UT Arlington (7-7, 2-2) vs. Arkansas State (12-3, 6-0)
Thursday, Jan. 21 | 5 p.m. | College Park Center

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By Michael Eldridge | @DFWSportsMike

ARLINGTON, Texas - For the first time since Jan. 2, UT Arlington will be on its own court as it returns to College Park Center to host Arkansas State on Thursday.

The pivotal two-game homestand features interesting matchups for the Lady Mavericks (7-8, 2-3). UTA opens with the Red Wolves (12-3, 6-0) before facing defending Sun Belt champion Little Rock (5-10, 3-3) on Saturday. UTA has dropped the last two games, both on the road, and is hoping to avoid its first three-game losing streak of the season.

"It will have to be a team effort," UT Arlington coach Krista Gerlich said. "We will have to change our defenses up. We can't let them get comfortable in setting up their offenses. We are going to have to keep them guessing and change the way they attack."

UTA was 0-4 against the pair of teams last season, and has dropped eight consecutive to Arkansas State dating back to 1988. However, the teams have been close as three of the last six games were decided in overtime - including a 80-77 overtime win for ASU at CPC last year.

"I feel like our height bothers them," Gerlich said. "We can attack them on the inside as they do not start anyone above six foot, but they are super athletic. I feel like we match up fairly decent with them. What concerns me is their four position. She is really playing well and we struggle against an athletic four player. You have to pick your poison and I don't know which to pick with her."

Rebekah VanDijk led four players in double digits in the home meeting last season as VanDijk had a team-high 16 points. On the other side, it was SBC Preseason Player of the Year Aundrea Gamble who led ASU's attack with 33 points.

VanDijk is coming off two consecutive double-doubles, including a career-high matching 20-point effort against South Alabama. Cierra Johnson has complemented VanDijk over SBC play. Johnson is third in conference games with 16.2 points per game. On the defensive side, she is fifth in NCAA Division I with 3.6 steals per game.

For the Lady Mavs to have success, they will need to avoid a trend of having third-quarter woes. In UTA's three conference defeats, UTA has been outscored 75-31 in the third.

"We have really been talking to them about that," Gerlich said. "The games that we have won the third quarter we have won the game. It is a matter of depth if we substitute, our substitutions have to keep that level of intensity up. It is also a matter of holding that focus and playing with that intensity every single possession. We also can't focus so much on the third that we don't focus on the other quarters, because then it might not matter."

Gerlich added that the team has been confident leading up Thursday night despite the two-game skid and knowing the tough task ahead.

"The pressure is on Arkansas State," Gerlich said. "They are the ones that are undefeated and supposed to win our conference and we are the small little team that is struggling and trying to figure out who we are. They have to beat us and we have to just go out there and give it our best shot."

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