Feb. 26, 2003
The University of Texas at Arlington Mavericks play the third of four straigt road games Thursday evening when they travel to San Marcos to face Southwest Texas at 8 p.m. The Mavericks enter the game with a 12-12 overall record, including a 9-7 mark in Southland Conference action. Southwest Texas defeated the Mavericks 58-53 Jan. 23 in Arlington.
The Coaches:
Eddie McCarter is in his 11th year as a college head coach, all at Texas-Arlington. He owns a 131-163 (.446) overall record. He is assisted by Scott Cross, Matt Daniel and Reggie Brown. Southwest Texas is coached by Dennis Nutt, who is assisted by Greg Young, Dionne Phelps and Clark Sheehy.
Broadcast:
The game will be broadcast live throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex on Fox Sports Radio 1190 AM. John Nelson is in his 21st year of calling Maverick play-by-play. He will be joined on the broadcast by UTA sports information director Mickey Seward.
Ticket Information:
For ticket information, point your web browser to the official website of the Southwest Texas State athletic department at www.swtbobcats.com.
Coming Up:
The Mavericks travel to San Antonio to face Texas-San Antonio Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. UTA defeated the Roadrunners 71-59 in both teams' Southland Conference opener on Dec. 28 in Arlington. Donny Beacham scored a career high 17 points in that game to lead the Mavericks, while Mack Callier pulled down a team high 12 rebounds for UTA.
Mavericks on the Web:
The official website of The University of Texas at Arlington's Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is www.uta.edu/athletics.
The Series: UTA vs. Southwest Texas
* Southwest Texas leads the all time series between the teams, which dates back to the 1984-85 season, 22-15 * In games played in San Marcos, Southwest Texas leads 14-4 * Southwest Texas has won five of the past six meetings * Under head coach Eddie McCarter, UTA is 6-15 since 1992-93; SWT is 4-1 vs. UTA since Dennis Nutt took over the Bobcats in 2000-01 * SWT handed UTA a 58-53 loss on Jan. 23 in Arlington * Mack Callier led three Mavericks in double figures with 14 points * Roy Johnson had 13 points and 11 rebounds and Keith Howell added 10 points for UTA * SWT's Terry Conerway led all players with 19 points
UTA Head Coach Eddie McCarter
* Eddie McCarter is in his 11th season as UTA's head coach and as a collegiate head coach * He enters the game with a 131-167 (.446) career record * McCarter is 92-104 (.469) in Southland Conference games * He is just one of four coaches in school history to lead the team for at least 10 years, and just the third to lead the team for 10 or more years since UTA became a senior college in 1959-60 * Only Bob "Snake" LeGrand, who coached UTA from 11 years from 1976-87, had as much experience on the senior college level at UTA * McCarter was a UTA assistant from 1990-92, an assistant at Howard Junior College from 1988-90, the head coach at Charles Henderson High School in Troy, Ala., from 1979-88 and an assistant at Fairfield High School in Birmingham, Ala., from 1976-79 * McCarter graduated from Alabama-Birmingham in 1975
Eddie McCarter Now UTA's Winningest Coach at Four Year Level
* UTA head coach Eddie McCarter owns 131 victories at UTA since taking over in 1992-93 * His victory over Texas-San Antonio Dec. 28 was his 123rd at UTA and broke his tie with Bob "Snake" LeGrand as the winningest coach at UTA since the school became a four-year university in 1959-60 * McCarter and LeGrand are the only UTA coaches to win more than 100 games since 1959 * Tom Tinker is the school's all-time winningest coach with 259 victories from 1940-42 and 1945-66 * 205 of Tinker's victories came when Arlington State College was a junior college
Last Time Out: Lamar 60, Texas-Arlington 58 (Saturday in Beaumont)
* Lamar defeated UTA 60-58 this past Saturday in Beaumont, Texas * UTA had a chance to tie, but Derrick Obasohan's putback of Brady Dawkins' missed shot was ruled to have been shot after the final buzzer * UTA clawed back into the game from nine points down with 7:35 to play * The teams were tied 27-27 at halftime * UTA committed just one personal foul in the first half (Derrick Obasohan) * Shooting Percentages: UTA .411 (23-for-56); LU .522 (24-for-46) * 3-Point Percentages: UTA .286 (2-for-7); LU .400 (4-for-10) * Free Throw Percentages: UTA .625 (10-for-16); LU .500 (8-for-16) * Total Rebounds: UTA 28 (10 offensive), LU 33 (seven offensive) * Turnovers: UTA 7; SHSU 14
McCarter Among Winningest Coaches in Southland History
* UTA head coach Eddie McCarter enters the game with 131 victories, sixth most in Southland Conference history * Last season, McCarter passed former UTA coach Bob "Snake" LeGrand, who was credited with 112 victories by the SLC, since the Mavericks played as an independent in 1986-87 (UTA was 10-18 that season) * McCarter passed Andy Russo, who won 122 games as Louisiana Tech's head coach from 1980-85, for sixth place with UTA's 71-59 win over Texas-San Antonio Dec. 28 * Among active SLC head coaches, only current Louisiana-Monroe coach Mike Vining has won more games than McCarter * McCarter's next target: Pat Foster (134 SLC wins at Lamar from 1981-86)
