Feb. 9, 2017
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ARLINGTON, Texas - With less than a month remaining in the regular season, the race for the Sun Belt Conference men's basketball championship could become a little more clear Saturday in College Park Center.
UTA hosts Arkansas State in a 4:30 p.m. tipoff that features two of the four teams that are either tied for or within one game of the lead in the Sun Belt standings.
Saturday's Sun Belt doubleheader opens with a 2 p.m. women's basketball contest featuring the Lady Mavs against Arkansas State. The men will host the Red Wolves starting at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are available online at UTATickets.com or by calling the UTA Box Office at (817) 272-9595 during weekday business hours.
Both games will be streamed live for subscribers to Mavericks All-Access on UTAMavs.com. In addition, a live radio broadcast of the men's game will be available throughout the DFW Metroplex on KEXB 620 AM and via the popular TuneIn app on smartphones and tablets. Links to complete game coverage, including video, audio and live statistics, are available on UTAMavs.com.
Prior to the start of the season, UTA (17-6, 7-3 Sun Belt) was selected by league coaches as the favorites to win the regular season title. The Mavericks won 24 games last season and returned all five starters, including Preseason Player of the Year Kevin Hervey and first team all-SBC point guard Erick Neal.
Arkansas State, on the other hand, lost three starters and eight letter winners as well as its head coach from last year's team that finished ninth in the Sun Belt. The Red Wolves were picked in the preseason coaches' poll to finish 10th in the Sun Belt under new coach Grant McCasland.
The Red Wolves, however, have proven the experts wrong and have emerged as a title contender. A-St is one of three teams tied for the current lead in the Sun Belt standings with 9-2 league records. UTA sits just one game back with a 7-3 mark following last weekend's 15-point win over Texas State.
Georgia State and Georgia Southern join A-St at the top of the league table. Both teams are on the road this weekend to face Appalachian State and a resurgent Coastal Carolina side. A stumble by any one of the four teams will create separation at the top of the standings.
"For us, to be contenders, this week and next week at the two Georgia schools will be critical," said UTA head coach Scott Cross, the winningest coach in program history. "You are probably going to see, over the course of this week and next, a leader emerge at the top of the Sun Belt. Whichever team comes out unscathed over the next four games will have the best shot at the conference title."
UTA enters Saturday's game having won five of its last six games and is coming off a convincing 76-61 home victory over Texas State. The Mavericks shot a season-best .605 from the field and .471 from behind the 3-point arc to avenge a loss to the Bobcats a month earlier in San Marcos.
"I thought that was probably our best game in a long time in terms of shot selection," said Cross. "I thought our guys played to make each other better offensively. It seemed like nobody was really worried about who was scoring or where it was coming from. We just worked to get the best shot. I think that is why we shot such a high percentage against a great defensive team. Going into the game, Texas State was the No. 1 defensive team in the league.
"It was definitely a step in the right direction. We need to build off that momentum."
Arkansas State (18-6, 9-2) brings a 7-game win streak into College Park Center on Saturday. The Red Wolves went 9-4 in non-conference play, which included an impressive 78-72 win at Georgetown. The Hoyas, despite their 13-12 record, are ranked 64th in this week's NCAA ratings percentage index.
Despite only returning two starters, Arkansas State has several individual weapons that are of significant concern to Cross and his coaching staff. Those two starters, however, represent two of the most dynamic players in the Sun Belt.
"Arkansas State's success definitely starts with Devin Carter," said Cross. "He is one of the best scorers in the league and shoots it as good as anyone. We are going to have to find him in transition and know where he is when we have to rotate defensively.
"Donte Thomas is a big point guard. He does as good of a job as anybody in the league with the pick and roll. He can really pick defenses apart. He is a great playmaker. They have some very good shooters and a great driver in Deven Simms, who is probably one of the best athletes in the league.
"It is going to take a great team effort to come out with a win on Saturday."
UTA returns to College Park Center on Monday Feb. 13 for a Sun Belt contest against defending champion Little Rock. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. to accommodate American Sports Network / ESPN3 live coverage.
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.
