SAN ANTONIO –UTSA women's basketball heads east for Conference USA play as the Roadrunners challenge Marshall (7-15, 1-8 C-USA) on Thursday at 4 p.m. CT and Charlotte (9-13, 5-4) on Saturday at 6 p.m.
Marshall game overview
UTSA (4-18, 2-8 C-USA) continues Conference USA play Thursday afternoon against Marshall. The game will tip at 4 p.m. CT from Cam Henderson Center in Huntington, W. Va., and will be streamed on CUSA.tv with Stu Paul providing play-by-play.
Inside the series: Marshall leads 3-1
UTSA and Marshall have only met four times on the hardwood since the Roadrunners joined Conference USA for the 2013-14 season. The Thundering Herd own a slim 3-1 advantage, as they collected a come-from-behind 88-81 victory in San Antonio last season. The Roadrunners last defeated Marshall in January 22, 2015, with a 60-48 win at the Convocation Center.
Getting to know Marshall
Marshall is looking for its second conference win of the season, after recording a pair of losses to Charlotte and Southern Miss. Marshall's only league win came against FIU, by a 78-57 victory at home. Junior Shayna Gore leads the Herd offense averaging 19.2 points per game. Gore inks a .447 field goal percentage, hitting 151-of-338 baskets from the field. Meanwhile, in Conference USA play, Gore leads the field averaging 21.3 points per game.
Charlotte game overview
Staying on the road, UTSA concludes the weekend with a Saturday evening contest at Charlotte. The game will tip at 6 p.m. CT from Halton Arena and will be streamed on ESPN3.
Inside the series: Charlotte leads 3-1
Since first meeting in 2014,UTSA and Charlotte have met four times on the basketball court with the 49ners owning a 3-1 series advantage. In 2017, the Roadrunners fell to Charlotte, 78-67, on the road. UTSA last defeated the 49ners on January 15, 2014, with a 61-60 triumph at the Convocation Center.
Getting to know Charlotte
Charlotte is 9-13 and off to a 5-4 mark in Conference USA play. The team's offense is led by junior Laia Raventós who averages 14.5 points per game. The 5-foot-7 junior has made 110-of-252 baskets from the field to post a .437 field goal percentage. Respectively, Raventós ranks eighth in the conference in scoring. On the defensive end, redshirt-sophomore Dara Pearson leads the 49ers on the glass averaging 8.4 rebounds per game.
Roadrunner Numbers
UTSA is led by Crystal Chidomere's 13.5 points and Marie Benson's 9.2 rebounds per game. Chidomere also leads the team in assists (51) and blocks (23), while Benson is tops in steals (31). Carlie Heineman is the team's top 3-point threat (50 makes). The Roadrunners are also tied for second in Conference USA in blocked shots (3.9).
Benson on the boards
• Sophomore forward Marie Benson leads UTSA and ranks fifth among league opponents with an average of 9.5 rebounds per game.
• Benson has totaled 175 rebounds this season including 122 coming on the defensive end.
• Overall, the sophomore boasts 317 career rebounds.
• The Texas native has led the Roadrunners on the glass in 15 games, including a season-high 16 rebounds against Texas A&M Commerce (12/29/17).
• Benson's 317 career rebounds in 42 career games ranks 37th on the UTSA career list. She needs only nine more to reach the top 35 and 25 to crack the top 30.
Top-20 scorer
• UTSA's Crystal Chidomere paces the Roadrunners with 13.5 points per game and has totaled 270 points this season.
• With a 898 career points the senior ranks 16th on the UTSA career list. She needs 33 points to reach the top 15 and 102 points to become the 15th Roadrunner in program history to reach 1,000 career points.
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.
Up Next
UTSA returns to the Convocation Center to host FIU for a midweek matchup on Wednesday, February 14. Tipoff is slate for 7 p.m.
