Jan. 25, 2007

UTA-Sam Houston State game notes
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UT Arlington will try and snap a five-game losing streak Thursday when the Mavs host Sam Houston State at Texas Hall at 7 p.m.

UT Arlington is in the middle of five games over an 11-day span. After Thursday, UTA will travel to Stephen F., Austin on Saturday and return home to meet Austin College in a make-up game next Tuesday at Texas Hall. UT Arlington junior guard Rodrick Epps scored a career-high 23 points in the 72-64 loss to Texas-San Antonio. He is averaging 20 points per game over the last two games.

Freshman Cardell Hunter may get his first start of the season after providing a spark off the bench against UTSA. Trailing by 17 points, 57-40, with 8:48 to play Hunter came in an helped the Mavs cut the deficit to 67-64, before UTSA made 7-of-8 free throws in the final 1:37 to seal the win.

Sam Houston State has been led by junior forward Ryan Bright and senior point guard Jejuan Plair. Bright is among the league leaders in field-goal percentage (3.5%) and leads the Bearkats with 7.8 rebounds per game. Plair is regarded by many as the top point guard in league, is averaging 11.5 points and his 5.8 assists per game is second in the SLC behind Keenon Jones of Northwestern State.