Tickets | Game Promotions | Hervey Bio

NEW ORLEANS, La. - After averaging 22.5 points and 11.5 rebounds in UTA's two wins in Georgia last weekend, it looks like junior Kevin Hervey is back to full strength.

The 6-9 forward, who missed the final 19 games last year due to a knee injury, was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week after leading the Mavericks to a pair of road wins at league title contenders Georgia State and Georgia Southern.

"The recognition is always cool, but it really is all about the team," said Hervey. "We just want to win a championship. Our goal is to win the regular season and use that momentum to go into the conference tournament and, hopefully, get a ring."

The Arlington native scored 17 points to go with 10 rebounds as UTA overcame a 15-point second half deficit to claim a dramatic 68-67 win Saturday afternoon at GSU. Junior guard Erick Neal drilled a 30-foot 3-pointer with just 1.1 seconds left to hand UTA the victory.

Two nights later, Hervey shot 60 percent from the field and 5-of-6 from behind the 3-point arc en route to a career-high 28 point effort in an emphatic 81-71 win at Georgia Southern. He also grabbed 13 rebounds, seven on the offensive end, and went a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line in front of a near-sellout crowd at Hanner Fieldhouse in Statesboro, Ga.

Despite missing most of last season, Hervey was selected by Sun Belt coaches as the league's preseason player of the year and has played in front of professional scouts in nearly every game. Head coach Scott Cross limited his minutes early in the season in an effort to ensure Hervey would be able to build his strength and allow his knee to fully heal.

That strategy appears to be paying off as Hervey is leading the league in scoring and is second in rebounds in conference play. He has 11 double-doubles this season and has scored in double figures in 20-straight games.

"What Kevin did over these last two games was special," said Cross. "He was extremely efficient, both inside and out. He made our guys better and was unbelieveable on the boards. He was as well-rounded as we have seen all year. Our game last night reminded me how he was playing last year when he was playing his best. He looked 100 percent back to his normal self.

"Hopefully, he can continue to do that. We are going to need those types of performances down the stretch in order to make it to the NCAA Tournament."

Hervey currently averages 17.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game for one of the nation's top mid-major programs. UTA is in first place in the Sun Belt with an 11-3 mark and ranks 35th in today's official NCAA ratings percentage index.

UTA is 21-6 overall and have surpassed the 20-win mark in consecutive seasons for the first time in program history. The team's 21 victories is the third-most in program history behind the 2012 and 2016 teams that won 24 games each.

UTA returns to College Park Center Saturday for the first of its final two home games of the regular season. The Mavs host South Alabama on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 4:30 p.m., then look forward to a rematch against Troy on Monday at 7 p.m. The weekend will feature the final two home contests for seniors Jorge Bilbao, Drew Charles, Jalen Jones and Faith Pope.

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.