Jan. 26, 2017
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ARLINGTON, Texas - The UTA men's basketball team travels to the Carolinas this weekend to face Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina in a pair of Sun Belt Conference rematches.
The Mavericks visit App State's Holmes Center (capacity 8,325) in Boone, N.C. to face the Mountaineers on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. (CST), following the conclusion of a 12 Noon contest featuring the Lady Mavs at Appalachian State. UTA will travel to Conway, S.C. to play at Coastal Carolina on Monday at 6 p.m.
Saturday's doubleheader will be streamed live by ESPN3. A live UTA radio broadcast of both men's games of the trip will be available throughout the DFW Metroplex on KEXB 620 AM and via the popular TuneIn app on smartphones and tablets. Links to complete live game coverage, including video, audio and live statistics, are available on UTAMavs.com.
Sun Belt preseason favorite UTA is 15-6 on the season and 5-2 in league play following Monday's convincing 108-71 victory over Louisiana in College Park Center. The Mavericks are one of three teams in the Sun Belt to rank among the nation's top 100, according to the NCAA's ratings percentage index (RPI) and are rated ninth in this week's CollegeInsider.com mid-major poll.
UTA swept Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina to open league play a month ago in College Park Center. The Mavs closed out 2016 with a 90-69 New Year's Eve victory over the Chanticleers, then welcomed 2017 with an 84-69 win over the Mountaineers on Jan. 2.
"It is always difficult to play a team the second time," said UTA senior Jalen Jones. "Both Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina will be more familiar with how we play and our personnel and they have the advantage of playing the rematch on their home court. Both games are going to be difficult."
After opening league play at 2-0, the Mavericks stumbled in road games at Texas State and Troy before rebounding with a victory at South Alabama. Following the two losses, UTA has won three straight by an average of nearly 20 points per game.
"Adversity comes with the game," said Jones. "We don't get too low or two high. Either way, we have to continue on to the next challenge and stay focused. We have to stay consistent, mainly on the defensive end. In some games, we relaxed too much on the defensive end. In this league, there are a lot of good offensive teams so we have to remain focused. If we don't come ready to play, we could lose to any team in this league."
Jones, a native of Cedar Hill, is second on the team in scoring with an average of 13.3 points per game. He is also among the team's leaders in rebounds (3.9) and field goal percentage (.513).
Last weekend, Jones equaled his season high with 23 points against ULM and followed that performance with a 21-point outburst in the win over Louisiana.
"I think for me to be successful, I have to stay confident and continue to work on my game every day," said Jones, who scored 44 combined points in the team's last two games. "I try to make sure to come in and get shots up before and after practice and keep doing the little things that are going to help me continue to improve. It helps that I have a lot of unselfish teammates. They are great at moving the ball around, so when I have an open shot I have to knock it down."
Appalachian State enters Saturday's game with a 6-12 record and a 1-6 mark in league play. The Mountaineers, coached by third-year head coach Jim Fox, won their last home game - a 70-57 victory over Arkansas State. Only two of App State's seven home games this season have taken place in Boone.
The Mountaineers are scoring 76.6 points per game and rank second in the Sun Belt, just behind the league-leading Mavericks, with an average of 14.9 assists per game. Their 8.9 3-point field goal average is tied for second in the conference.
Sophomore guard Ronshad Shabazz ranks third in the Sun Belt in scoring at 16.9 points per game and is fourth in 3-pointers per game. Freshman Patrick Good is shooting .440 from beyond the 3-point arc, good for second in the league.
UTA returns to College Park Center on Saturday Feb. 4 for a doubleheader with the Lady Mavs in a rivalry weekend contest against Texas State. The women's game begins at 2 p.m. with the men facing off at 4:30 p.m.
Tickets are available online at UTATickets.com or during weekday business hours by calling the UTA Box Office at (817) 272-9595. Specially priced group and youth team ticket packages are available.
