Sam Houston State Lady Bearkats (7-17, 4-7 SLC) at UTSA Roadrunners (16-8, 9-2 SLC)
Saturday, Feb. 21 ? 2 p.m.
Convocation Center (4,080)
Series history: UTSA leads, 31-13
Opening Tip: UTSA looks to build from its 18-point win at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi this Saturday afternoon against Sam Houston State Bearkats at the Convocation Center. Tip off is schedule for 2 p.m.
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 (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 45th meeting between UTSA and Sam Houston State
? The Roadrunners lead the all-time series, 31-13, against the Bearkats
? UTSA won the first meeting, 67-62, in Huntsville
? UTSA has won 15 consecutive meetings and are 16-6 at home against SHSU
? Second meeting of the season
? UTSA its tied for first-place with UT Arlington in the SLC West standing
? Senior Monica Gibbs tied an NCAA single-season record with her third career triple-double
? Senior Monica Gibbs leads the league with 6.5 assists per game and ranks fifth in scoring (14.2 ppg) and third in rebounding (9.6)
? Senior Onika Anderson stands fourth with a 51.7 shooting percent from the floor and is second with 9.8 rebounds per game.
? Sophomore Amber Gregg tops the SLC averaging 2.7 made 3-pointers per game
? UTSA ranks second in SLC scoring defense at 61.6 points per game
Series Meeting: UTSA leads the all-time series, 31-13, against Sam Houston State and have won the last 15 consecutive meetings, including the first match up, 67-62, in Huntsville. The Roadrunners are 16-6 at home versus the Bearkats. UTSA has a seven-game home winning streak against SHSU.
Last Time Out: Senior Monica Gibbs recorded her second triple-double in the last three games and third of the year overall to tie the NCAA’s single-season record with 19 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists to lead UTSA to a 72-54 victory at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Wednesday night. Senior Ryba Pawlaczyk led the Roadrunners with a career-high 27 point on a 12-for-24 shooting performance from the floor and she also hauled in a team-high dozen boards en route to collecting her seventh double-double of the season. Meanwhile, junior Alysse Davis, a Corpus Christi native, netted 11 points in her first career start.
Scouting Sam Houston: The Lady Bearkats are coming off a 89-88 overtime loss at Lamar on Feb. 18. Sam Houston State has dropped its last three tilts in a row. SHSU visits San Antonio with a 7-17 overall record and a 4-7 conference ledger. Brittany Brooks leads the team averaging 10.1 points per game, while Britni Martin ranks second on the squad at 10. ppg. Whitney Smith is hauling a team-best 6.8 rebounds per contest.
Gibbs Makes History: Senior Monica Gibbs stamped her name into the NCAA Records Book after tying a 23-year old single-season mark with three triple-double. The Stillwater, Okla., native tied Cheryl Taylor of Tennessee Tech, who achieved this accomplishment during the 1985-1986 season. Gibbs’ is also tied with former Texas Tech standout Sheryl Swoopes, who totaled three career triple-doubles.
Scoring From Downtown: UTSA made 20 field goals against UT Arlington on Feb. 14., with 12 of their 20 baskets coming from beyond the arc.
Onika Earns POW Honors: Senior Onika Anderson became the third different UTSA player to collect SLC Women’s Basketball Player of the Week honors on Feb. 9. The Pine Bluff, Ark., native, averaged a double-double with 15.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in leading the Roadrunners to a pair of wins at Sam Houston State (Feb.4) and against Southeastern Louisiana (Feb.7).
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 14.2 points per game and also leads the SLC in assists per game (6.5). Senior Onika Anderson and sophomore Amber Gregg stand sixth and eighth, respectively. The Runners have three players ranking in the top five in rebounding. Anderson’s 9.8 broads per contest ranks second, while Gibbs is third at 9.6 rpg and senior Ryba Pawlaczyk is fourth at 9.4 rpg. Anderson is fourth in the conference in field goal percentage at 51.7 percent. Meanwhile, Gregg is first in 3-pointers made at 2.7 a clip.
Cardiac Kids: UTSA has lived on the edge this season. Teh Roadrunners have had five games come to wire. UTSA escaped with a 97-89 overtime victory at Central Arkansas on Feb. 11. In their last two home contests, the Runners came out with a pair of one-victories against Lamar (Jan. 31) and Southeastern Louisiana (Feb. 7). Both games came down to wire as the visiting team missed on potential game winners. Meanwhile, UTSA had to overcome two second half deficits on the road, at Texas State (Jan. 28) and at Sam Houston State (Feb. 4). The Roadrunners trailed the Bobcats by 17-points and again were down by as many as nine points to the Lady Bearkats.
Gibbs Tabbed SLC POW: Senior Monica Gibbs picked up her second weekly award of the season, after leading UTSA to a pair of thrilling victories at Texas State (Jan. 28) and against Lamar (Jan.31). The Stillwater, Okla., native averaged a double-double with 13.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per game to go along with 5.5 assists. Gibbs had 18 points and 10 rebounds in the come-from-behind win at Texas State. She then followed that performance with 12 points and a dozen boards in the one-point win versus the Lady Cardinals.
