ARLINGTON – The UT Arlington women's basketball team will host Kids Day on Thursday afternoon as they welcome in ULM to the College Park Center for an 11:30 a.m. tip-off.
 

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UT Arlington Game Notes  ///  ULM Game Notes

3-POINTERS

• After moving into first place in the Sun Belt with a huge 88-79 win over App State, the UT Arlington Lady Mavs put their five game winning streak on the line as they welcome in ULM on Thursday afternoon inside the College Park Center. The Lady Mavs will welcome in over 3,000 kids for Kids Day.
• It will be the 69th meeting between the Lady Mavs and the Warhawks as UTA has won 14 straight over ULM, inclduing a 72-56 win in Monroe on Jan. 1, 2022. UTA can take the series lead for the first time since the 1980-81 season when the Lady Mavs won 70-54 in the very first meeting.
• UTA has won six in a row over ULM inside the College Park Center. The last three meetings against the Warhawks have been in Monroe as this will be the first inside the CPC since Jan. 9, 2021.

LAST TIME OUT: APP STATE

• Led by a pair of double-doubles, the UT Arlington women's basketball team put on an offensive clinic as they rolled to an 88-79 win over App State to catapult into first place in the SBC
• UTA shot 31 of 64 (.484) in the game, including a red-hot 13 of 24 (.541) in the second half.
• The Lady Mavs got to the free throw line 28 times, converting on 21 (.750).
• UTA was 9 of 10 in the final minute at the free throw line, including seven makes from Terryn Milton.
• Claire Chastain was excellent on the afternoon, finishing with a +/- of +20.
• For the third straight game, UTA outrebounded its opponent, dominating the boards at 46-32, including 13 offensive rebounds. UTA is 5-0 when outrebounding its opponent.
• UTA's 20 turnovers are a season-high and the first time this season the Lady Mavs have eclipsed 20.
• However, UTA's 26 assists is a season-high and the fourth most in a single contest.
• UTA has won five straight games for the first time under Head Coach Shereka Wright and the first time since 2019-20.

SCOUTING ULM

• ULM comes in looking to flip a recent losing streak. The Warhawks are 4-19 on the season and 0-9 in Sun Belt play. ULM has lost 12 straight games, including a pair of losses this past weekend to Little Rock and Arkansas State.
• ULM has lost 12 straight Sun Belt games dating back to last season. Their last win came over Little Rock in a 62-44 win on Feb. 22, 2021. The Warhawks have also lost 15 straight road contests dating back to a 68-55 win over Northwestern State on Dec. 12, 2020, and 16 straight conference road losses dating back to a 58-55 win over Texas State on Jan. 16, 2020.
• Second-year freshman Kyren Whittington finished Monday with 23 points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal on Monday vs. Arkansas State. She is averaging 14.4 points per game, which ranks fifth in the SBC. Within SBC play, she is averaging 18.0 points per game, which ranks fourth in the conference. She is averaging 18.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game over the last five games, including two outings of 20-or-more points.
• Turnovers have been a massive issue for ULM as they rank last in the Sun Belt in total turnovers with 441, ranking near the bottom of NCAA Division I. The Warhawks average close to 20 turnovers per game.
• Additionally, the Warhawks struggle scoring the ball, ranking last in the SBC in nearly all scoring categories including points per game, scoring margin, and three-point offense.
• ULM does do a good job of getting to the free throw line, ranking 32nd in the nation in free throws attempted with 429 and 72nd in free throws made with 279.
• UTA defeated ULM earlier this season by the score of 72-56. Starr Jacobs scored 20 points, while Emma Halverson provided a spark off the bench with 11 points and eight rebounds. Kyren Whittington was terrific for the Warhawks with 18 points, while Bre Sutton added 11 points and a pair of steals. Katlyn Manuel added an eight point game with eight boards.

