half, UTSA rallied for a 56-52 victory at Texas State on Jan. 28, at Strahan Coliseum. Senior guard Monica Gibbs recorded her 31st career double-double with a game-high 15 points and team-best 10 rebounds. Meanwhile, sophomore guard Amber Gregg added 14 on the strength of four 3-pointers. Sophomore guard Jordan Stark chipped in with 13 points, all of which came in the second half.
Scouting Lamar: The Lady Cardinals are coming off a 90-77 loss at Sam Houston State Wednesday night. Lamar is 13-6 overall on the season and are 4-2 in SLC play. Nikki Williams is scoring a team-best 14.0 points per game, while Brittany Williams ranks second averaging 11.8 points per contest. Trashanna Smith tops the squad with 7.9 rebounds per game, while Emily Spickler is shooting a league-best 56.8 percent from downtown.
Runners In The SLC: UTSA has several players among the league’s top performers this season. Senior Monica Gibbs is one of three Roadrunners ranking in the top 10 in scoring at 15.2 points per game and also leads the SLC in assists per game (5.9). Sophomore Amber Gregg and senior Onika Anderson stand sixth and ninth, respectively. The Runners have three players ranking in the top five in rebounding. Anderson’s 10.3 broads per contest tops the league, while senior Ryba Pawlaczyk is third at 9.5 rpg. Gibbs sits fourth with 9.2 rebounds per game. Anderson sports the conference-best field goal percentage at 52.8 percent. Meanwhile, Gregg is third in free throw percentage at 80.4 percent, first in 3-pointers made at 2.9 a clip and logging in the sixth-best 3-point field goal percentage at 32.5.
Gibbs Collects WBCA Honorable Mention: Senior Monica Gibbs collected WBCA honorable mention honors from the month of December. The Stillwater, Okla., native led the Roadrunners to a 4-1 mark and averaged 15.2 points and 11.6 rebounds per game during the month of December.
It’s Good To Receive: UTSA connected on a season-high 22 free throws in the win against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Jan. 24. The Roadrunners also shot a season-best 84.6 percent from the charity stripe.
Jack’em Up: UTSA set the single-game mark for 3-point attempts with 35 at UT Arlington on Jan. 17, breaking the school mark of 31 tries set a against Tulsa on Jan. 5 of this season.
In The Books: UTSA’s 53-point win against Nicholls on Jan. 14, was the fourth-largest victory margin in school-history.
Defensive Clinic: The Roadrunners displayed a stellar defense against Nicholls, as they the Colonels to 14 field goals and 33 points, including 13 in the second half, and 22.2 percent shooting.
Bench Production: Freshman Cori Cooper came off the bench to scored a career-high 21 points, while junior Alysse Davis also added a career-best 15 versus Nicholls on Jan. 14. The Roadrunners held a 48-7 advantage over the Colonels’ reserves.
Amber Tabbed SLC POW: Sophomore Amber Gregg picked up her first career SLC Player of the Week honors on Jan. 12. The Austin native led UTSA to a pair of wins against Tulsa (Jan. 5) and at McNeese State (Jan. 10). She averaged 21.0 points and 2.5 steals per game last week.
Raining 3’s: UTSA drained a school-record 13 3-pointers in the win against Tulsa on Jan. 5. The previous mark was 12 three balls versus Buffalo on Dec. 30, 2005. Sophomore Amber Gregg led the assault with six treys.
Balanced Attack: UTSA posted five players in double-figure in the win against Oral Roberts on Dec. 20. The Roadrunners were led by senior Onika Anderson’s 20 points, while senior Ryba Pawlaczyk added 15 points. Senior Monica Gibbs netted 13 and sophomores Amber Gregg and Whitney York chipped in with 10. In win against Rice, the Roadrunners had four players score double-digits on Jan. 3. Senior Monica Gibbs led the way with 17 points, while senior Onika Anderson had 14 points. Sophomore Whitney and junior Alysse Davis posted 13 and 10, respectively.
Balanced Scoring: UTSA has four players averaging double-figures through 18 games this season. Senior Monica Gibbs is averaging a team-best 14.6 points per game, followed by sophomore Amber Gregg at 12.8 ppg, Junior Onika Anderson’s 12.1 points per contest ranks third, while sophomore Jordan Stark is averaging 11.1 ppg.
Cleaning The Glass: The Roadrunners posted a season-high 57 rebounds against Nicholls on Jan. 14. UTSA leads the SLC in rebounding at 43.8 rpg. UTSA racked up 55 rebounds in the win against Rice on Jan. 3. Seniors Onika Anderson and Monica Gibbs combined for 23 of the 55 boards.
Glass Cleaners: A trio of Roadrunners in seniors Onika Anderson, Ryba Pawlaczyk and Monica Gibbs are among the top Southland Conference rebounders. Anderson leads the league averaging 10.3 rpg, while Pawlaczyk stands third at 9.5 rpg. Gibbs is fourth at 9.2 boards per contest. Anderson’s 10.5 rebounding average ranks 13th in the nation, while Pawlaczyk and Gibbs stand 34th and 41st, respectively.
Ball Security: Despite 12 turnovers in the first half against Tulsa on Jan. 5. UTSA committed only two miscues in the second frame, while forcing 12 Tulsa mishaps and 26 for the game.
