ARLINGTON - UT Arlington featured four in doubles figures as the offense sparked a 78-54 win over Grambling State on Tuesday night to end a three-game homestand to open the season at College Park Center. 

The Lady Mavericks, earning their 50th all-time win at College Park Center - opening in 2012, used a pair of big runs in both the second and third quarters to push into double-figure leads for much of the final half of the matchup. UTA improved to 2-1 to open the season, while Grambling State fell to 1-3. UTA embarks on a five-game road trip beginning on Friday at Fresno State (7 p.m.) and Sunday at San Francisco.

Cierra Johnson led the way with 14 points on the night, but it was a milestone evening for the senior as her three steals pushed her into second in UTA history with 259 in her career. The mark also moved her to 11th in Sun Belt history. Johnson needs just 26 to equal Allison Gray for the all-time program mark. 

Lauren Billie knocked down 10 points, her second consecutive game into double figures. Freshman Misty Dossey was on a double-double watch, but came up just short with 13 points and eight rebounds, she swatted away four shots and grabbed three steals. Brooke Alexander caught fire from 3-point land as she had 12, coming on her four treys. 

UTA, coming into the night with the highest scoring offense in the Sun Belt at 81.0 points per game, was just under the mark with 49.1 percent shooting from the field. The efficiency was pushed along by the league's assist leader, Katie Ferrell, who bested her average with seven dished on Tuesday. 

HOW IT HAPPENED: 
A slow opening 10 minutes was plagued by seven UTA turnovers, but despite the offensive mishaps with the ball, the defense held strong to help UTA calm itself to a one-point advantage with a late 4-0 run. 

The second quarter saw the Lady Mavs turn up their intensity and on a six-point advantage as a 7-0 spurt was capped by Johnson knocking down a straightaway three-pointers. The run would end with an 11-3 advantage, but Grambling State would not wither away. The Lady Tigers battled their way to within two points with a pair of three's on back-to-back trips down the floor. Lauren Billie provided the answer with one of her own late in the shot clock to push the lead back to five with under two in the half. The momentum stayed on the side of UTA to close out the half as another 7-0 run sent the Lady Mavs into the break up double figures. 

The Lady Tigers chipped away at the UTA lead to begin the third and trimmed the deficit down to just six. However, Johnson's third steal of the game prompted as UTA run once again, sending the lead to 11 points late in the third quarter. 

A 3-point barrage late in the frame pushed the crowd into a frenzy, adding a swat by Misty Dossey, and a long-range dagger from Brooke Alexander in the corner ended the third on a 12-0 run and a 23-point lead. 

Grambling State came out of the break to spark a short run, a trey on its first attempt started a 5-0 run, but Ferrell's inside passing kept the Lady Tigers from pulling any closer early in the fourth. 

QUOTABLE:
Coach Krista Gerlich...
"I am really excited for our girls and just to get back on the court and be able to put together a game like that. It was a little bit of a struggle at the beginning of the game. We struggled to find some offensive rhythm and didn't defend very well. We fouled a lot. Our kids continued to plug away and they stuck together. In the second half we had a big third quarter and Brooke kept believing in her shot and started moving better without the ball. We found some nice shots and she got hot at the right time.

"As a group, they really just fought through some adversity that we needed to see this team fight through. I thought that we had some upper classmen that came in and did a really good job in leading us. Laurynn came off the bench and did a really nice job and gave us a good spark. Grambling is a good basketball team that is going to win a lot of games, they are really athletic."

NOTABLE: 
UTA is 50-45 all-time at CPC and 26-6 dating back to the 2016-17 season. UTA has lost just two games in the month of November in the last three seasons... UTA outscored GSU 22-9 in the third quarter. UTA led by 30 with 4:56 in the fourth... UTA forced 26 turnovers, while giving it away just 18 times.