ARLINGTON – The UT Arlington women's basketball team looks to make it a 2-0 weekend as they head to Fant-Ewing Coliseum to battle ULM in Sun Belt Conference action on Saturday afternoon.
3-POINTERS
- After a thrilling win to open the SBC season over Louisiana, UT Arlington returns to action on Saturday afternoon with a road trip to Monroe to battle ULM. It will be the third straight meeting inside the Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
- It will be the 68th meeting between the longtime rivals with ULM holding a 34-33 advantage in the series. ULM dominated the series in the 80s, but UTA has been the dominant of the two lately as they have won 13 in a row over the Warhawks including four wins last season during the COVID-stricken 2020-21 season.
- UTA holds a 13-4 record since joining the Sun Belt in 2013-14. The Lady Mavs have won seven in a row inside the Fant-Ewing Coliseum. It is only the third time since joining the SBC that UTA begins 1-0 in conference play.
LAST TIME OUT: LOUISIANA NOTABLES
- UTA held off a furious Louisiana rally to take a 62-60 victory inside the Cajundome on Thursday evening.
- It is UTA's first win in their conference opener since 2019-20. They are now 3-5 all-time in SBC season openers.
- The Lady Mavs used a 10-0 run to break open a double-digit lead in the second quarter. Louisiana used a 10-1 run to begin the fourth quarter to get it back down to one.
- The Lady Mavs finished 15 assists on the night and 10 steals as a team while forcing Louisiana into 17 turnovers.
- UTA knocked down five 3-pointers as a team after going 0-for-9 in their last outing against Oklahoma State.
- Starr Jacobs' 11 second quarter points matched a team season-high for points in a quarter.
- Camryn Hawkins' eight first quarter points eclipsed her season-high.
- Katie Ferrell's five steals matches a season-high for UTA this season.
- UTA's 21 second half points is a season-low.
- Jacobs came into the game shooting .439 from the free throw line. Her 6 of 8 (.750) from the line on this night was a season-high.
SCOUTING ULM
- ULM comes into Saturday's game at 4-11 overall and 0-1 in the Sun Belt Conference. The Warhawks have lost four straight including a tough 58-50 loss on Thursday night to Texas State. Three of ULM's four wins have come over NCAA Division III or NCCAA schools.
- This is the final leg of an eight game homestand for the Warhawks in which they've gone 2-5 during that stretch. They will spend six of their next seven games on the road.
- Kyren Whittington returned to the lineup against Texas State, scoring 16 points in the loss to the Bobcats. Whittington has been the top scorer all season long for the Warhawks.
- Amaya Ford reached double figures with 11 points in the loss to Texas State.
- ULM is one of better teams in the country at getting to the free throw line. They are fourth in the nation in free throw attemps with 288 and eighth in free throws made with 189. However, their 65.6 percent from the line is 274 in the country.
- Kierra Crockett is one top player in the country in steals with 2.7 per game, just a few decimal points below Starr Jacobs of UTA. Crockett is 23rd in the nation in total steals with 32.
- Kierra Brimzy was a second team selection to the Sun Belt Conference Preseason team.
- Last season, ULM finished 3-20 on the season including a 1-15 record in the SBC. Their lone win came over Little Rock in dominant fashion, 62-44.
LADY MAVS RANKED IN MID-MAJOR POLL
The UT Arlington women's basketball team remains ranked in the Mid-Major College Inside Women's Top 25 Poll, sitting at No. 25 in the latest rankings released on Dec. 28. UTA is the only Sun Belt team inside the Top 25.
Following their upset win over nationally-ranked South Florida, the UT Arlington women's basketball team was ranked at high as 20th in the poll.
It was their highest ranking in the poll, and the first time they have entered the Top 25 since 2019-20 when they were ranked 25th.
UT Arlington has won six of their last eight, including wins over Houston, North Texas, UNLV, nationally-ranked South Florida, and last season's WNIT Champion Rice.
A STARR IS BORN
No player has made an impact quite like
Starr Jacobs has in her first 10 games with the Lady Mavs.
After a terrific performance against nationally-ranked South Florida and Rice, Jacobs was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week. Jacobs averaged 15.0 points per game, 8.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.0 steals, including a 20 point performance against Rice.
Jacobs is currently 15th in the nation in field goal percentage (.585), 31st in the country in steals per game (2.7), 38th in field goals made (86), and 28th in points per game (19.6).
In Las Vegas, Jacobs put together one of her best weekends as she combined to go 26 of 41 (63.4%) from the field while averaging 27.5 points to go with 3.5 steals.
Jacobs added her name to the record books as her 14 made field goals against UNLV on Nov. 27 was good for the third-most all-time in a single game in UTA history. Her 12 made field goals against Kansas City on Nov. 28 tied her for ninth all-time.
BIG KAT MOVES TO 2ND
With an assist in the third quarter against Rice on Dec. 4, 2021, senior
Katie Ferrell tied Terra Wallace for second all-time in career assists with 409.
Ferrell moved into sole possession of second place early in the first quarter against Oklahoma State on Dec. 17.
Against #13/17 South Florida on Dec. 2, 2021, Ferrell became the third Lady Mav in school history to eclipse 400 career assists.
Ferrell is currently second in the Sun Belt Conference in assists with 5.0 per game and first in assist/turnover ratio at 3.1. Her assist/turnover ratio is good for 22nd in the nation coming into the Louisiana weekend.
Ferrell will have an outside chance to become the all-time leader in assists as she is 138 behind Krystal Buchanan. Ferrell is 15 assists away from moving into the Top 25 in career assists in the Sun Belt.
