BATON ROUGE, La. – The UT Arlington men's basketball team begins a challenging December stretch on Friday when the Mavericks face off against LSU inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center at 7 p.m.
 

GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Game 9	UT Arlington (4-4) @ LSU (6-1)
Date | Time	Friday, Dec. 2 | 7 p.m.
Location	Pete Maravich Assembly Center | Baton Rouge, La.
Video	SEC Network+
Audio	620 AM | Varsity Network App
Live Stats	StatBroadcast
Game Notes	UT Arlington | LSU | Western Athletic Conference

OPENING TIP(s)

• UTA will conclude its non-conference schedule with a five-game stretch bookended by road trips to Power 5 members. Each of UTA's next four opponents played in either the NCAA Tournament or NIT last year: LSU (NCAA), North Texas (NIT), Texas State (NIT) and San Francisco (NCAA).
   
• Those four teams have combined for a 22-7 record this year. Last season, UNT and Texas State won regular-season conference championships in Conference USA and the Sun Belt, respectively. Pac-12 member California closes out the five-game stretch for the Mavs in Berkely on Dec. 21.
   
• UTA ranks 2nd in the nation in offensive rebounds per game at 15.9 per contest behind only Alabama (17). While some of that is due to competition, even against Division-I foes this year the Mavs are averaging 12.6 offensive boards, including a 15-8 advantage against Nevada on Nov. 18.
   
• UTA also ranks in the top-40 nationally in each of the following per-game stat categories: rebounds (9th, 43.5), bench points (14th, 35.1), rebound margin (23rd, +8.8) and free-throw attempts (33rd, 22.9). Individually, Shemar Wilson ranks 27th nationally in offensive rebounds per game (3.6) and 31st in total rebounds (68; 8.5/game).

TWEETABLES

1) UTA does not have a single player averaging double-figure points this year; however, the Mavs have 10 players averaging between 4.5-9 points per game. Additionally, all 10 of them have already reached double-digit points in a game this season.
 
2) The Mavs have already had four different occasions of a player grabbing exactly seven offensive rebounds in a game this year: Shemar Wilson versus Hardin-Simmons, Nevada and Howard Payne; Dario Domingos against Northern Kentucky.
 
3) UTA took down Horizon League preseason favorite Northern Kentucky last Tuesday, 60-56. The Norse had defeated Cincinnati – picked to finish 3rd in the American Athletic Conference – two games prior by 13 points.
 
4) The Mavs posted the following single-game program ranks in their 99-41 win over Howard Payne on Monday: rebound margin (T-1, +36), points allowed (T-5, 41), blocks (T-5, 9), margin of victory (T-7, +58) and rebounds (T-11, 63).

ABOUT THE MATCHUP

• This will be the first-ever meeting between UTA and LSU. All-time against current Southeastern Conference members, the Mavs are 1-16, including an 0-9 mark against Arkansas. The win was a 77-75 triumph at Texas A&M on Dec. 7, 1970; the Mavs are 1-2 versus the Aggies all-time.
   
• The Mavs have also played Kentucky (0-2), Missouri (0-1) and Alabama (0-2). The last time UTA was in Tuscaloosa it gave the Tide everything it could handle in a narrow 76-75 loss on Nov. 21, 2017; Bama was ranked #25 in the nation at the time.
   
• The last time UTA defeated a Power 5 member was Nov. 29, 2016, when the Mavs cruised to a 72-61 win at Texas. Nine days later, UTA went to Saint Mary's and easily dispatched of the #12 Gaels, 66-51, for its first-ever win over a nationally ranked opponent.
   
• LSU's only loss so far this year was a 61-59 setback versus Kansas State in the Cayman Islands to conclude its Thanksgiving tournament. In that contest, the Tigers appeared to have forced overtime on a buzzer beater, but due to the clock not starting on time on the final inbound, Trae Hannibel's layup was waved off after video review.
   
• The Tigers return just two scholarship players who appeared in games last year and welcome six transfers – three of whom were at Murray State under former head coach Matt McMahon, who is now in first season at the helm in Baton Rouge.
   
• LSU has won 48 regular-season SEC games over the past four seasons – tied for the 2nd most in the league in that time. This year, LSU was picked 8th in the SEC Preseason Poll with KJ Williams landing on the SEC Preseason Second Team.
   
• Adam Miller leads a trio of LSU double-figure scorers this year at 17.7, while Williams is just behind at 17 and Justice Hill closes out the group at 10.3. Williams is also pacing the Tigers on the glass by pulling down 7.1 rebounds per game.

