Feb. 9, 2010

Arlington, Texas -

McNeese State Game Notes

Game 22
McNeese State at UT Arlington
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Arlington, Texas -- Texas Hall

UTA-MCNEESE STATE SERIES
The Mavericks have won their last five meetings against the Cowgirls... UT Arlington owns a 34-19 all-time series record... the last meeting was in Lake Charles, La. where the Mavs earned a 73-47 win. Both Meghan Nelson and Tamara Simmons finished in double-figures with 10 and 19 points.

THE COWGIRLS
McNeese State's Cowgirls (6-15, 2-6 SLC) are coming off a 77-70 win over Texas State Saturday that saw scoring outputs from Candace LaCombe, Ja'Niqua Kendrix, Kiara Johnson and Kendra Wells. All four players scored in double figures. Kendrix and Johnson ended the game with double-doubles. LaCombe and Kendrix ended the game with career high's. LaCombe scored a game high 24 points and Kendrix scored 12. Fifteen of LaCombe's points came from three-point range. Johnson, Wells and LaCombe are all averaging in double figures with Johnson leading the team with 14.2 ppg. Wells is averaging 13.0 ppg. and LaCombe is averaging 11.3 ppg. Johnson leads the team in field goal percent while Wells leads the team in rebounds (7.7), assists and steals.Kendrix leads the team with 14 blocks.

LAST GAME - UT ARLINGTON 86, NORTHWESTERN STATE 82
UT Arlington improved their overall record to 9-12 overall after recording a 86-82 victory at Northwestern State... Shofner finished the game with a game high 23 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field, including 1-of-3 from behind the arc and 10-of-12 from the line. Despite foul trouble Nelson poured in 21 points, 19 of those points coming in the second half... the Mavericks struggled defensively losing a 45-36 rebound margin to the Lady Demons... UTA finished the game shooting 45.9 percent from the field to Northwestern State's 40 percent.

AT THIS POINT
The Mavericks are currently in fourth place in the West Division behind leader Lamar (8-1), A&M-Corpus Christi (6-2), and UTSA (6-2)... UT Arlington improved to 9-12 overall and 4-4 in league play after recording an 86-82 win at Northwestern State Saturday... Meghan Nelson leads the Mavericks with 17.2 points per game and ranks second in the Southland Conference with 20 per game... after Wednesday, UTA has seven games remaining in the regular season and the Mavs play all top three teams in the West.

INJURY REPORT
Freshman Kiara Parker continues to nurse her injured knee and is not scheduled to play this week. Parker went down during an afternoon workout last week... Parker has made 19 appearances and one start this season... she's averaging 2.5 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.

1,000 POINT WATCH
Meghan Nelson continues to pile on the points combining for 988 so far in four seasons... in 21 games Nelson has poured in 361 points and needs 12 points to become the 16th player in UTA Women's Basketball history to record 1,000 career points... With 8 games remaining in the regular season and Nelson steadily averaging 17.2 points per game and she is well on her way to reaching this milestone... Nelson leads the Mavericks offense having finished in double-figures in all of the Mavs games and has scored 15 or more points in 14 games.

PINK ZONE
The UT Arlington women's basketball team will trade in their normal white and orange colors for pink uniforms on Saturday, February 13 at Texas Hall. The Mavericks host UTSA at 2 p.m. for a conference match up... The pink uniforms are part of the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund in an effort to help promote breast cancer awareness.

The WBCA Pink Zone® initiative is a global, unified effort for the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's (WBCA) nation of coaches to assist in raising breast cancer awareness on the court, across campuses, in communities and beyond. The Mavericks and Roadrunners game will be televised live on the Southland Conference Network and fans are encouraged to don the color pink in support.

If you are interested in purchasing a jersey or the complete set please contact the UT Arlington athletic department at 817-272-2261.

NELSON RANKS SECOND IN SCORING
Meghan Nelson continues to be on top of her game leading the conference in scoring with 20 points per game... in conference alone, Nelson has recorded 160 points and has finished with 15 or more points in all but one game in league play... Nelson leads the Mavericks with 17.2 points per game.

SHOFNER HITS CAREER-HIGH IN ROAD WIN
The Meghan Nelson and Tamara Simmons duo got some help in Saturday afternoons 86-82 win at Northwestern State... senior guard Kiarra Shofner led the Mavericks with a career-high 23 points on 6-of-9 from the field, including 1-of-2 from behind the arc and 10-of-12 from the charity stripe... Shofner's previous career-high was 17 points against Rice University (Nov. 13).

LIVING AT THE LINE
Meghan Nelson's attack the basket attitude has gotten her to the foul line 128 times and has converted 89 of her 361 total points... Nelson leads the team in free throws and free throw attempts... she is a 70 percent free throw shooter.... Nelson averages 4.2 freebies per game.

SIMMONS HITS A NEW CAREER HIGH
Junior Tamara Simmons recorded a career-high 27-points on Saturday (Jan. 23) in an overtime loss against Sam Houston State... Simmons went 9-of-24 from the field, including 4-of-9 from three-point range and 5-of-5 from the line... her previous career high was 24 points against Kansas State last season.

MARTIN OWNS THE BOARDS
Junior Shalyn Martin has done her part for the Mavericks on the defensive end, leading the team with 7.9 boards per game... Martin has recorded 10 or more rebounds in nine games this season, including three consecutive double-double performances... Martin has recorded double-doubles against Rice, Prairie View A&M, Southeast Missouri, St. John's, UTSA, SFA, and Sam Houston State.

NELSON LEADS THE WAY
Offensively the Mavericks are being led by senior Meghan Nelson... Nelson has scored in double-figures in all of the Mavericks 21 games and has scored 15 or more points in 16 games... leads the team with 17.2 points per game and is second in the Southland Conference in scoring with 20 per game.

Meghan Nelson RECORDS CAREER-HIGH 33 POINTS IN SFA WIN
UT Arlington senior guard Meghan Nelson scored a career-high 33 points to lead the Mavs to their second conference win of the season in an 85-79 decision over the visiting Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks. A native of Cedar Hill, Texas, Nelson's 33 points are the most points scored in a conference game this season.

UT ARLINGTON SIGNS THREE TO NLI
UT Arlington head women's basketball coach Samantha Morrow announced today the program has signed three players to national letters of intents to begin playing for the Mavericks in the fall of 2010.

UTA signed guard Malaika Green (Coppell, Texas/Coppell HS), forward Chevan Goins (Carrollton, Texas/Hebron HS) and center Desherra Nwanguama (Katy, Texas/Cinco Ranch HS).

Green, a 5-5 guard from Coppell High School earned honorable mention honors last year and is the Cowgirls starting point guard this season.

Goins is a two-time all-district recipient and is an Adidas National Junior Phenom Top 20 player. Goins is a member of the Junior National Team and was a Dallas ISD Coke, Lake Dallas ISD and Abilene ISD All-Tournament Team selection.