Opening Tip: No. 2 seed UTSA punched its NCAA Tournament ticket for second consecutive season with a 74-63 win over top seed UT Arlington in the State Farm Southland Conference Tournament Championship Game on Saturday, March 14, at the Merrell Center in Katy. The Roadrunners, who have posted a school-record 24 wins this season, are seeded 15th in the Raleigh Regional will face No. 2 seed Baylor (27-5) in NCAA first-round action on Sunday, March 22, at United Spirit Arena in Lubbock. Tip off is scheduled for 30 minutes after the conclusion of the 6 p.m. contest between No. 7 South Dakota and No. 10 TCU. The game will televised regionally on ESPN2 as Ron Franklin and Fran Fraschilla will call the action from courtside.
Roadrunners On Radio: Fans can follow the Roadrunners this weekend on 92.5 FM The Outlaw with Stu Paul providing play-by-play analysis. Live stats also are available at ncaasports.com.
On The Tube: Fans can watch UTSA on the tube during the national tournament, as the ESPN family of networks will televise first- and second-round action and all NCAA contests. All the action also can be seen on espn360.com.
Quick Facts:
? UTSA has won a school-record 24 games this season (previous: 23, 2007-08) and is making its second consecutive trip the NCAA Tournament
? The Roadrunners won their second consecutive Southland Conference Tournament Championship last Saturday against top seed UT Arlington
?The Birds have won a season-high nine games in a row (22 of 24 overall)
?UTSA shared the SLC Regular Season Championship with UT Arlington
?SLC Player of the Year 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. 6 NCAA), stands third in scoring (15.6 ppg) and ranks fourth in rebounding (9.4 rpg)
? First-team All-SLC performer Onika Anderson, the SLC Tournament Most Valuable Player, leads the circuit with 10.5 rebounds per game and stands second with her 53.4 field goal percentage
? Anderson, Gibbs and sophomore Jordan Stark were named to the SLC All-Tournament squad
Series Meeting: UTSA leads the all-time series, 6-5, against Baylor. However, the Bears have won the last three meetings, including a 77-50 win on Dec. 16, 1996, in Waco. The Roadrunners have 1-1 netural site record against Baylor.
Last Time Out: No. 2 seed UTSA punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year after knocking out top seed UT Arlington, 74-63, in the Southland Conference Tournament Championship Game on Saturday, March 14, at the Merrell Center in Katy. Sophomore Jordan Stark led four Roadrunners in double figures with a game-high 23 points on the strength of a tournament single-game record seven 3-pointers. Meanwhile, seniors Monica Gibbs and Onika Anderson added 19 and 18, respectively and Anderson hauled in a game-high 14 rebounds for her 15th double-double of the season.
Scouting Baylor: The Bears (27-5) received the automatic bid after winning the Big 12 Tournament against Texas A&M, 72-63, on March 15, in Oklahoma City, Okla. Baylor finsihed the league season with a 12-4 mark. The Bears enter the NCAA’s on a four-game winning streak. Danillie Wilson leads the team averaging 15.1 points per game, while Jessica Morrow and Jhasmin Player stand second and third, repestivley, at 11.8 and 10.8 points per contest. Wilson also tops the team rebounding at 9.6 rpg.
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 has tied Cheryl Taylor of Tennessee Tech, who achieved the accomplishment during the 1985-86 season. Gibbs also is tied with former Texas Tech standout Sheryl Swoopes for third on the career chart with her three career triple-doubles.
Not Their First Rodeo: After making school history last season with their first trip to the NCAA Tournament, the Roadrunners are returning to the Big Dance once again after their 74-63 win against top seed UT Arlington in the SLC Tournament title game. UTSA is only the second team in conference history to repeat as tournament champions. Stephen F. Austin won consecutive titles in 2001-02.
I’m All Lit Up: Sophomore Jordan Stark lit up UT Arlington’s defense with a season-high 23 points on the strength of a tournament-record seven 3-pointers en route to earning SLC All-Tournament honors. Her seven three balls were a career high and her tournament-record 16 attempts set a UTSA single-game mark.
Birds Of A Feather Flock Together: Seniors Onika Anderson and Monica Gibbs and sophomore Jordan Stark were named to the SLC All-Tournament team and Anderson was tabbed MVP after posting back-to-back double-doubles against Northwestern State in the semifinals and UT Arlington in the championship game.
Two Dozen Wins A New Program Record: UTSA’s 24 wins this season are a new school record, breaking last season’s mark of 23.
We’re Going Streaking: The Roadrunners have posted three different winning streaks of six or more games this season. UTSA registered a seven-game stretch from Dec. 20-Jan. 14, a half dozen-contest streak from Jan. 24-Feb. 14 and the squad currently is on a season-best nine-game run entering the NCAA Tournament.