Josh Daniel Named Verizon Academic All-District VI
* UTA senior guard Josh Daniel became the second Maverick in as many years to earn Verizon Academic All District VI honors when the award was announced Feb. 20 * Daniel was one of five players to make the team, and those five players will now appear on the ballot for Verizon Academic All-American * The team is chosen by members of College Sports Information Directors of America * Daniel is a public relations major with a 3.73 grade point average * He earned the National Junior College Athletic Association's highest honor when the NJCAA awarded him with the Distinguished Academic All-American Award in 2001 when he attended Southwest Missouri State University-West Plains * A former All-State player at Jonesboro (Ark.) High School, Daniel graduated with a perfect 4.0 grade point average * His brother, Matt, a UTA assistant coach, was an Academic All-Big 8 selection at Colorado in 1995 * UTA assistant coach Scott Cross was an Academic All-American in both 1997 and 1998 * Last year, forward Donny Beacham was named to the Verizon Academic All Region Team
UTA 6-2 Since Starting Lineup Change on Jan. 30 at Northwestern State
* Texas-Arlington head coach Eddie McCarter changed his starting lineup for the first time this season Jan. 30 in UTA's 75-66 win at Northwestern State * The Mavericks won their first six games with the new starting lineup before finally dropping a game in a 56-52 thriller at league-leading Sam Houston State Feb. 17 * UTA fell 60-58 at Lamar on Feb. 22 * After beating Northwestern State to start the six game streak, UTA also defeated Louisiana-Monroe 78-62 for just the second UTA win ever in Monroe, stopped Stephen F. Austin's 13-game winning streak with a 60-52 win in Arlington, handed defending SLC champ McNeese State a 56-52 loss in Lake Charles, La., earned a season sweep of Southeastern Louisiana with a 73-68 win Feb. 13 and avenged an earlier loss to Nicholls State with a 74-46 victory over the Colonels Feb. 15 * McCarter inserted freshman forward Steven Thomas into the first five, and brought junior forward Derrick Obasohan off the bench * Thomas joined fellow forward Mack Callier, center Roy Johnson and guards Josh Daniel and Keith Howell in the starting lineup vs. the Demons
Mavericks Among Nation's Top Defensive Teams
* Texas-Arlington is ranked 30th nationally in scoring defense * UTA is allowing just 62. points per game * Air Force leads the nation, allowing just 56.4 points per game * UTA leads the SLC in scoring defense * UTA has allowed just four teams to score at least 70 points all season, and until SFA scored 76 Jan. 25, had not given up 70 points since Texas beat UTA 76-45 on Nov. 27 * UTA has held its opponent under 60 points eight times this season * The 46 points allowed to Nicholls State on Saturday were the fewest scored by a UTA opponent this season
UTA Not Often in a Foul Mood
* Texas-Arlington is ranked 28th nationally in fewest fouls per game * UTA committed just one first-half foul Feb. 22 at Lamar (Derrick Obasohan) * The Mavericks average just 16.7 fouls per game, which means trips to the free throw line are few and far between for UTA opponents * UTA has attempted 471 free throws this season (19.6/game), compared to 384 trips to the charity stripe by opponents (16.0/game) * UTA is shooting 67.5 percent from the free throw line; opponents are shooting 64.1 percent from the free throw line * Coppin State leads the nation with just 15.2 fouls per game
Three Point Shots Not Usually Mavericks' Style
* Of the 325 teams that are included in the latest NCAA rankings, UTA is ranked No. 324 in three pointers made per game (2.9 three pointers per game) * The Mavericks have attempted more thee-point shots then their opponents just three times this season, and lost all three of those games * The Mavericks have made 69 three-point attempts as a team this season * UTA's opponents have hit 138 three-pointers * Josh Daniel leads UTA with 24 three-pointers made, followed by Derrick Obasohan (20) * Freshman guard Brady Dawkins is definitley NOT afraid to shoot the three...40 of his 43 field goal attempts have come from three-point territory, and all 14 of his field goals are three pointers * UTA's leading scorer, off-guard Keith Howell, has just one three-pointer this season
Mavericks on Positive Side For First Time
* Texas-Arlington appeared on the positive side in scoring margin for the first time this season following a 74-46 win over Nicholls State Feb. 15 * The Mavericks now own 1,521 points, 21 more than they have given up * UTA had been fighting to get back on the positive side since a 56-point loss at Creighton on opening night (106-50) * UTA is averaging 63.4 points per game, and allowing 62.5 points per game
