SAN ANTONIO – After a week off, UTSA women's basketball is back in action with a road game against UTEP on Friday night before hosting Rice in a home contest on Sunday. The Roadrunners square off against the Miners at 8 p.m. at the Don Haskins Center and the Owls at 2 p.m. at the Convocation Center.
National Girls & Women in Sports Day Celebration
UTSA will celebrate National Girls and Women In Sports Day with pregame clinics for its 2 p.m. contest against Rice at the Convocation Center Sunday. The clinics will feature the UTSA cheer, soccer, tennis and volleyball teams. There will be a post-game autograph session on the court with the squad. Tickets are $5 with the promo code: NGWSD18.
UTEP game overview
UTSA plays its final road game of the regular season on Friday evening at UTEP. The game will tip at 8 p.m. CT from the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas. The contest will be web streamed on CUSA.tv while goUTSA.com will feature live audio on goUTSA.com with Stu
Inside the series: UTSA leads 21-11
UTSA leads the series, 21-11,including a 8-7 advantage in El Paso, Texas. The Roadrunners also hold a 5-4 edge since joining Conference USA in 2013-14. However, UTEP snapped a three-game winning streak in the series for UTSA with a 66-53 earlier this year in San Antonio. In the game, UTSA led by one after a quarter and tied the Miners three times in the second frame, but UTEP secured the lead in the second half as it out-scored the Roadrunners, 39-29. Sophomore Marie Benson led UTSA with 20 points in the setback, while senior Crystal Chidomere and sophomore Tija Hawkins joined her with 14 and 11 points, respectively. Najala Howell led three Miners in double figures with 23 points, including 14 in the fourth quart
Getting to know UTEP
UTEP (14-11, 5-7 C-USA) is coming off of a 56-21 loss to ODU. The Miners are two games ahead of UTSA in league standings, but are 1-4 in their last five fames. Tamara Seda leads the team with 14.6 points and 9.6 rebounds. As a team, UTEP is ourebounding its opponents by an average of eight boards per game.
Rice game overview
UTSA continues Conference USA play with a Sunday afternoon contest against Rice at the Convocation Center. The game will tip at 2 p.m. and will also be streamed on CUSA.tv with Stu Paul providing play-by-bay.
Inside the series: UTSA leads 9-7
UTSA and Rice have met 17 previous times on the hardwood with the Roadrunners owning a 9-8 series advantage. The series started in 1983 and was played six times before being suspended until the 2008-09 season. The squads met earlier this season with Rice claiming an 83-52 win in Houston. The game saw Chidomere pace the Roadrunners with 18 points, going 7 for 12 from the floor in the setback. Rice had five players scored in double figures, led by Nicole Iademarco's 21 points.
Getting to know Rice
The Owls (19-6, 9-4) are led by Erica Ogumwike's 17.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 50 steals. Gabrielle Stanton guides the team with 75 assists and 34 blocks while Nicole Iademarco leads the way with 57 3-pointers. Ogumwike, sister of WNBA first overall picks Nneka and Chiney who both played collegiately at Stanford, transferred to Rice from Pepperdine and sat out the 2016-17 season. As a team, Rice leads Conference USA in 3-point percentage defense (.275) but is 10th in rebounding offense (36.2), turnover margin (-2.2) and offensive rebounds (11.3). Individually, Ogumwike leads C-USA in defensive rebounds per game (7.2).
Final stretch
• UTSA is in the stretch run of the Conference USA season, playing three of its final four away in the friendly confines of the Convocation Center.
• The Roadrunners started the stretch with a win against FIU (Feb.14) before visiting UTEP on Feb. 23. UTSA closes out the stretch with a pair of games at home when the Roadrunners welcome Rice (Feb.25) and UAB (March 3) to the Alamo City.
Knocking on the door
• UTSA, which was selected 12th in the Conference USA preseason poll is currently tied for 12th in the league standings. [The top 12 teams are invited to compete in the Conference USA Tournament.]
• Tied with FIU with a 4-9 league standing, UTSA holds the tiebreaker over FIU (12th) and Marshall (14th).
Top-16 scorer
• UTSA's Crystal Chidomere is second on the Roadrunner squad with 14.0 points per game and has totaled 322 points this season.
• With 950 career points the senior ranks 15th on the UTSA career list. She needs 102 point to tie former Roadrunner Terrie Davis (2004-08) with 1,052 points while only needing 50 points to become the 15th Roadrunner in program history to reach 1,000 career points.
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.
