Opening Tip: No. 2 seed UTSA heads to the State Farm Southland Conference semifinals for the fourth year in a row after dispatching seventh-seeded McNeese State, 71-52, in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. The Roadrunners will face the No. 6 Northwestern State Lady Demons in a noon contest on Friday at the Merrell Center in Katy.
Roadrunners On The Web: Fans can follow the Roadrunners this season at goUTSA.com. Every game can be heard for free with Stu Paul providing play-by-play analysis (stream provided by Yahoo! Sports). Live stats will be available at no cost.
On The Tube And World Wide Web: Friday's semifinal game can be seen on the Southland Television Network (in San Antonio on Time Warner Cable's channel 50) and on espn360.com at no charge.
Quick Facts:
? This will be the 37th meeting between UTSA and Northwestern State and second this season
? The Roadrunners won the first meeting, 74-69, in San Antonio
? UTSA has won the last six meetings
? UTSA shared with UT Arlington for the regular season
? Senior Monica Gibbs has tied an NCAA single-season record with three triple-doubles this year and her three career triple-doubles rank in a third-place tie with former Texas Tech standout Sheryl Swoopes
? Gibbs leads the league with 6.6 assists per game (No. 5 NCAA) and ranks third in scoring (15.7 ppg) and fourth in rebounding (9.5 rpg)
? Gibbs was named SLC Player of the Year and the league’s Defensive Player of the Year to go along with first-team all-conference
? Senior Onika Anderson stands second with a 52.8 shooting percent from the floor and leads the SLC at 10.3 rebounds per game
? Anderson was tabbed SLC First-Team All-Conference
? Sophomore Amber Gregg tops the SLC with 2.6 3-pointers per game
? UTSA ranks second in SLC scoring defense at 60.7 points per game
Series Meeting: Northwestern State leads the all-time series, 25-11, against UTSA. However, the Roadrunners have won the last six straight meetings, including a 74-69 win in San Antonio on Feb. 25. UTSA and NWLA met last season in the quarterfinals of the 2008 SLC Tournament with the Runners knocking off the Lady Demons 80-56 in Katy.
Last Time Out: Southland Conference Player of the Year Monica Gibbs collected the 39th double-double of her career with a game highs of 21 points and 10 rebounds and she led No. 2 seed UTSA past seventh-seeded McNeese State, 71-52, in the second quarterfinal of Wednesday’s opening day of the State Farm SLC Tournament at the Merrell Center. The Roadrunners (22-8) advanced to the semifinals for the fourth season in a row (sixth time during head coach Rae Rippetoe-Blair’s nine-year career) and they will face No. 6 Northwestern State, who upset third-seed Southeastern Louisiana in the day’s first contest, 51-45.
Scouting Northwestern State: The Lady Demons knocked off the third-seeded Southeastern Louisiana in game one of the quarterfinals of the conference tournament with a 51-45 win last Wednesday. SLC Freshman of the Year Demetria White tops the team averaging 11.6 points per game, while Jessica McPhail and Brooke Shepherd ranks second on the squad at nine points per contest, respectively.
Gibbs Makes History: Senior Monica Gibbs has stamped her name into the NCAA record book after tying a 23-year old single-season mark with three triple-doubles this season. 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 for third on the career chart with her three career triple-doubles.
Grab A Hand Full: All-America candidate senior Monica Gibbs grabbed her league leading fifth and third straight SLC Player of the Week honor this season. Gibbs led UTSA two a pair of wins against Texas State (March 4) and at Stephen F. Austin (March 7). The Stillwater, Okla., native averaged 24 points, nine rebounds and 7.5 assists per game last week. Her efforts also helped the Roadrunners claim a share of the regular season title.
