ARLINGTON, Texas – UT Arlington forward/center Lance Ware was named to the Western Athletic Conference All-Defensive team and was also selected as a Second Team all-conference performer, WAC officials released Monday. Ware was selected by the league's nine head coaches.
 
Ware, who joined the Mavericks following a year at Villanova, previously spent three seasons at Kentucky, one of which was with head coach KT Turner. Despite missing the first five games of the season for the Mavs, Ware immediately became a major focal point of what UTA did on both ends of the floor.
 
The Burlington, New Jersey, native led the team in scoring (13.7 ppg), rebounding (9.8 rpg), blocks (1.60 bpg) and steals (1.4 spg). He tied for the league lead in double-doubles with 11 and also led the WAC in rebounding and field goal percentage (58.5%). Ware is also one of just 11 players in the entire country to average at least 13.5 ppg and 9.5 rpg this season. He has scored in double figures in 22 of his 25 appearances, all starts, for the Mavericks.
 
The graduate transfer made his UTA debut on Nov. 26 against Murray State and made quite the first impression. He scored a career-high-tying 26 points, pulled down a team-best-tying nine rebounds, had three blocks, three assists and two steals.
 
Ware scored 26 points again (and six rebounds), in a win over Southern Utah on Jan. 30, and added 24 (to go along with 11 boards). He hauled in a career-high 17 rebounds on Feb. 27, at Grand Canyon.
 
A three-time WAC Newcomer of the Week, Ware earned recognition throughout the campaign, including a WAC Player of the Week nod as well.
 
The Mavs enter the 2025 Hercules Tires WAC Championship as the seven seed for the conference tournament this week in Las Vegas at the Orleans Arena. The Mavs will face second-seeded Grand Canyon (23-7, 13-3 WAC) in the quarterfinal round of the tournament in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 12, at 10:30 p.m. CT.
   
FOLLOW ALONG
For updates, behind-the-scenes photos, videos and more engaging and personal content, follow the men's basketball program on X (formerly Twitter) (@UTAMavsMBB), Instagram (@UTAMavsMBB) and Facebook (/UTAMavsMBB).