AMONG THE NATION'S BEST PERFORMANCES

In addition to its overall national rankings in several key categories, UTA has numerous single-game performances which register among the best of any team in the country so far this year:

• 3rd – Free Throws Attempted: 48 vs. Southwestern
  • Leader – UC Davis: 51 vs. Boston
     
• T-7th – Rebounds: 63 vs. Howard Payne
  • Leader – Sam Houston: 70 vs. LeTourneau
     
• T-9th – Steals: 19 vs. Southwestern
  • Leader – Four Teams: 24
     
• T-12th – Field Goals Attempted: 83 vs. Hardin-Simmons
  • Leader – Two Teams: 91
     
• T-12th – Free Throws Made: 30 vs. Southwestern
  • Leader – Appalachian State: 39 vs. Warren Wilson

UTA's 63 rebounds on Nov. 28 against Howard Payne represented the most in any game for the Mavs since at least the 2009-10 season with the exception of the 59 they pulled down two weeks earlier against Hardin-Simmons (Nov. 15).
 
In that same timeframe (since 2009-10), the 83 field goal attempts against Hardin-Simmons were the 2nd most in any UTA game, bested only by 87 versus Howard Payne in 2020.

INSIDE THE DOUBLE-FIGURE SCORERS

Two years ago, UTA tied for the national lead by having 13 different players score double-figure points in a game. Last season, the Mavs had 12 different double-figure scorers – tied for the 3rd most in the nation. So far this year, UTA already has 10 different double-figure scorers.
 
Below is a list of those double-figure players, their respective season highs and how many times they have led UTA in scoring:
 
Chendall Weaver: 20 (2x)
Taj Anderson: 19 (1x)
Aaron Cash: 18
Marion Humphrey: 17 (2x – Includes 1 Tie)
Brandon Walker: 17 (1x – Tied)
Shemar Wilson: 16
Brandyn Talbot: 15 (1x)
Kyron Gibson: 13 (2x)
Dario Domingos: 12
Pedro Castro: 11

WHAT'S LOST/BACK

UTA returns just four players from last year's roster (games started): Pedro Castro (9), Montez Young Jr. (5), Shemar Wilson (4) and Brandyn Talbot (3). Castro started the first nine games of the year before suffering a season-ending back injury which required surgery.
 
The Mavs welcome 10 newcomers to this year's roster, with all four academic classifications represented: freshman (4), sophomore (2), junior (3), senior (1).
 
With such a large roster turnover, UTA brings back 25 percent or less of its points, rebounds, assists and blocks from last season:

• Points: 19% (367 of 1,948)
• Rebounds: 25% (263 of 1,067)
• Assists: 15% (60 of 405)
• Blocks: 16% (21 of 123)

CHALLENGING THEMSELVES

UTA is one of only three schools in the nation which have finished with a top-40 NET non-conference strength of schedule in each of the past three seasons, joining Central Arkansas and Texas Southern.
 
UTA
2019-20: 3rd
2020-21: 37th
2021-22: 13th
 
Central Arkansas
2019-20: 6th
2020-21: 9th
2021-22: 27th
 
Texas Southern
2019-20: 2nd
2020-21: 25th
2021-22: 16th
 
Yet again this year, the Mavs are poised to finish with likely one of the country's most-challenging non-league schedules. Based off last year's final NET rankings, UTA has the 4th-hardest non-conference slate in the nation (average NET opponent ranking):
 
1) Nicholls (47)
2) Saint Mary's (72)
3) Seton Hall (83)
4) UT Arlington (88)
5) Alabama (92)

PRESEASON INFO

After spending the previous nine seasons (2013-22) as a Sun Belt Conference member, UT Arlington officially joined the Western Athletic Conference on July 1, 2022. UTA was a member of the WAC for one year previously in 2012-13 following 48 years in the Southland Conference (1963-2012) – of which it was a founding member.
 
Since the start of the 2015-16 season, UTA boasts the 3rd-best average annual NET/RPI ranking of all current WAC members at #146. New Mexico State (#83) leads the pack, followed by Grand Canyon (#138). With a final ranking of #40 in 2016-17, UTA is responsible for the best single-year NET/RPI by any current WAC school over the past seven seasons. Additionally – in that same timeframe – UTA, NMSU and Sam Houston are the only WAC institutions without a single season NET/RPI above #250.
 
UTA was picked by the WAC coaches to finish in 11th place in the league this year. The last time the Mavs were tabbed for an 11th-place finish in the preseason polls came in advance of the 2018-19 season when UTA faced similar roster turnover.
 
Instead of finishing 2nd-to-last that year, UTA tied for 2nd in the Sun Belt with a 12-6 league record, earned the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament and advanced to the Sun Belt Tournament Final.
 
The nine-spot improvement from preseason to final regular-season finish in 2018-19 was tied for the best in the nation along with Siena, which was picked 11th in the MAAC (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) and finished in a four-way tie for 2nd.

NEUTRAL-SITE ACTION

UTA is scheduled to play four regular-season neutral-site games this year, three of which took place Thanksgiving week as part of the Gulf Coast Showcase. The other will be another edition of the UTA-Texas State rivalry as the former Sun Belt foes will square off for the 79th time at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth.
 