Postseason Honors: Senior Monica Gibbs became the program’s first player to receive the Southland Conference Player of the Year and the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. Gibbs produced career highs across the board in her final campaign, scoring 15.7 points, 9.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game. The Stillwater, Okla., native is the Roadrunners to be named back-to-back first-team (Nikki Hendrix 2003-04/Vivian Ewafelo 2005-06). Coupled with her Defensive Player of the Year honor, she is only the second player in the conference history to win two individual awards in the same year (Lamar’s Shanta Vanzanat 2001). Senior Onika Anderson joined Gibbs on the first team. Anderson’s 13 double-doubles ranked second on the team and also led the conference in rebounding at 10.3 rpg. Meanwhile, senior Ryba Pawlaczky was an honorable mention all-conference choice. The Wroclaw, Poland, native averaged career-high number with 10.9 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. Head Coach Rae Rippetoe-Blair picked her third SLC Coach of the Year trophy after leading UTSA to its second straight 20-win season (22-8) and a share of the conference regular season title. She was first honored with the award in 2001 and again two years later.
Earn Your Stripes: Senior Monica Gibbs set a single-game school record with 17 free throws made and 24 attempts against Texas State on March 4.
What An Exit: Senior Monica Gibbs made her last performance memorable, as she scored a career-high 29 points en route to leading the Roadrunners past I-35 rival Texas State Wednesday night. Meanwhile, seniors Onika Anderson and Ryba Pawlaczyk also made the most of their last game at Convo. Anderson netted 18 points on a 9-for-12 shooting performance, while Pawlaczyk added 13 points.
Gibbs Collects Second WBCA Honorable Mention Honors: Senior Monica Gibbs collected her second WBCA honorable mention accolade this season. Gibbs first earned this award during December. The Stillwater, Okla., native led the Roadrunners to a 4-1 mark and averaged 15.2 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. Recently, she picked her second one after nearly posting a triple-double with 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game during the month for February. She also collected a pair of triple-doubles and two double-doubles that month.
Gibbs Picks Up Fourth SLC Weekly Award: Senior Monica Gibbs picked up her second consecutive Southland Conference Player of the Week honor, the league office announced on March 2. It was the SLC Player of the Year candidate’s conference-leading fourth weekly award of the season and it marks the fourth time in the last five weeks that a Roadrunners has been honored, three of which have gone to Gibbs. The Stillwater, Okla., native averaged 22 points, 9.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists in leading UTSA to a pair of wins against Northwestern State (Feb. 25) and at Lamar (Feb. 28) last week. She recorded a pair of double-doubles to push her career total to 34.
Gibbs Garners SLC Honors: All-America Monica Gibbs was tabbed the league’s Player of the Week for the third time this season, the conference office announced on Feb. 23. The Stillwater, Okla., native just missed out on averaging a triple-double in UTSA’s two wins last week with 18.0 points, 9.5 assists and 9.0 rebounds per game. The senior guard posted an NCAA single-season record-tying third triple-double with 19 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds in the Roadrunners’ 74-52 win at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Feb. 18. Gibbs then netted 18 points to along with eight assists and seven rebounds in the 85-54 victory against Sam Houston State on Feb. 21.
Block Party: Senior Ryba Pawlaczyk greeted Northwestern State players with a career-high six blocks on Feb. 25. Pawlaczyk leads the team 54 block shots and ranks seventh all-time with 64 career stuffs. Her 54 blocks currently stands second-best in a season.
U Haul: Senior Onika Anderson posted the second best rebounding performance in school history with 23 boards in the win against Sam Houston State on Feb. 21. Anderson hauled in 16 of her 23 rebounds in the first half. The Pine Bluff, Ark., native set a single-season mark with 300 rebounds.
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 15 in scoring at 15.7 points per game and also leads the SLC in assists per game (6.6). Senior Onika Anderson and sophomore Amber Gregg stand sixth and 12th, respectively. The Runners have three players ranking in the top five in rebounding. Anderson’s 10.3 broads per contest leads the league, while Gibbs is fourth at 9.5 rpg and senior Ryba Pawlaczyk is fifth at 9.2 rpg. Anderson is second in the conference in field goal percentage at 52.8 percent. Meanwhile, Gregg is first in 3-pointers made at 2.6 a clip.
