Dec. 2, 2015
UT Arlington (3-3) vs. Kansas State (4-1)
Dec. 3 | 7 p.m. | Manhattan, Kansas
UTA Notes | Kansas State Notes | UTA Audio ($)
By Cassie Logan | @c4ssielogan
ARLINGTON, Texas - The Lady Mavericks held Kansas State to one of its lowest shooting percentages of the season in their 2014 matchup. UT Arlington coach Krista Gerlich believes the defensive battle will continue when the teams meet again on Thursday.
"Just because of the way they run their zone, I think we'll be patient against it and that's what keeps the score lower," Gerlich said. "Defensively, they'll have a harder time scoring against us because we play pretty good defense.
"I still think the score will be low, I don't know if it will be as low as it was last year because Kansas State is playing a lot better. They've been in coach Mittie's system for a year now with more of his players. They understand what he's looking for. They're more confident, so I do think they're better, but we are too."
UTA (3-3) is riding into Wildcat territory with confidence after it slashed Stephen F. Austin's 17-game home winning streak on Tuesday night. The Lady Mavs quieted the Ladyjacks' offense at 44.2 percent shooting, its lowest clip at home this season. UTA shot 51 percent (25-49) from the field in a sound offensive effort.
"I'm excited about how they're coming together and starting to get a feel for each other on offense," Gerlich said. "They're playing harder for an extended period of time, getting after it on defense and understanding what we're looking for defensive-wise."
Rebekah VanDijk marked her first double-double of the season with a team-high 18 points and 13 rebounds. Gerlich said the performance was a confidence boost for the sophomore, who has a tendency to add pressure on herself. VanDijk is averaging a team-best 9.3 points and 7.2 boards a game.
"It was nice to see her come back into her own and be aggressive on the boards," Gerlich said. "She was really aggressive on the offensive boards, especially. It's important at this time of the year because we're playing some really big games and getting our feet wet and getting ready for Sun Belt."
The Lady Maverick newcomers are also bringing more consistency to Gerlich's rotations and understanding their scoring roles on the court. Junior Kamy Cole has averaged another team-high 9.3 points per game, and Gerlich has put faith in Miranda LeJune to provide quality minutes when senior LaShanda Green needs rest.
Kansas State (4-1) is playing its second home game in a row after defeating Southern 59-47 on Nov. 25. The Wildcats had their five-game win streak snapped by Connecticut in a 97-57 nonconference loss Nov. 23. UTA is 22-84 all-time against Big 12 opponents and 0-2 against Kansas State.
