MAVS FACE AGGIES ON THE ROAD
11/23/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 23, 2004
LAS CRUCES, N.M. - The Texas-Arlington men's basketball team embarks on its first road trip of the season when they face New Mexico State Wednesday at the Pan American Center. Tipoff is at 8 p.m.(CT) and can be heard on Comcast Cable Channel 98 and UTA Radio.
THE SERIES: New Mexico State ius a perfect 10-0 against the Mavs, including a 72-62 win in Las Cruces last season.
ABOUT NEW MEXICO STATE: The Aggies are 2-1 after losing to Central Flroida 62-58 in the championship game of the BP Top of the World Classic in Fairbanks, Ala. Sunday.
NMSU has used a balanced lineup early with seven averaging 7.0 poinrs per game or better. Senior Mike Mitchell is the leading scorer at 11.0 per game. The Aggies score 62.3 points per gmae and allow 61.3. They are shooting 45.0% (67-of-149) from the field,34.0 percent (18-of-53) from three-point range and 77.8 percent (35-of-45) from the foul line.
NMSU, playing without head coach Lou Henson who is recovering from an illness, defeated Western Michigan in overtime and Northwestern to advance to the title game.
Former UTA assistant coach Tony Stubblefield is the interim head coach until Henson's return.
FAB FISH:Prior to the start of the 2004-05 season, recruiting services proclaimed the UTA Class of 2004 as one of the best in school history.
Maybe they were right.
Through two games, the UTA version of the "Fab Five" group of freshmen Larry Posey, Baron Sauls, Rodrick Epps, Jermaine Griffin and Myles Guidry hhave combined to average 29.0 points, 18.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals for the Mavericks. Posey became the first true freshman during Eddie McCarter's tenure to score double figures in his college debut with 10 points at TCU.One night later, Griffin recorded his first double-double with 21 points and 14 rebounds in a 13-point win over UT-Permian Basin.
COLD FROM THE OUTSIDE:The UTA guards will try to warm up in New Mexico and Wyoming this weekend. Guard position players shot 19-of-67 (28.3%) from the field in the first two gamnes of the season.
THOMAS TAKES LEADERSHIP ROLE:Junior Steven Thomas has gotten off to a quick start this season averaging 18.5 points and 9.0 rebounds last week. Thomas, named to the Southland Conference Player of the Week Honor Roll, was consistent with 19 points and even rebounds at TCU and 18 points and 11 boards against UT-Permian Basin. Saturday's double-double was just the fifth in his two-plus year career.
Thomas' 13 made free throws in twogames draws him closer to the career top 10 list. he needs just 90 more made free throws this season to move into second place on the all-time list with 297 made, tying Eddie Stallings (1967-69). Thomas is also290 poitns from 25th place on the career scoring list. Sherman Evans (1969-71) has 884 career points.
UP NEXT: UTA travel to Laramie,Wyo., to face Wyoming Saturday at 5 p.m.(CT).
