ARLINGTON – In a three-way for 2nd place, the UT Arlington men's basketball team (10-12, 6-3 Sun Belt Conference) faces one of those clubs it's tied with Thursday night at 7 when the Mavericks welcome Coastal Carolina (12-9, 6-3 SBC) to the College Park Center on UTA Faculty & Staff Appreciation Night.
 
WHAT TO KNOW
As part of Faculty & Staff Appreciation Night, all UTA faculty and staff receive FREE admission to Thursday's game. Furthermore, any additional tickets for faculty and staff are available at a discounted rate of just $5. To take advantage of this offer, visit this link on UTATickets.com and enter promo code: FACSTAFF. For more information, please email athletics@uta.edu or call 817-272-2213.
 
The contest will be broadcast on ESPN+ by clicking here with veteran play-by-play man Ron Thulin on the call and longtime college coach and current WNBA assistant coach Mike Petersen serving as the analyst. The Voice of the Mavericks Josh Sours will have the call on the radio at KEXB 620 AM and streaming via the TuneIn App and iHeartRadio. Furthermore, for updates and behind-the-scenes photos and videos from not only this game, but all season, be sure to follow @UTA_MBB on Twitter and @UTA_Hoops on Instagram.
 
MAIN STORYLINE
The matchup pits arguably the two hottest teams in the SBC as UTA has won six of its last seven, while Coastal has rattled off five straight – having not lost since the Mavericks defeated the Chanticleers in Conway Jan. 12, 61-58, thanks to a Radshad Davis 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds remaining.
 
Texas State – whom UTA defeated on Saturday afternoon – is the other team sitting at 6-3 in the SBC as those three clubs reside just one game behind solo leader Georgia State at 7-2. However, UTA would currently be the 2nd seed in the Sun Belt Tournament due to its 2-0 record versus Coastal Carolina and Texas State. The top-2 seeds in the SBC Tournament receive a bye all the way to the semifinals.
 
UTA was picked 11th in the Sun Belt Preseason Poll, and its current 2nd-place standing represents the largest increase (+9) among all 12 league members. Since joining the Sun Belt in 2013-14, UTA has won 62 league regular-season games, and is the only program to finish in the top 5 of the conference standings every year. Only Louisiana (66) and Georgia State (72) have more league wins in that time.
 
TWEETABLES – 5 Things To Know In 260 Characters Or Less
1) After scoring a career-high 30 points and hitting two game-extending shots to force overtime and double overtime at Texas State, Brian Warren was named the SBC Co-Player of the Week. He shares the honor with CCU's Zac Cuthbertson (26.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg in two games).
2) After not shooting better than 45 percent from the floor in any of its first 15 games, UTA has eclipsed that mark in three of its last seven outings, including a 47.5 clip at Texas State – which entered the game leading the SBC in scoring defense in league action.
3) UTA is the only SBC team to have three players rank in the top 10 in the league in free-throw percentage: 2nd – David Azore: 86.2; 6th – Warren: 80; 10th – Edric Dennis: 77.6.
4) Helping aid in UTA's 6-3 SBC start – tied for its best through nine games – is that the Mavs are averaging just 13.4 turnovers per game (15.9 in the non-conference), issuing 13.6 assists per game (10.5 non-conference) and making 17.3 free throws per game (15 non-conference).
5) The Mavs ranks 14th nationally in 3-point percentage defense (29.4). Only one opponent (Tulsa, 55.6 percent) has shot better than 42 percent against the Mavs this year; just two others (Little Rock, Appalachian State: 41.2) have shot over 40 percent.
 
Bonus Tweet
Through UTA's first 22 games, head coach Chris Ogden has utilized 13 different starting lineups – the 2nd-most such starting 5 combinations in the nation to this point (UT Martin: 14).
 
Bonus+ Tweet
Dennis enters Thursday's game just 33 points shy of 1,000 for his career.
 
ROAD TESTED
UTA went into a Texas State team's home venue Saturday night – a club receiving votes in the national polls – and in front of the largest crowd in Bobcats' history earned an 84-77 double-overtime win. It was the Mavs' first double-overtime game since Mar. 6, 2014, at Troy. UTA has won its last four overtime contests overall.
 
Road wins in conference play are nothing new to UTA as the Mavs have a league-leading four road triumphs already (4-1). Georgia Southern (3-2) and Georgia State (3-1) are both on the road at Louisiana and ULM, respectively, later on Wednesday night.
 
LOCKING IN ON D
In each of UTA's first nine SBC games, the Mavs have faced a player who ranks in the top 10 in the conference in scoring, and all nine times they have held that player below his season average:
 
2) Ty Cockfield (ASU): 21 (16 vs. UTA)
4) Rayjon Tucker (LR): 20.2 (15)
6) Zac Cuthbertson (CCU): 19 (17)
7) D'Marcus Simonds (GSU): 19 (15 & 1)
8) Nigal Pearson (TXST): 18.2 (15)
9) Ronshad Shabazz (APP): 18.1 (16)
10) Justin Forrest (APP): 16.6 (3)
 
In addition to holding every player below his season average, the Mavs have held eight of nine SBC opponents below their conference scoring average. UTA leads the SBC in scoring defense in league games by holding opponents to 69.2 points per outing.
 
Included in that stretch was UTA limiting two opponents (Coastal Carolina, 58; Arkansas State, 59) below 60 points – just the third time in program history the Mavs have held consecutive Sun Belt foes under 60 points.
 
The previous occurrences:
Jan. 18 & 23, 2014: Texas State (48), Troy (56)
Jan. 19 & 22, 2015: Texas State (55), ULM (57)
 
ABOUT COASTAL CAROLINA
Coastal's five-game winning streak is the longest in the Sun Belt.
 
For the year, CCU leads the Sun Belt in 3-point percentage at 41.5, while UTA paces the league in 3-point percentage defense at 29.4.
 
Cuthbertson is 6th in the Sun Belt in scoring (19.2) and is tied for 3rd in rebounding (8.4). His 50-percent shooting is tied for 6th, and he has moved to 14th in free-throw percentage (72.6).
 
BATTLE TESTED
ESPN published an article last month detailing the toughest non-conference schedules in the country this year, of which UTA ranked the 7th-most difficult; click here to read the full article (note: ESPN+ subscription required).
 
At the time of the non-conference schedule concluding, UTA played an incredible seven Quadrant 1 (Home 1-30, Neutral 1-50, Away 1-75) non-league opponents, based on the NET report (NCAA's new RPI), and all seven of those came on the road – the most in the nation.
 
NEXT UP
UTA remains at home to face Appalachian State Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
CLEAR BAG POLICY
In an effort to enhance public safety and the fan experience, for all UTA men's and women's home games this season the College Park Center will implement a clear-bag policy. All purses, containers, backpacks or anything larger than a small clutch bag are prohibited, and items must be placed in a clear tote bag not to exceed 12" x 6" x 12". For more information, fans are encouraged to visit UTAMavs.com/BasketballGameday.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
To secure tickets for upcoming games and find out about additional gameday procedures, log on to UTATickets.com. Additionally, for updates, behind-the-scenes photos, videos and more engaging and personal content, be sure to follow the men's basketball program on Twitter (@UTA_MBB) and Instagram (@UTA_Hoops).