TERRYN EYES 7TH
With her fifth assist in the first quarter on Nov. 28 against Kansas City, senior
Terryn Milton moved into eighth all-time in career assists, passing Cierra Johnson at 315. Milton now sits at 322 assists in her career.
Milton is only five behind Gale Haynes for seventh and seven behind Shalyn Martin for sixth. Milton is 39 assists away from moving as high as fourth all-time.
Milton is fifth in the Sun Belt in assists per game with 4.0 and second in the SBC in assist/turnover ratio at 2.3. She had a season-high nine assists against Sam Houston on Nov. 13, where she became the ninth Lady Mav in school history to eclipse 300 career assists.
Milton, along with Ferrell, have become the second duo in school history from the same recruiting class to each have 300 or more assists in a career. Tamara Simmons and Shalyn Martin accomplished this feat in 2011.
Milton and Ferrell passed Simmons and Martin for the most assists by a duo in school history against Houston on Nov. 17 at 676. They became the first duo to surpass 700 combined assists in the win over UNLV on Nov. 27.
| Player |
Year |
Assists |
| 1. Krystal Buchanan |
2001-05 |
561 |
| 2. Katie Ferrell |
2018-pres. |
421 |
| 3. Terra Wallace |
2003-07 |
409 |
| 4. Paige Smithers-Wojciak |
1982-86 |
366 |
| 5. Tamara Simmons |
2007-11 |
341 |
| 6. Shalyn Martin |
2007-11 |
334 |
| 7. Gale Haynes |
1993-97 |
332 |
| 8. Terryn Milton |
2018-pres. |
327 |
| 9. Cierra Johnson |
2014-19 |
315 |
| 10. Carolyn Smith |
1977-81 |
282 |
DISHING OUT DIMES
UTA is first in the Sun Belt in assist turnover ratio and inside the top 50 nationally. In their nine games played this season, UTA is 6-1 when they have a plus assists turnover ratio and 6-0 overall when they have at least 15 assists or more as a team. UTA is 25th in the country with the fewest turnovers at only 130.
The Lady Mavs are 1-2 this season when they have a negative assist turnover ratio including two losses by 15 points or more.
The Lady Mavs have 10 or more assists as team in eight consecutive games including a season-high 20 in a win over Rice on Dec. 4.
WELCOME BACK SHYIA
UTA got a boost on Thursday evening as last year's leading scorer
Shyia Smith came off the bench to provide some much needed depth inside the post.
Smith has been out since the Houston game on Nov. 17 with a concussion and only played 7:21 on Thursday against Louisiana. However, her return will be a big boost for the Lady Mavs going forward.
Smith led the team in scoring and rebounds in 2020-21 with 11.6 points per game and 6.0 boards. Coming into the Louisiana game, Smith came in with 6.0 points per game including a 12 point outing against Sam Houston on Nov. 13.
RED HOT SECOND HALVES
In the six of the seven games the Lady Mavs have won this season, big scoring second halves have been a vital piece.
In the six games the Lady Mavs have won this season, big scoring second halves have been a vital piece.
UTA has outscored their opponents in all six of those halves, averaging 38.3 points while shooting 81 of 164 (.493) from the field.
| OPP |
FG % |
PTS |
RESULTS |
| SHSU |
14-27 (.518) |
39 |
W, 72-54 |
| UH |
13-26 (.500) |
38 |
W, 69-66 (OT) |
| UNT |
14-26 (.538) |
39 |
W, 75-74 (OT) |
| UNLV |
14-32 (.438) |
41 |
W, 75-72 |
| USF |
11-23 (.478) |
32 |
W, 61-56 |
| RICE |
15-30 (.500) |
44 |
W, 73-65 |
| TOTAL |
81-164 (.493) |
233 |
6-0 |
UTA combined to shoot 28 of 86 (.326) and shot under 40% for the half in their three losses. They have only averaged 26.7 points in the three contests.
HOME SWEET HOME
The UTA women have called the College Park Center home since February 1, 2012 when they defeated UTSA in their first contest in their new home arena, 51-40. Since then, the Lady Mavs have complied a home record of 84-52 including five seasons with 10 or more wins.
Since the 2016-17 season, the Lady Mavs have been remarkable at home as they have put together an impressive 62-15 record including a 37-6 record in Sun Belt play as they have not lost more than two games inside their home arena.
Lady Mavs Home Record
2021-22: 4-1
2020-21: 8-1
2019-20: 12-4
2018-19: 12-3
2017-18: 13-2
2016-17: 11-3
2015-16: 7-8
2014-15: 10-5
2013-14: 3-11
2012-13: 3-10
2011-12: 1-4
Total: 84-52
AMONG THE ELITE
UTA has been one of the top teams in the Sun Belt Conference year in and year out since joining the league in 2013-14. The Lady Mavs have been .500 or better every year except their very first season and have currently won 10 or more conference games in seven straight seasons, a conference-leading mark they hold with Troy.
1. Little Rock: 113
2. Troy: 104
3. UTA: 91
4. Arkansas State: 82
5. Louisiana: 79
6. Texas State: 78
7. South Alabama: 62
8. Georgia State: 58
9. App State: 55
10. Coastal Carolina: 41
11. Georgia Southern: 32
12. ULM: 31
FOLLOW ALONG
For updates, behind-the-scenes photos, videos and more engaging and personal content, be sure to follow the women's basketball program on Twitter (@UTAMavsWBB), Instagram (@UTAMavsWBB) and Facebook (/UTAMavsWBB).
