Men's hoops hosts Utah Valley at Texas Hall Tuesday

Final tuneup before conference play begins Saturday

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Armani Williams had a career-high 23 points against UTD Saturday.

 
Armani Williams had a career-high 23 points against UTD Saturday.
  

Jan. 4, 2010

Arlington, Texas - It's time for the final tuneup for the UTA men's basketball team as they host Utah Valley Tuesday at Texas Hall.

The Mavericks come into the game fresh off a 72-64 victory over UT Dallas Saturday which ran their record to 6-5.

"This is our last chance to get everything fine-tuned before we open the conference season," UTA head coach Scott Cross said. "We need to get better in some areas and this is another opportunity to do so."

One of the positives of the season so far has been the play of guard Marquez Haynes. The 6-3 senior leads the Southland Conference in scoring at 24.0 points per game and is the nation's fifth-leading scorer. Haynes is also one of the best in the country at shooting 3's as he is third in the country at 50.9%.

His backcourt partner Brandon Long is the only other player in double figures at 16.2 points per game. The two of them have combined for 53% of the Mavericks points this season.

"UT Arlington has two outstanding players in the backcourt in Haynes and (Brandon) Long," Utah Valley head coach Dick Hunsaker said. "They are very well coached and they beat us handily last year at home."

This will be just the second meeting between the teams as the Mavericks won the only other contest last year in Orem, Utah 75-64.

The Mavs have had some success against teams from the Great West Conference already this season as they have defeated Houston Baptist and North Dakota. UTA will also play Houston Baptist one more time this season on Jan. 25.

Utah Valley comes into the game 6-7 after losing its last two games at California and vs. Furman. They are 5-4 after starting the season 1-3.

 

 

Jordan Swarbrick leads UVU in scoring at 13.5 points per game and is second in rebounding at 5.3 per contest. Corey Claitt adds 13.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, while Justin Baker and Shawn Deadwiler are averaging 11.8 and 9.4 points, repectively. Jourdain Scoubes is the team's leader in rebounding at 5.8 per game. As a team the Wolverines are scoring and allowing 66.8 points per game.