SMU Game Notes

Nov. 13, 2008

Arlington, Texas - UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON (0-0 Overall) vs.SMU (0-0 Overall)
Game #3
Friday, November 14, 2008 - 7 p.m.
Moody Coliseum - Dallas, Texas

Scouting The Mustangs...
The Mustangs are coming off a 82-70 victory over the Houston Jaguars in an exhibition contest on Tuesday (Nov.5) at the Moody Coliseum.

Four players finished in double figures in the SMU victory. Junior forward Delisha Wills, a third-team All-Conference USA recipient last season, let the Mustangs with 15 points while Jillian Samuels notched 14 points, including 3-of-7 from three point range.

The Mustangs, coming off a 2007-08 season in which they won the Conference USA Tournament championship and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament, got points from every active player on the roster.

Series History with the Mustangs...
Friday night marks the 36 meeting between the Mavericks and the Mustangs in school history. The first meeting was back on March 2, 1973, where UTA collected a 34-26 victory at the North Texas Tournament in Denton, Texas. The Mavs were then coached by former head women's basketball coach Jody Conradt.

UTA went on a streak of 14 consecutive victories over SMU since the first meeting but suffered their first loss on December 15, 1979 in Dallas, Texas by a final score of 55-65.

The last time both squads went head-to-head was last season on December 8, where the Mustangs handed UTA a 97-66 setback at SMU.

In that game, three Mavs finished in double-digit scoring including then freshmans Tamara Simmons and Shalyn Martin.

Simmons notched 13 points and five assists while Martin added 10 points and two blocks in 19 minutes of action. Candice Champion collected a career-high 16 boards and seven points in the setback.

Five Mustangs recorded double-digit scoring in the win. Jillian Samuels recorded 17 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field, 4-of-7 from three-point range and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe while Delisha Wills notched 16 points including two assists to go along with two steals and one block.

For the game, the Mavericks finished shooting 31.8 percent from the field to SMU's 53.2 percent from the floor.

The Mavericks lead the all-time series with a 20-16 overall record but struggle playing at SMU recording a 6-12 mark.

UT Arlington Probable Starters and notes

F 34 - Candice Champion (6-1, SR, Waco, Texas) 10.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg
Champion started in her second preseason game of the 2008-09 campaign... recorded 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field, 2-of-2 from the charity stripe and added seven rebounds in 22 minutes of action against Tarleton State (11/8) at Texas Hall.

G 14 - Meghan Nelson (5-7, SO, Arlington, Texas) 8.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 3.5 apg
Nelson notched 13 points on 4-of-10 shooting from the field, including 5-of-10 from the charity stripe to go along with four boards, two assists and two steals on Saturday versus Tarleton State (11/8).

G 01 - Kiarra Shofner (5-6, JR, Cedar Hill, Texas) 3.2 ppg, 2.5 apg
Shofner collected five points in 18 minutes of action against Tarleton State (11/8).

F 32 - Shalyn Martin (5-11,SO, Arlington, Texas) 9.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg
Martin started in her second preseason game against Tarleton State (11/8)... recorded seven points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals in 30 minutes of action.

F 50 - Erin Dixon (5-11, SR, Pflugerville, Texas) 4.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg
Dixon had another stellar performance in her second exhibition game of the preseason.... notched 14 points including 11 rebounds, to go along with three assists and three steals versus Tarleton State (11/8).

CHAMPION AND DIXON LOOK TO LEAD MAVS IN 2008-09 CAMPAIGN

Seniors Candice Champion and Erin Dixon return as two of the Mavericks go to players. Champion concluded her junior campaign averaging 10.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. Champion was selected as a second-team SLC- Preseason selection. Erin Dixon returns as one of UTA's top rebounders, averaging 6.5 boards per game last season. In the Mavs two preseason games, Dixon collected double-doubles (points-rebounds) performances.

In an exhibition match-up versus the Houston Jaguars (11/4), Dixon notched 11 points and brought down a game-high 14 boards in a 94-60 win at Texas Hall.

The 5-11 senior recorded 14 points and 11 rebounds on 5-of-14 shooting from the field, 4-of-4 from the charity stripe, to go along with three assists and three steals in 36 minutes of action.

The duo will lead a team that lost two of its key players to graduation in Maryann Abanobi and Tiffeny Riles. Abanobi finished last season averaging a team-high 12.7 points while Riles was the teams leading rebounder collecting 7.6 per game.

NEWCOMER Nicole Terral SEES ACTION IN TWO PRESEASON CONTESTS
Nicole Terral, a Mansfield Timberview High School product appeared in both of the Mavericks exhibition games against the Houston Jaguars (11/4) and Tarleton State (11/8). Terral recorded nine points on 3-of-4 shooting from the field, 1-of-1 from three-point range, 2-of-2 from the charity stripe including five rebounds, to go along with one assists and one steal in 16 minutes of action.

The newcomer notched five points and two rebounds in a close 67-65 victory at Texas Hall against Tarleton State (11/8).

Terral comes from a high school program that was ranked number-two in the State of Texas and ranked 17th in the country at one time and advanced to the quarterfinals twice.

MERGERSON AND GREEN QUESTIONABLE FOR 2008-09 SEASON
Newcomers Veronica Mergerson and Ryan Green have yet to step on the court this season for the Mavericks, as Mergerson is suffering from a summer injurer and Green's fate is to be determined by the NCAA.

Mergerson comes from Duncanville High School where she earned all-region honors and was a first team all-district recipient.

Green, a 6-2 forward was a four-time first team all-district award winner at Crowley High School.

UP NEXT FOR THE MAVS
... Following the match-up with the Mustangs, UTA will travel to Fort Worth, Texas, where they will take on TCU on Thursday, November 20 with game time slated for 6:30 p.m.