Taking Care Of The Ball: The Roadrunners committed just six turnovers, tying a single-game record set against Southeastern Louisiana last February.
Rebounding Royalty: Senior Monica Gibbs’ 15 rebounds collected against High Point were more than enough to surpass Margaret Martinovich’s 778. Gibbs is lone Roadrunners to grab over 800 rebounds (845).
700-Rebound Club: Senior Monica Gibbs became the third Roadrunner in the program’s history to haul in 700 boards.
Gibbs Set Another Milestone: Senior Monica Gibbs became the second 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. Gibbs is one of four players in the nation to achieve this mark this season.
Among The Best Dishers: Senior Monica Gibbs’ 5.9 assists per game stands 11th in the country.
500 Dimes And Counting: Senior Monica Gibbs is the first Roadrunner in the program’s history to record over 500 assists. The Stillwater, Okla., native has dished out 577 dimes in her four-year career. Gibbs has handed out over 100 assists in each of her four seasons as a Roadrunners.
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 1,209 career points in her four-year career. Gibbs currently stands sixth on the all-time scoring list.
30 Double-Doubles And Counting: Senior Monica Gibbs has collected eighth double-doubles this season to bring her career tally to 31 double-doubles in her four-year stint.
Gibbs Tames Bobcats: Senior Monica Gibbs recorded her eighth double-double in the win at Texas State on Jan. 28. Gibbs netted 15 points and hauled in 10 rebounds.
Double Trouble: Seniors Onika Anderson and Monica Gibbs lead the conference with eight double-doubles apiece this season.
20 And 10: Senior Onika Anderson has posted three games with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. She is averaging a double-double with 12.1 points and a team-best 10.3 rebounds per game this season.
Double Vision: Senior Onika Anderson leads the SLC with eight double-doubles this season. Anderson posted her eighth double-double of the season with 17 points and 16 rebounds at McNeese State on Jan. 10 The Pine Bluff, Ark., native recorded her seventh one with 14 points and a dozen rebounds against Rice on Jan. 3. She then had her sixth against High Points on Dec. 30 (19 points/15 rebounds). Anderson tallied 20 points and 11 rebounds for her fifth double-double against Oral Roberts on Dec. 20. She had her third and fourth double-double against Arkansas State (Nov. 29) and Huston-Tillotson (Dec. 6), respectively. Anderson posted her second double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds at Kansas State on Nov. 23. She collected her first double-double of the season at TCU with 22 points and 13 rebounds on Nov. 16.
Double-Double Tandem: Seniors Onika Anderson and Ryba Pawlaczyk are becoming a force in the post. The duo have recorded double-doubles in four games. Anderson and Pawlaczyk first achieve this at TCU on Nov. 20. In the month of December, they produced three games with double-doubles. The latest one coming against High Point on Dec. 30.
Pawlaczyk Collects All-Classic Honors: Senior Ryba Pawlaczyk was named to the Wells Fargo New Year’s All-Classic Team. She averaged 10.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in the two wins against Colorado State and High Point. The Wroclaw, Poland, native tallied a double-double with 14 points and 11 broads versus the Panthers on Dec. 30.
Breakout Season: Senior Ryba Pawlaczyk opened the 2008-09 campaign with back-to-back double-doubles. The Wroclaw, Poland, native is posting career-high numbers in scoring (9.7 ppg) and rebounding (9.5 rpg) this season. She also has recorded five double-doubles this season.
Block Party: Senior Ryba Pawlaczyk leads the team with 31 blocks and is among the top shot blocker in the league at 1.7 blocks per game.
Back-To-Back Double-Doubles: Senior 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.
Amber Alert: Sophomore Amber Gregg made three starts last season, but in 2008-09 she has made presence known starting 13 games in 14 appearances The Austin native is averaging a career-high 12.8 points per game, including a career-best 25 points against Tulsa on Jan. 5. Gregg scored 17 points, including 14 in the second half against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Jan. 24. She then chipped in with 17 points at McNeese State on Jan. 10.
Dialing Long Distance: Sophomore Amber Gregg twice hit career-high with six 3-pointers this season. Gregg has connected on a team-best 40 treys. She made six in the win against Tulsa on Jan. 3 and then knocked down half of dozen versus High Point on Dec. 30.
Welcome Back Jordan: Sophomore Jordan Stark, who missed the last 11 games due to injury, made her return to the rotation against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Jan. 24. Stark shook off any rust when she connected on her first field goal attempt. She ended the game with eight points and four rebounds in 14 minutes of action. She followed that performance with 13 points, all of which came in the second half, in the win at Texas State on Jan. 28.
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 ranks second on the team with 19 3-pointers.
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.
No Rust Here: Junior Alysse Davis sat out last season and part of this year due to an NCAA transfer rule. Davis made her Roadrunner debut against Oakland on Dec. 19, since then the Corpus Christi native has establish herself as the sixth-man and responded with 6.2 points per game. She netted a career-high 14 points against Colorado State on Dec. 29.
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.
Next Game: The Roadrunners travel to Huntsville for an SLC match up at Sam Houston State Wednesday, Feb. 4 at Johnson Coliseum. Tip off is slated for 7 p.m.
