ARLINGTON – The UTA women's basketball team continues Sun Belt Conference play this weekend when they host Arkansas State in a huge 2-game Sun Belt Conference series at College Park Center. The Lady Mavs and Red Wolves open the series on Friday, Jan. 29 at 6:00 p.m., followed by a 4:00 p.m. contest on Jan. 30.
Matchup: UTA (6-4, 4-2 SBC) vs. Arkansas State (9-3, 4-2 SBC)
When: Friday, January 29 | 6:00 p.m.
Where: College Park Center | Arlington, Texas
Live Stats |
ESPN+ (Ron Thulin and Mike Petersen)
Matchup: UTA (6-4, 4-2 SBC) vs. Arkansas State (9-3, 4-2 SBC)
When: Saturday, January 30 | 4:00 p.m.
Where: College Park Center | Arlington, Texas
Live Stats |
ESPN+ (Jared Sandler, Fred Williams)
UP NEXT
UTA will open a 3-game road trip with a pair of games at ULM next weekend (Feb. 5-6). The road trip will wrap up at Texas State on Feb. 11.
CHASTAIN BACK SOON?
Junior guard
Claire Chastain, a 2020-21 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Third Team selection that has not played since the season-opener on Nov. 25 due to COVID protocols and recovery, will be a game time decision on Friday.
The Shawnee, Okla. native played in the season-opener against Texas A&M-Commerce (Nov. 25) and finished with eight points, five assists and four rebounds, but has not seen the court since.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
UTA ranks in the top 100 nationally in the following categories:
- Assists Per Game (65th; 15.4)
- FG Percentage Defense (15th; 34.1%)
- Rebound Margin (74th; 4.6)
- Scoring Defense (16th; 54.4)
- Scoring Margin (90th; 7.4)
- 3PT FG Defense (59th; 27.2%)
Individually,
Shyia Smith ranks 28th in the nation in FG percentage (55.6%) and
Katie Ferrell is 88th nationally in assists per game (4.4).
DURING SBC PLAY
In league play, the Lady Mavs are holding opponents to just 47.0 points per game, which leads the conference. UTA also ranks in the top-3 in the SBC in the following categories:
- Scoring Margin (2nd; 11.8)
- FG% Defense (1st; 32.3%)
- 3PT FG% Defense (1st; 19.1%)
- Opponents Rebounding (2nd; 33.7)
- Assist/Turnover Ratio (3rd; 0.9)
DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS
So far this season, UTA has allowed 544 total points, holding the opposition to just 54.4 points per game, which ranks 16th nationally.
The Lady Mavs have held opponents below 65 points eight times this season. UTA has also limited six opponents to 35 percent shooting or less from the floor, while forcing seven of their 10 opponents into 14+ turnovers.
SBC PLAY
The Lady Mavs are 4-2 in league play and are holding the opposition to just 47.0 points per game. UTA is also limiting opponents to 32.3 percent shooting from the floor and 19.1 percent from behind the arc.
In six SBC games, UTA has not allowed an opponent to score more than 57 points.
CAREER MILESTONES
Last weekend at Little Rock, the Lady Mavs saw a pair of players hit career milestones.
Terryn Milton recorded her 250th career assist on Saturday (Jan. 23), moving her into a tie for 10th place in the UTA record books, while
Katie Ferrell pulled down her 500th career rebound on Friday (Jan. 22).
WHEN PREPARATION MEETS OPPORTUNITY
After averaging no more than six points per game in their collegiate careers,
Shyia Smith and
Bre Wickware have been asked to take on bigger offensive roles for the Lady Mavs this season and they have answered the call.
A transfer from Wichita State, Smith's best season came last year when she averaged 6.1 points and 5.1 rebounds on 41.4 percent shooting. The Idabel, Okla. native in her first season in the Blue and Orange is leading the team in scoring (13.5 ppg) and rebounding (6.1 rpg). Smith is also shooting .556 from the floor.
Wickware, who turned in the best season of her collegiate career in 2019-20 after averaging 3.1 points and 2.2 rebounds, is UTA's second leading scorer (11.0) and third on the team lead in rebounding (5.5).
FOLLOW THE LADY MAVS
For the latest news on UTA Women's Basketball, log on to
UTAMavs.com or stay connected to the Lady Mavs on social media. Follow the Lady Mavericks on Twitter
@UTAMavsWBB, on Instagram
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Facebook.com/UTAMavsWBB.