HOME SWEET HOME FOR 10 YEARS
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. Last Sunday, they celebrated the 10-year anniversary since the building opened. The Lady Mavs have complied a home record of 86-52 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 64-16 record including a 39-7 record in Sun Belt play as they have not lost more than two games inside their home arena.  

Lady Mavs Home Record
2021-22: 6-2
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: 86-53


STARR NAMED TO NCAA STARTING 5
After being named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week for the fourth time this season, junior Starr Jacobs earned national recognition on Wednesday as she was named to the NCAA Starting 5, a national recognition for player's outstanding performances from the previous week.

Jacobs was incredible against App State, eclipsing numerous season-highs and career-highs in the orange and blue. She finished with a season-high 33 points to go with 10 rebounds, her first double-double this season, and added four steals, three assists, and a block to lead UTA to a huge 88-79 win, moving the Lady Mavs into first place in the SBC.

Jacobs is only the fifth player ever to score 30 or more points twice in a season and her 13 made field goals tied her for the sixth-most made baskets in program history. Her 25 attempts were the third-most in school history. Her 33 points were the 10th most point scored in a single game.

In her last four contests combined, Jacobs is averaging 29.2 points per game, good for third in the country. She has totaled a 30-point game in each of the last two weekends.

It is the first time a Lady Mavs has earned this honor.

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS.... AND THE BALL
A key reason for the Lady Mavs' success this season has been protecting the basketball.

UT Arlington leads the SBC and is 31st in the country in fewest turnovers with 245 (13.9 per game). They have only turned it over 20 or more time once this season and have gone over 15 turnovers as team seven times.

UTA is first in the Sun Belt in assist-turnover ratio at 1.12 this season. In their 19 games played this season, UTA is 12-1 when they have a plus assists-turnover ratio and 10-0 overall when they have at least 15 assists or more as a team. 

The Lady Mavs are 1-4 this season when they have a negative assist-turnover ratio, including three losses by 10 points or more. The Lady Mavs have 10 or more assists as a team in 17 of 19 games this season, including 26 against App State last Sunday, the fourth-most in a single game.

Two point guards have been a key factor in protecting the basketball as Terryn Milton and Katie Ferrell are first and second in the SBC in assist-to-turnover ratio.

Milton sits at eigth in the country with a 2.72 assist-turnover ratio, while Ferrell is 30th in the nation at 2.26. In conference play, Milton has bolsterrs an incredible 3.4 assist-turnover ratio in conference play, easily the best in the Sun Belt.


BIG KAT RANGE
Senior Katie Ferrell has caught fire from beyond the arc in her last eight contests.

After going 2 of 18 (.111) to start the year from deep, Ferrell has gone 13 of 22 (.590) from beyond the arc and 11 of 18 (.611) in her last seven games, making at least one 3-pointer in all of those games.

Ferrell has knocked down two or more 3-pointers in four conference contests, including three 3-pointers against Georgia Southern on Jan. 15. Her recent spurt has pushed her 3-point percentage over 30% as she is 15 of 40 (.375) beyond the arc this season.


FIVE STARR
Starr Jacobs has put together an unbelievable season by every metric thus far for the Lady Mavs.

Jacobs is 10th in the country in points per game (21.2) and is on pace to become the first player in school history to average 20+ points per game in a season. She is ranked 20th nationally in field goals made (161), 20th in field goal percentage (.557), 31st in total points (403), and 27th in free throw attempts (127). She is also in the Top 100 in steals per game with 2.32.

Jacobs has scored 10 or more points in all 19 contests this season and has scored 20 or more points in 11 games this season, including two games with 30 or more points. Additionally, Jacobs has made five or more field goals in every single contest this season and shot above 50% in 14 of 19 games.

She is averaging 23.1 points per game in conference play of 84 of 160 (.525) shooting from the field.

Jacobs is now a four-time SBC Player of the Week selection with two 30 point games in the last two weekends. She scored 32 in a huge road win over Arkansas State before following that up with 33 points, 10 rebounds, four steals, three assists, and a block in the win over App State to catapult UTA into first place.