Cardiac Kids: UTSA has lived on the edge this season with five games coming 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 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.
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 on Jan. 14, 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 sixth game, with four 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. UTSA collected its fourth game against Sam Houston State on Feb. 21. 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 four players averaging double-figures through 30 games this season. Senior Monica Gibbs is averaging a team-best 15.7 points per game, followed by senior Onika Anderson’s 13.0 ppg. Sophomore Amber Gregg ranks third at 11.6 points per contest, while Senior Ryba Pawlaczyk recording 10.9 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. In the win against Sam Houston State on Feb. 21, the Roadrunners grabbed 25 offensive rebounds
Cleaning The Glass: The Roadrunners have recorded four games with 50 or more rebounds. UTSA recorded a season-high 60 rebounds against Sam Houston State on Feb. 21, four shy of tying the school mark. The Roadrunners posted 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 leads the SLC at 10.3 rpg, while Gibbs is fourth at 9.5 rpg and Pawlaczyk sits fifth at 9.2 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. In the win against McNeese State, the Roadrunners kept their mistakes a minimal with a dozen turnovers on March 11.
Taking Care Of The Ball: The Roadrunners committed just six turnovers against Rice on Jan. 3, 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 (965).
Doing The Dishes: Senior Monica Gibbs’ 6.8 assists per game stands seventh in the country (as of Feb. 23). Gibbs is the first Roadrunner in the program’s history to record over 600 assists (670). 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 1,416 career points and sits fourth on the all-time scoring list.
30 Double-Doubles And Counting: Senior Monica Gibbs has collected team-best 15 double-doubles this season to bring her career tally to 39 double-doubles in her four-year stint.
Triple Trouble: Senior Monica Gibbs leads the conference with 15 double-double, while senior Onika Anderson ranks second on the team with 13 double-doubles. Senior Ryba Pawlaczyk has tallied eight double-doubles this season.
20 And 10: Senior Onika Anderson has posted five games with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. She is averaging 13.0 points and a team-best 10.3 rebounds per game this season.
Double Vision: Senior Onika Anderson is second in the SLC with 13 double-doubles this season and bring her career total to 21. Anderson had her lucky 13th double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds at Stephen F. Austin on March 6. Her 12th double-double came at Lamar with 17 points and 11 rebounds on Feb. 28. She had her 11th double-double with a career-high 23 rebounds and added 19 points against Sam Houston State on Feb. 21. She had her 10th double-double with a career-best 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 (10.9 ppg) and rebounding (9.2 rpg) this season. She leads the team with 54 blocks and is second in the league at 1.8 blocks per game.
Amber Alert: Sophomore Amber Gregg made three starts last season, but in 2008-09 she has made presence known in the starting lineup. The Austin native is averaging a career-high 11.5 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 2.6 3-pointers made per game and ranks 22nd in the country (as of March 9). Gregg tops the team with 66 treys this season.
Welcome Back: Since making her return to the rotation, after an 11 game absent, sophomore Jordan Stark has scored double-figures in six games since her return to the rotation.
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 44 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 the NCAA transfer rule. Davis made her Roadrunners debut against Oakland on Dec. 19 and, since then, the Corpus Christi native has established herself as the first player off the bench and responded with 6.8 points per game. She is third on the team with 41 three balls.
UTSA Tube: The Roadrunners have been featured on television three times this season. Time Warner Cable (Channel 50) broadcasted the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Jan. 24) and UT Arlington (Feb. 14) contests, while the Southland Television Network aired the Northwestern State (Feb. 25) and Texas State (March 4) home games. The SLC TV Network will televise the semifinals and finals of the conference tournament.
Next Game: UTSA will face the winner between top seed UT Arlington and fourth-seeded Lamar in the SLC Championship Game at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