Mavericks Get Back on Right Track at Home
* After winning five straight at the Hall dating back to last season's finale against Southwest Texas, the Mavericks dropped three home consecutive games * However, UTA came back with three straight home wins since then, defeating Stephen F. Austin 60-52 on Feb. 5, Southeastern Louisiana 73-68 Feb. 13 and Nicholls State 74-46 on Feb. 15 * UTA is 7-3 at home in 2002-03
Texas-Arlington Tough on the Boards
* Texas-Arlington leads the Southland Conference in rebounding margin (43rd nationally), pulling down 4.5 more rebounds than its opponents * UTA averages 35.8 rebounds per game and allows opponents to get 31.3 rebounds per game * UTA dominated the boards in its 74-46 win over Nicholls State Feb. 15, pulling down 44 rebounds to Nicholls State's 18 * The Mavericks are sixth in the league in overall rebounding * Mack Callier is the league's fourth leading rebounder, averaging 7.8 rebounds per game
Mavericks Hand Out Plenty of Assists
* Led by point guard Josh Daniel, Texas-Arlington is third in the SLC in assists * The Mavericks are averaging 13.83 assists per game * Daniel is fifth in the SLC in assists, averaging 4.21 assists per game * Daniel is sixth in the league in assists-to-turnover ratio (1.55 assists per turnover)
Mavericks in 50-Point Games
* Texas-Arlington has played in 12 games decided by at least 50 points in its entire history * Three of those games have come either this season or last season * Along with a 106-50 loss to Creighton in the season opener this year, UTA was involved in a 115-62 (53 point difference) loss at Oral Roberts and a 103-45 (58 point difference) win over Hardin-Simmons last year * UTA is 7-5 all-time in games decided by at least 50 points
Four Double Figure Scorers Has Equaled Win So Far For Mavs
* UTA has had four players score in double figures on six different occasions, and UTA has won all three of those games * Keith Howell and Derrick Obasohan reached double figures in all five of those wins * However, in blowout losses at Creighton and Texas, just one player hit double figures in each game
Callier Chases Rebounding Record (and other milestones)...Becomes 15th Player in UTA History to Score 1,000...Is third on UTA's All-Time Rebounding Chart, 11th on All-Time Scoring List
* UTA senior forward Mack Callier needs 36 rebounds to tie Paul Renfro's school record of 851 career rebounds * Callier owns 815 rebounds, third all-time at UTA, while Renfro had 851 from 1976-80...former teammate Bill Washington (844, '96-'00) currently stands between Renfro and Callier * Callier grabbed his 800th career rebound Feb. 17 at Sam Houston State * Callier will have to step up his performance a bit to break the record...he's averaged 209 rebounds per season in his first three years, and entered the new season needing 224 rebounds to break Renfro's record...at his current pace, Callier will finish the regular season with 218 rebounds...he needs to average 9.0 rebounds per game over the final four games to tie the record during the regular season * Last year, Callier pulled down 211 rebounds (7.8 per game) * Callier has taken over second place on UTA's all-time blocked shots list with 81, but Renfro's record of 118 should be safe * Callier owns 1,060 points in his career, 11th on UTA's all-time scoring chart * Callier scored his 1,000th point Feb. 1 at Louisiana-Monroe * His next target is No. 10 Anthony Durham, who scored 1,060 points from 1993-98
Roy Johnson Among Conference's Most Improved Players
* If the Southland Conference gave an award for most improved player, UTA junior center Roy Johnson might win it * After averaging 5.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game last year, Johnson has become one of the SLC's top post players in 2002-03 * Johnson is the team's third leading scorer overall, averaging 10.3 points per game * In conference games, Johnson owns a team-best 11.1 scoring average * He also is hauling down 6.0 rebounds per game overall, eighth-best in the SLC * He collected his third double-double of the season Jan. 30, when he scored 15 points and grabbed a career high 11 boards at Northwestern State * It was Johnson's second double-double in three games * He had 13 points and 11 rebounds against Southwest Texas Jan. 23 * His first double-double came Jan. 9 at Southeastern Louisiana, when he had 16 points and 11 rebounds * Johnson has hit double figures in 13 of UTA's 23 games this year * He had his six-game double figure scoring streak snapped when Nicholls State held him to six points on Jan. 11 * Johnson was coming off a 16 point, 11 rebound performance at Southeastern Louisiana two nights prior to the Nicholls State game * He started the streak with 14 points against Arkansas-Monticello, followed by 15 points at Houston, 11 points at New Mexico State, 11 more points against Texas-San Antonio, a career high 19 points vs. McNeese State, and then the 16 points at SLU * During the six-game streak, Johnson averaged 14.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game * UTA was 4-2 during the streak * Johnson hauled in his 300th career rebound against McNeese State, the same game Mack Callier pulled down his 700th rebound * Johnson needs two rebounds to reach the 400 rebound mark