The four neutral-site contests will be tied for the most UTA has ever played in a regular season:
 
2005-06
BCA Classic – Seattle, Wash. (3 Games)
Lobo Invitational – Albuquerque, N.M. (1 Game)
 
1993-94
River City Classic – Cape Giradeau, Mo. (1 Game)
Big Island Invite – Hilo, Hawaii (3 Games)
 
1986-87
Running Joe Classic – Jonesboro, Ark. (1 Game)
Holiday Classic – Edinburg, Texas (2 Games)
Heritage Classic – Des Moines, Iowa (1 Game)

BY THE NUMBERS

6: UTA set a single-season program record by having six games go to overtime in 2021-22 – just two shy of tying the all-time NCAA record.

8: UTA is just eight wins shy of 800 all-time victories in program history (792-987). The Mavs are in their 64th season, with UTA's inaugural campaign taking place in 1959-60.
 
9: All 10 of UTA's Sun Belt Conference losses last year came by 10 points or less, and only by an average margin of 5.6 points. Nine of those setbacks in league play were by single digits, representing the most in a single season in program history.

17: In its 60-56 win over Northern Kentucky on Nov. 22, UTA committed 17 turnovers – its most in a victory over a Division-I opponent since the Mavs had 18 in a 75-70 overtime triumph at Cal Poly on Dec. 21, 2018.
 
19: The Mavs recorded 19 steals against Southwestern on Nov. 12, which tied for the 3rd most in single-game program lore (22 versus University of Dallas in 1990 and 21 against Huston-Tillotson in 1991). Marion Humphrey was responsible for six of those thefts, equaling the 10th-highest total by a UTA player in a single game.
 
30: UTA went 30-48 from the free-throw line versus Southwestern on Nov. 12, with the 48 attempts tying for the 5th most in program history.
 
94: During its nine years in the Sun Belt, UTA accumulated 94 conference wins. Only Georgia State (107) and Louisiana (98) had more league victories in that timeframe than the Mavs.

100: The Mavs scored 100+ points in back-to-back games for the 10th time in program history earlier this month with 103 on Nov. 12 against Southwestern and 100 versus Hardin-Simmons on Nov. 15. Five of the all-time occurrences came between 1990-92, and the last time UTA did it was in 2020 on Dec. 17 and 22 against Dallas Christian (109) and Howard Payne (117).

BACK TO THE WAC

In its lone previous campaign in the WAC in 2012-13, UTA went 11-7 in the league to tie for 4th in the regular-season standings before reaching the WAC Tournament Final and falling to New Mexico State, 64-55, in the championship game.
 
New Mexico State, UTA and Seattle U are the only three current WAC schools that were also members of the league in 2012-13.
 
2012-13 WAC Membership (Current Affiliation)
Denver (Summit)
Idaho (Big Sky)
Louisiana Tech (Conference USA)
New Mexico State
San Jose State (Mountain West)
Seattle U
Texas State (Sun Belt)
Utah State (Mountain West)
UT Arlington
UTSA (Conference USA)
 
2022-23 WAC Membership
Abilene Christian
California Baptist
Grand Canyon
New Mexico State
Sam Houston
Seattle U
Southern Utah
Stephen F. Austin
Tarleton
UT Arlington
UT Rio Grande Valley
Utah Tech
Utah Valley
 
Last year, the WAC ranked as the 15th-best men's basketball conference in the country (out of 32) – two spots ahead of the Sun Belt (17th).
 
In men's basketball, the WAC has sent at least two teams to the NCAA Tournament in 28 of the past 46 seasons. In an effort to continue enhancing its at-large prospects and protecting top seeds in March, a résumé-seeding system will be used to determine how teams are placed at this year's WAC Tournament (men and women).
 
An algorithm will rate performance against all D-I teams faced in the regular season, not just conference play. That will rank teams for the conference postseason tournament. Using this résumé-seeding system, teams will receive more credit for scheduling and playing stronger opponents than weaker ones. This should help the WAC have higher NET rankings, a key-criteria used by the NCAA basketball selection committees.
 
WAC Commissioner Brian Thornton and WAC Associate Commissioner of Basketball Drew Speraw worked with Ken Pomeroy of kenpom.com to put together the formula. To read more about the system – and to see how teams would have been seeded last year as opposed to straight conference record – click here.
 
Celebrating its 60th anniversary during the current 2022-23 academic year, the WAC has officially opened its conference headquarters in the city of Arlington, less than five miles from UTA's campus. It was the first such move for the league in a generation after the WAC had been anchored in Denver for all but a brief stretch of its initial 60 years of existence.

NEXT UP

UTA will return home for a rivalry game against local foe North Texas on Tuesday, Dec. 6. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. from the College Park Center.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For updates, behind-the-scenes photos, videos and more engaging and personal content, be sure to follow the men's basketball program on Twitter (@UTAMavsMBB), Instagram (@UTAMavsMBB) and Facebook (/UTAMavsMBB).