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 once again set the single-game mark for 3-point attempts with 39 against UT Arlington on Feb.14, breaking the old school mark of 35 tries set at UT Arlington on Jan. 17.
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 held 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 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.
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 a career-high six treys.
Balanced Attack: UTSA registered its fifth game, with four or more players scoring in double figures. The first game was against Rice on Jan. 3, then versus Lamar on Jan. 31, followed by back-to-back outing at Sam Houston State on Feb. 4 and versus Southeastern Louisiana on Feb. 7. In the win at Central Arkansas, UTSA posted its second game of the season with five players reaching double-digits. Earlier in the season, the Roadrunners had five players score double-figures in the win against Oral Roberts on Dec. 20.
Balanced Scoring: UTSA has five players averaging double-figures through 24 games this season. Senior Monica Gibbs is averaging a team-best 14.2 points per game, followed by senior Onika Anderson’s 12.7 ppg. Sophomore Amber Gregg ranks third at 12.3 points per contest, while sophomore Jordan Stark is averaging 10.9 ppg. Senior Ryba Pawlaczyk rounds out with 10.4 points per game.
Crashing The OR: UTSA collected a season-best 26 offensive rebounds at Sam Houston State on Feb. 4. Seniors Monica Gibbs and Onika Anderson led the way with 18 offensive rebounds.
Cleaning The Glass: The Roadrunners have recorded three games with 50 or more rebounds. UTSA posted a season-high 57 rebounds against Nicholls on Jan. 14. The Runners racked up 55 in the win against Rice on Jan. 3. At Sam Houston State, they hauled in 51 rebounds.
Glass Cleaners: A trio of Roadrunners in seniors Onika Anderson, Ryba Pawlaczyk and Monica Gibbs are among the top SLC rebounders. Anderson stands second at 9.8 rpg, while Gibbs is third at 9.6 rpg and Pawlaczyk sits fourth at 9.4 boards a game.
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 (Dec. 30) were more than enough to surpass Margaret Martinovich’s 778. Gibbs is the only Roadrunner to collect over 900 rebounds during her career (911).
Among The Best Dishers: Senior Monica Gibbs’ 6.5 assists per game stands eighth in the country. Gibbs is the first Roadrunner in the program’s history to record over 600 assists (629). The Stillwater, Okla., native has handed out over 100 assists in her four seasons as a Roadrunner.
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 1,287 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 ninth double-doubles this season to bring her career tally to 32 double-doubles in her four-year stint.
Double Trouble: Senior Onika Anderson leads the league with 10 double-doubles, while senior Monica Gibbs trails Anderson by one double-double.
20 And 10: Senior Onika Anderson has posted four games with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. She is averaging 12.7 points and a team-best 9.8 rebounds per game this season.
Double Vision: Senior Onika Anderson is first in the SLC with 10 double-doubles this season. Anderson had her league leading double-double with career-high 28 points and hauled in 10 rebounds at Central Arkansas on Feb. 11. She added ninth one in the win at Sam Houston State with 19 points and 14 rebounds on Feb. 4. Anderson posted her eighth double-double 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 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. Her first one came against Texas A&M-International with 20 points and hauled in 12 rebounds on Nov. 14. She followed that performance with 17 points and a career-best 15 boards at TCU on Nov. 16. She also has recorded seven double-doubles this season. She netted a career-high 28 points at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Feb. 18. The Wroclaw, Poland, native is posting career-high numbers in scoring (10.4 ppg) and rebounding (9.4 rpg) this season. She leads the team with 41 blocks and is third in the league at 1.7 blocks per game.
Amber Alert: Sophomore Amber Gregg made three starts last season, but in 2008-09 she has made presence known starting 19 games in 20 appearances. The Austin native is averaging a career-high 12.3 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. She made six in the win against Tulsa on Jan. 3 and then knocked down half of dozen versus High Point on Dec. 30. She leads the SLC averaging 2.7 3-pointers made per game and ranks 17th in the country in that category. Gregg tops the team with 53 trey this season.
Welcome Back: Since making her return to the rotation, after an 11 game absent, sophomore Jordan Stark has scored double-figures in five games since her return, including a pair of 14 points outing against Lamar (Jan. 31) and at Sam Houston State (Feb. 4). Stark then added a couple of 13 points performances at Texas State on Jan. 28 and against Southeastern Louisiana on Feb. 7.
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 34 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.
Let It Rain: Junior Alysse Davis scored a career-high 22 points on the strength of six three balls at Central Arkansas on Feb. 11. The Corpus Christi native collected 17 of her 22 points in the first half and was a perfect 5-of-5 from downtown in the first frame.
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 7.1 points per game. She is tied for second on the team with 32 three balls.
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: UTSA closes out its two-game home stand against SLC foe Northwestern State on Feb. 25 at the Convocation Center. The game will be televised by Southland TV network and can be seen for free on ESPN360.com.