Freshman Steven Thomas Playing Like Veteran
* Freshman forward Steven Thomas has played extremely well over the past two weeks * He was held to six points and seven rebounds at Sam Houston State Feb. 17, but he was coming off a 19 point, 11 rebound performance, both career highs, in the win over Nicholls State Feb. 15 * The Fort Worth Dunbar High School graduate scored 18 points and pulled down nine rebounds off the bench at Stephen F. Austin Jan. 25 * After an eight point, three rebound performance in his first career start in UTA's 75-66 win at Northwestern State, Thomas came back with 17 points and 10 boards in UTA's 78-62 win at Louisiana-Monroe Feb. 1 * Since breaking into the starting lineup Jan. 30, Thomas is averaging 8.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game
Obasohan Takes Over Role as "Super Sub"
* Junior forward Derrick Obasohan has come off the bench the past seven games after starting the first 16 games * He tied a season high with 21 points in a 73-68 win over Southeastern Louisiana Feb. 13 * He scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds Feb. 22 at Lamar, his first double-double this season * Obasohan scored 10 points, all in the second half, at Northwestern State Jan. 30, then followed that with a 15-point performance in 22 minutes at Louisiana-Monroe Feb. 1 * He was held to five points and two rebounds vs. SFA Feb. 5 * He has scored in double figures in 14 games this season * He averaged just 3.5 points per game in the two games before the Northwestern State game, but scored 13.3 points per game in the previous four games * Obasohan is averaging 10.6 points per game, second best on the team * Since going to the bench, Obasohan is averaging 10.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game
Beacham Nets Career High vs. Texas-San Antonio Dec. 28
* Junior forward Donny Beacham scored a career high 17 points off the bench in UTA's 71-59 win over Texas-San Antonio Dec. 28 * He bettered his former career high of 15 points, set this past Feb. 16 at Lamar * Beacham was 5-for-6 from the floor and hit both of his 3-point attempts in the UTSA game * He was 5-for-8 from the free throw line * Beacham also grabbed six rebounds, handed out an assist and grabbed two steals * Before the UTSA game, his season high was 12 points
Arlington Native Keith Howell Playing Well
* Junior guard Keith Howell is UTA's leading scorer, averaging 11.1 points per game * His 22-point game Dec. 4 against Arkansas-Monticello was the high point performance by a Maverick this season * Howell scored 21 points Jan. 30 at Northwestern State * He is third on the team in assists with 42 (1.8 per game) * Howell was named SLC Player of the Week Dec. 9 after averaging 18.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game against Arkansas-Monticello and Houston * Howell is an Arlington native who played his first two college years at Grambling * He averaged 10.2 points per game for the Tigers as a sophomore, and burned TCU for 30 points that season * Howell was the district MVP as a junior at James Bowie High School in Arlington in 1998
Mavericks Sign Three For Next Year
* UTA has signed three high school recruits for the 2003-04 season * Missouri City (Texas) Elkins High School guard Stephen Floyd, Hutto (Texas) forward Ross Ryden and Galveston Ball High School guard Courtney Captain signed early * Floyd averaged 15.4 points, five rebounds and three assists at Elkins last season * Floyd was one of 10 players to be named to the 2002 Greater Houston Preseason High School Team, and has been ranked as high as the 15th best player in the state by Mike Kunstadt's Texas Basketball Review * Ryden, who stands 6-7, averaged 16 points and nine rebounds at Georgetown High School last year before transferring to Hutto for this season * Captain is a 6-1 combo guard who averaged 16 points per game last year en route to first team All-District honors
From UTA Player to UTA Assistant Coach
* UTA head coach Eddie McCarter has two assistant coaches who played for him with the Mavericks * Fifth year assistant coach Scott Cross played three years under McCarter at UTA from 1995-96 until 1997-98 * Cross is eighth on UTA's career 3-point field goals made list with 100 * First year assistant coach Reggie Brown was a four-year letter winner from the 1993-94 season through the 1996-97 season * Brown is seventh on UTA's all-time steals chart with 113 and ninth on the school's all-time assists list with 270