Third Time’s A Charm: After getting swept by UT Arlington in the regular season, UTSA was able to defeat the Mavericks, 74-63, in the SLC Tournament Championship Game to clinch the league’s automatic berth for the NCAA Tournament.
U Haul: Senior Onika Anderson posted the second-best rebounding performance in school history on Feb. 21 against Sam Houston State when she grabbed 23 boards, 16 of which came in the first half. The Pine Bluff, Ark., native has set a single-season mark with 336 rebounds and her 10.5 boards per game average is a new single-season mark.
Crashing The Boards: Seniors Onika Anderson, Monica Gibbs and Ryba Pawlaczyk each have posted career highs in rebounding this year. Anderson has set the program’s single-season mark with 336, while Gibbs and Pawlaczyk have grabbed 301 and 290, respectively, this season.
Give Me Five: All-America candidate Monica Gibbs grabbed her league-leading fifth SLC Player of the Week honor to close out the regular season, the last three of which came consecutively to end the year.
Postseason Honors: Senior Monica Gibbs became the program’s first Southland Conference Player of the Year and she also was tabbed the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. Gibbs has produced career highs across the board in her final campaign, averaging 15.6 points, 9.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game. The Stillwater, Okla., native is just the third Roadrunner to be named to consecutive first teams (Nikki Hendrix 2003-04/Vivian Ewafelo 2005-06) and, coupled with her Defensive Player of the Year award, she is only the second player in conference history to win two individual awards in the same year (Lamar’s Shanta Van Zandt Player and Newcomer of the Year, 2001). Senior Onika Anderson joined Gibbs on the first team and senior Ryba Pawlaczyk was an honorable mention choice. Head Coach Rae Rippetoe-Blair picked up her third SLC Coach of the Year trophy after leading UTSA to its second straight 20-win season and a share of the SLC Regular Season Championship. 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 in 24 attempts on March 4 against I-35 rival Texas State.
What An Exit: Senior Monica Gibbs made her last performance inside the Convocation Center memorable, as she scored a career-high 29 points en route to leading the Roadrunners past Texas State on March 4. Meanwhile, seniors Onika Anderson (18 points) and Ryba Pawlaczyk (13 points) also made the most out of their final game at the Convo.
Gibbs Collects Second WBCA Honorable Mention Award: Senior Monica Gibbs collected her second WBCA honorable mention accolade of the season in February. Gibbs first earned the award during the month of December after leading the Roadrunners to a 4-1 record while averaging 15.2 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. She picked her second honor two months later when she nearly averaged a triple-double with 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game during the month of February. She collected a pair of triple-doubles and two other double-doubles that month.
Block Party: Senior Ryba Pawlaczyk greeted Northwestern State players in the lane with a career-high six blocks on Feb. 25. Pawlaczyk leads the team 55 blocked shots and ranks seventh all-time with 65 career stuffs. Her 55 blocks currently stand as the second-best total in program history.
Scoring From Downtown: UTSA made 20 field goals against UT Arlington on Feb. 14, with 12 (60 percent) of those baskets coming from beyond the arc.
Roadrunners In The SLC: UTSA has several players among the league’s top performers this season. Senior Monica Gibbs is one of three Roadrunners that rank among the top 15 in scoring at 15.6 points per game and she also leads the SLC in assists per game (6.6). Senior Onika Anderson and sophomore Amber Gregg stand sixth and 12th, respectively, in scoring. The Runners have three players that are among the top five in rebounding. Anderson’s league-leading 10.5 boards per contest are just ahead of Gibbs’ 9.4 (fourth) and senior Ryba Pawlaczyk 9.1 (fifth). Anderson is second in the conference in field goal percentage at 53.4 percent and Gregg is first in 3-pointers made (2.5 pg).
Living On The Edge: UTSA has seen five of its games come to wire this year. The Roadrunners escaped with a 97-89 overtime victory at Central Arkansas on Feb. 11. A pair of one-victories, against Lamar (Jan. 31) and Southeastern Louisiana (Feb. 7), also are on the ledger. Meanwhile, the Roadrunners also have come-from-behind wins on the road at Texas State (Jan. 28) and Sam Houston State (Feb. 4).
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.
In The Books: UTSA’s 53-point win against Nicholls on Jan. 14 was the fourth-largest victory in school-history.
Defensive Clinic: The Roadrunners put on a stellar defensive show against Nicholls on Jan. 14, holding the Colonels to just 14 field goals (22.2 percent) and 33 points, including 13 in the second half.
Bench Production: Freshman Cori Cooper came off the bench to score a career-high 21 points and junior Alysse Davis added 15, as the Roadrunners outscored Nicholls’ bench, 48-7, on Jan. 14.
