ARLINGTON, Texas – The UT Arlington women's basketball team (4-8, 0-2 WAC) return to WAC play after wrapping up a challenging non-conference schedule by welcoming Tarleton State (4-7, 1-1 WAC) to the College Park Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, at 6 p.m.
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 18th overall meeting between the two programs dating back to 1974, with UTA leading the series 12-5. The Lady Mavs won both contests last season which was the first and second time the two teams had met since 1991 and are currently riding a three-game win streak in the series. UTA has a 3-1 record in Arlington and a 1-0 record inside the College Park Center. This will be the third WAC meeting between the two, with UTA boasting a 2-0 conference record.
SCOUTING TARLETON STATE
The Texans have the reigning WAC Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week in Faith Acker. Acker leads Tarleton in scoring with 12.3 ppg, rebounding with 7.3 rpg and blocks with 1.3 bpg. As a team, the Texans are second in the WAC in rebounding margin at +2.1 on average.
WE'RE GOING STREAKING
The Lady Mavs are currently riding a three-game win streak which ties their longest from a season ago, which they accomplished on three separate occasions. If they push it to four games, that will tie their longest win streak in the past three seasons.
HOME SWEET HOME
Sporting a 97-65 overall record at the College Park Center, the Lady Mavs seem to be at their best when playing in front of the home crowd at the CPC.
'NET' SO FAST
With the non-conference slate over, the Lady Mavs hold the best Net-Non-Conference Strength of Schedule in the WAC. UTA is the only WAC team to crack the top-100, coming in at 77th in the NCAA.
GOOD AS ADVERTISED
Avery Brittingham has posted a double-double in five contests so far this season. This has her ranked 40th in the country and sits alone at the top of the WAC leaderboards. She also leads the Lady Mavs with 12.6 points per game.
Brittingham has also been a menace on the boards so far this season, averaging 8.7 rebounds per contest to lead the Lady Mavs which also has her ranked 65th in the NCAA and 2nd in the WAC. In those 12 games, Brittingham has pulled down 104 rebounds, 1st in the conference and 93rd in the country. She seems to be at her best on the defensive end where she averages 7.3 boards per game on defense, which is 2nd in the WAC and 20th in the NCAA.
Gia Adams is the third leading scorer on the Lady Mavs averaging 12 points per game while also averaging 32 minutes played per game which is tied for tops on the team with Brittingham. Adams is second on the team with 36 assists and 18 steals through 12 games.
Sharpshooter
Taliyah Clark is second on the team with 12.3 points per game and has hit 19 three-pointers on the season, tops on the squad.
CZECH MATE
5th year transfer Adela Valkova has found her groove in the past three games, averaging 15.7 points per game to go along with 6.7 rebounds per contest. Valkova is shooting 64.5 percent from the floor in those three contests while averaging 32 minutes of play. At Jacksonville State, she posted a career high 21 points to help lead the Lady Mavs to victory.
FREEBIES
The Lady Mavs are one of the best teams in the country when it comes to getting to the free throw line, averaging 19.83 free throw attempts per game. This is the 67th best mark in the country and 2nd best in the WAC behind California Baptist (23.45 - 11th in NCAA).
The 14 free throws made per game has the Lady Mavs 3rd in the WAC and 66th in the NCAA while their 70.6-percent from the charity stripe is 4th best in the conference.
MAKING IT RAIN
The Lady Mavs 31.1 percentage from beyond the arc is the 3rd best three-point percentage in the WAC. The tandem of Clark and Humphrey lead the charge for the Lady Mavs, with Clark drilling 19 three-pointers and
Hannah Humphrey hitting 14 so far this season to pace UTA.
SHARING THE LOVE
Averaging 14.2 assists per game as a team is 4th best in the WAC with five Lady Mavs in double figures in assists on the season led by Brittingham (39), Adams (36),
Nya Threatt (34), Clark (23) and Valkova (11).
THE PRICE IS WRIGHT
Head coach
Shereka Wright is tied with Cindy Salser (1976-79) for the sixth most wins in school history with 51. With a win against Tarleton, Wright would move into sole possession of sixth behind Krista Gerlich (121), Donna Capps (119), Connie Kelch (117), Mike Dean (115) and Samantha Morrow (74). Wright's .560 winning percentage is the fourth best in program history.
NEXT UP
The Lady Mavs wrap up their current homestand against Stephen F. Austin (8-5, 2-0 WAC) for a 2 p.m. tipoff on Saturday, Jan. 6.
– #BuckEm –
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).
