FULLERTON, Calif. – The UTSA women's basketball team looks to end its three-game losing streak as it visits Cal State Fullerton, Tuesday, Dec. 19 at Titan Gym.
Game Overview
UTSA plays its second contest in California and its 11th game of the 2017-2018 season with on Tuesday. The contest will tip-off at 7 p.m. PT/ 9 p.m. CT at Titan Gym in Fullerton, Calif. Tuesday's matchup will feature live audio on goUTSA.com with Stu Paul providing play-by-play. The game also will be streamed by The Big West Conference's website. To watch click here.
Inside the series: First Meeting
UTSA and Fullerton will meet for the first time in the history of the two programs, Tuesday at Titan Gym.
Getting to know Fullerton
Fullerton is 3-7 on the season, including a 2-1 showing at home at Titan Gym this year. Most recently, the Titans earned a 74-48 victory over Antelope Valley on Saturday inside Titan Gym. The Titans had four players in double figures scoring with center Daeja Smith leading with 17 points while shooting 7-11. Smith also picked up her fourth double-double of the season with 10 rebounds on the night, helping Fullerton out-rebound the Pioneers 43 to 24. Hannah Thompson and Jade Vega added to Fullerton's offensive efforts with 15 and 12 points, respectively. Vega also tallied a season-high 10 assists to record her first double-double of the season. Overall, the Titans are guided by Smith, who leads Fullerton offensively, averaging 11.1 points per game. Smith is also nearly averaging a double-double with 9.4 rebounds per game, with 3.7 of those rebounds rebound per game coming on the offensive glass. Smith's rebounding numbers rank her second in the Big West Conference.
Last time out
Powered by three Roadrunners in double figures, UTSA rallied for a 31-24 second-half advantage but it was not enough as the Birds dropped a 78-69 decision to the San Diego Toreros on Saturday night in the Jenny Craig Pavilion. Senior Crystal Chidomere registered her third 20+ point performance of the season with a squad best 23 points. Sophomore Marie Benson added 15 points and a team-best 10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season, while senior Carlie Heineman managed 11 points in the contest. UTSA outrebounded San Diego, 36-35, but shot 57.1 percent (28-of 58) in the game while San Diego hit 70.0 percent (30-of-61) from the field. Alexandra Hagen led the way for the Toreros with 25 points, hitting 11-of-16 from the floor and one from beyond the arc.
Last Stop
After hosting its annual Thanksgiving Classic, UTSA is currently on a five-game road swing that will keep them from the Convo until Dec. 29 when they challenge Texas A&M-Commerce. UTSA opened the road tour with a pair of games in the UTRGV Battle on the Border, a midweek matchup against Texas State in San Marcos and a visit to San Diego. The Roadrunners conclude the road stretch at Cal State-Fullerton on Tuesday, Dec. 19.
Off the glass
Sophomore Marie Benson has tallied 77 (56 defensive/ 21 offensive) rebounds this year to top UTSA's defensive efforts. The forward's 56 defensive rebounds are the most by a Conference USA student-athlete this season and she ranks second among league players with an average of 9.6 rebounds per game. Overall, she owns five double-digit rebound performances this season against Sul Ross State (10), Arizona State (11), UT Arlington (12), Northern Illinois (13) and San Diego (10).
Breaking out
Last year, sophomore Tija Hawkins averaged just five minutes per game last year and had just 20 career points entering the 2017-18 season. Now as a starting forward for the Roadrunners, she is second on the team with 28.4 minutes per game. The Killeen native is also second on the team with 50 rebounds and seven blocks this year. She is also fourth on the squad with 75 points.
3-for-3
For a third consecutive year, senior Carlie Heineman paces the Roadrunners in 3-pointers made (22 – second in C-USA), 3-pointers attempted (57) while rating second in 3-point field goal percentage (38.6). Helping her cause was burying six triples against North Dakota on Nov. 25 in the UTSA Thanksgiving Classic. As a junior Heineman led UTSA with 69 3-pointers last season. In her sophomore campaign, she made a squad-best 35, while she tallied 22 as a freshman which was good for fourth among the team.
New Faces
The Roadrunners have four newcomers this year in in freshmen Barbara Benson, Karrington Donald, Tasharian Robinson and junior-transfer Evelyn Omemmah. Pacing the newcomers are Donald and Robinson. The guards have combined for over 373 minutes on the court this season. Touching the court in all of UTSA's nine games this season, Donald currently averages 5.0 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. She has also second on the squad with 10 3-pointers. Playing in eight games with seven starts, Robinson averages 5.5 points per game, 2.3 rebounds, while having added 16 assists and five steals on the season.
Plenty of playing time to go around
The Roadrunners have only 13 active players this year, meaning that there's going to be plenty of playing time to go around. Head Coach Kristen Holt has done a good job of spreading the minutes around with eight different Roadrunners (Carlie Heineman – 34.0/Tija Hawkins– 28.4/Crystal Chidomere – 27.3/Tasharian Robinson – 26.3/Marie Benson – 25.7/Kourtney Kekec – 21.2/Karrington Donald – 18.1/Timea Toth – 17.2) logging at least 16 minutes per contest.
Game format
For the third straight season, NCAA women's basketball games will be played in four 10-minute quarters. Teams reach the bonus and shoot two free throws on the fifth team foul in each quarter. In the four-quarter format, team fouls reset to zero at the start of each quarter. Teams have four timeouts (three 30s, one 60), three which carry over to the second half. They will be able to advance the ball to the frontcourt after a timeout with less than 59.9 seconds in 4Q. There are seven media timeouts (four under five minutes in quarter/first called), two intermission media timeouts (after first and third quarters) and the first team-called timeout during the second half. Bands or amplified music may play during any dead ball.
Connect on social media
Fans are encouraged to connect with the Roadrunners on Facebook (UTSA Women's Basketball), Instagram (@UTSAWBBALL) and Twitter (@UTSAWBB). They are also encouraged to use RunningWithExcellence and BirdsUp in posts.
2018 C-USA Tournament hosted at The Star
UTSA won't have to travel far for the 2018 Conference USA Tournament that will be held in Frisco at the Ford Center at the Star, practice facility of the Dallas Cowboys. The championship tournament is scheduled for March 7-10 with all 22 games - 11 men's and 11 women's games at the Star.
