ARLINGTON, Texas - In their first game at College Park Center in nearly 30 days, the UTA Lady Mavs picked up a hard-fought 68-62 win over Wright State on Wednesday night.

"That's a really big win for us and our program," said head coach Krista Gerlich. "I have a lot of respect for Wright State and what they have done in their conference and what they continue to do by making the NCAA tournament and being ranked in the top-25 mid-major poll. I just think that they have a lot of athleticism; they can really get to the rim; they can make some big shots at big times and they certainly don't quit."

With the win, UTA improves to 5-3 overall, while Wright State falls to 3-3 on the year. The Raiders were held to just 37.9 percent on the night, while the Lady Mavs finished the night shooting 47.9 percent. The Raiders won the battle on the boards, out-rebounding the Lady Mavericks 38-34 overall, but UTA snagged 31 defensive boards to WSU's 26. Turning Wright State over 14 times on the evening, UTA has now forced seven of their first eight opponents into 14+ turnovers.

"So I really think that's a big win for us, especially just coming off the Paradise Jam that we just came off of and just kind of dragging a little bit," Gerlich said. "I thought that our kids stayed true to what we were trying to do; they stayed positive; they kept working hard. Marie was a workhorse and I'm so glad she got to show her home fans what they have to look forward to this year. It's really exciting to see her play so well and just her teammates help her be successful as well."

Marie Benson, playing in her first game as a Lady Mav at CPC, shot 9-of-13 from the field and 8-of-14 from the free-throw line to finish with a game-high 26 points. She also added seven rebounds, two assists and a steal in the win. Terryn Milton added 10 points, six boards and four assists, while Aysia Evans chipped in with 10 points, four boards and four assists. Misty Dossey poured in 10 points and five rebounds off the bench.

There were eight lead changes in the contest and the Raiders led UTA for 20:32 of the 40 minutes. The Lady Mavs held a 1-point lead after the first quarter and trailed the Raiders by 4 points (30-26) at the half. UTA created some separation in the third quarter, outscoring WSU 23-14 in the period to take a lead (49-44) that they would never relinquish.

The Lady Mavericks will be back in action on Dec. 16, when they head to Evanston, Ill. to battle Northwestern (6-1 overall). Tip-off is scheduled for 11 a.m.