Jacobs has scattered her name all over the record book this season. She has third-most made field goals in a game (14), as well as sixth and 11th, the third most field goal attempts in a game (25), the 10th most points in a game (33), and is heading towards becoming the first player in school history to average over 20 points per game in a season.


SHARING THE ROCK
Two all-time great guards continue to make their mark in the history book as Katie Ferrell and Terryn Milton continue to climb up the all-time assist ranks.

With an assist in the third quarter against Rice on Dec. 4, 2021, 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, 2021.

Against #13/17 South Florida on Dec. 2, 2021, Ferrell became the third Lady Mav in school history to eclipse 400 career assists.

Ferrell will have an outside chance to become the all-time leader in assists as she is 106 behind Krystal Buchanan. She is 45 away from eclipsing 500 career assists.

Meanwhile, with her 10th assist in the fourth quarter against App State, senior Terryn Milton has moved to fourth all-time in career assists as she matches Paige Smithers-Wojciak with 366.

Milton has jumped four spots in the past two months, moving from eighth all the way to fourth in the months of January and February.

Milton is 43 assists away from passing Terra Wallace and moving to third all-time, and 34 assists from eclipsing 400 career assists..

She had a season-high 10 assists against App State, putting together a masterful performance in leading to a double-double with 18 points and 10 dishes.

Milton, along with Ferrell, has 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.

Ferrell is currently third in the SBC in assists with 4.5 per game, while Milton is fifth in the Sun Belt in assists per game with 4.2.
 

Player	Year	Assists
1. Krystal Buchanan	2001-05	561
2. Katie Ferrell	2018-pres.	455
3. Terra Wallace	2003-07	409
4. Terryn Milton	2018-pres.	366
4. Paige Smithers-Wojciakl	1982-86	366
6. Tamara Simmons	2007-11	341
7. Shalyn Martin	2007-11	334
8. Gale Haynes	1993-97	332
9. Cierra Johnson	2014-19	315
10. Carolyn Smith	1977-81	282

RED HOT SECOND HALVES
In 12 of the 14 games the Lady Mavs have won this season, big scoring second halves have been a vital piece.

UTA has outscored their opponents in all 12 of those halves, averaging 39.9 points while shooting 172 of 346 (.497) 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
ULM	13-30 (.433)	33	W, 72-56
GSU	13-29 (.448)	35	W, 82-68
TXST	16-32 (.500)	40	W, 69-67
TXST	15-34 (.441)	44	W, 72-65
ASU	21-33 (.636)	50	W, 90-87
APP	13-24 (.541)	44	W, 88-79
TOTAL	172-346 (.497)	479	12-0

 

UTA combined to shoot 49 of 150 (.326) and shot under 40% for the half in their four of their five losses.

ROAD WARRIORS
The Lady Mavs have been unbelievable on the road this season as they wrap up a massive road trip that saw eight of the last 10 games away from home.

During that stretch, UTA went 6-2, including an impressive 6-1 road mark in confernece play. Overall on the season, the Lady Mavs sit 8-2 overall on the road, their best mark based on winning percentage since joining the Sun Belt.

Head Coach Shereka Wright has now produced two straight seasons of winning records on the road.
 

Season	Record	Win %
2021-22	8-2	.800
2020-21	5-4	.555
2019-20	9-4	.692
2018-19	12-4	.750
2017-18	5-9	.357
2016-17	9-5	.642
2015-16	8-7	.533
2014-15	7-7	.500
2013-14	1-14	.066

 

With a win over Coastal Carolina on the road on Feb. 19, UTA would put together the best road record in program history.
 

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: 118
2. Troy: 111
3. UTA: 98
4. Arkansas State: 86
5. Louisiana: 84
6. Texas State: 83
7. South Alabama: 63
8. Georgia State: 60
    App State: 60
10. Coastal Carolina: 43
11. Georgia Southern: 35
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).