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 against Buffalo on Dec. 30, 2005. Sophomore Amber Gregg led the assault with a career-high six treys.
Balanced Scoring: UTSA has five players averaging double figures this season. Senior Monica Gibbs is averaging a team-best 15.6 points per game, followed by senior Onika Anderson’s 13.6, sophomore Amber Gregg’s 11.3, senior Ryba Pawlaczyk’s 10.8 and sophomore Jordan Stark’s 10.1.
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 a combined 18 offensive rebounds. The Roadrunners grabbed 25 offensive rebounds 17 days later in another win against the Bearkats.
Cleaning The Glass: The Roadrunners recorded their fifth game with 50 or more rebounds against Northwestern State (52) on March 13. UTSA recorded a season-high 60 boards on Feb. 21 against Sam Houston State and that was four shy of the school record. The Roadrunners posted 57 rebounds against Nicholls on Jan. 14, 55 in the win against Rice on Jan. 3 and 51 at Sam Houston State.
Glass Cleaners: Seniors Onika Anderson, Ryba Pawlaczyk and Monica Gibbs are among the top rebounders in the Southland Conference. Anderson leads the league at 10.5 per game, while Gibbs stands fourth at 9.4 and Pawlaczyk sits fifth with 9.1.
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.
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 overall. In the win against McNeese State on March 11, the Roadrunners kept their mistakes a minimum with a dozen.
Rebounding Royalty: Senior Monica Gibbs’ 15 rebounds against High Point (Dec. 30) were more than enough to surpass Margaret Martinovich’s UTSA career record of 778. Gibbs is the only Roadrunner to collect more than 900 rebounds during her career (982).
Doing The Dishes: Senior Monica Gibbs’ 6.6 assists per game stand sixth in the country (as of March 15). Gibbs is the first Roadrunner in program history to record more than 600 career assists (682). The Stillwater, Okla., native has handed out at least 100 dimes in each of her four seasons as a Roadrunner. She currently has 210 dimes this year, which ranks second-best in a single season (218).
Reaching A Milestone: Gibbs became the 11th player in UTSA history to score more than 1,000 career points at Kansas State on Nov. 23. She currently has poured in 1,443 points and sits fourth on the program’s all-time scoring list.
Just South Of Forty: 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.
Double-Double Trouble: Seniors Onika Anderson and Monica Gibbs are tied for the Southland Conference lead with 15 double-doubles this season.
Twice As Nice: Senior Onika Anderson has posted a half dozen games with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds this season.
Double Vision: Senior Onika Anderson’s SLC-best 15 double-doubles this season have brought her career total to 23.
Breakout Season: Senior Ryba Pawlaczyk kick started the 2008-09 campaign with back-to-back double-doubles. Her first one came in the season opener against Texas A&M-International on Nov. 14 when she netted 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. She followed that performance with 17 points and a career-best 15 boards at TCU on Nov. 16. Pawlaczyk poured in 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 (10.8 ppg) and rebounding (9.1 rpg) this season and she leads the team with 55 blocks, which ranks second in the league at 1.7 per game.
Amber Alert: Sophomore Amber Gregg made just three starts last season, but she has made presence felt in the starting lineup this winter. The Austin native is averaging a career-high 11.5 points per game and included in that total is a career-best 25 against Tulsa on Jan. 5. Gregg also scored 17 points, including 14 in the second half, against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Jan. 24.
Dialing Long Distance: Sophomore Amber Gregg has twice hit a career-high six 3-pointers in a game this season and she has a team-best 70 on the year. She first accomplished the feat against Tulsa on Jan. 3 and then knocked down a half dozen against High Point on Dec. 30. She leads the SLC with 2.5 per game and that number ranks 22nd in the country (as of March 15).
Welcome Back: Since making her return to the rotation, after an 11-game absence, sophomore Jordan Stark has scored double figures seven times, including a season-high 23 points in the SLC Tournament Championship Game against UT Arlington on March 14.
Stark Times Three: Sophomore Jordan Stark posted a career high seven 3-pointers in the SLC Tournament title tile against UT Arlington. She ranks second on the team with 52 3-pointers this season and the Weatherford, Okla., native sits third on the program’s all-time chart with 108.
Stealing The Show: Sophomore Jordan Stark posted a career-high seven steals against Texas A&M International on Nov. 14. She was just two shy of the school record set by Rhonda Hoffman on Jan. 27, 1984, against Sam Houston State.
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 that frame.
No Rust Here: Junior Alysse Davis sat out all of last season and the first semester this year due to NCAA transfer rules. 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 6.7 points per game. She is third on the team with 41 three balls.
