Unlike their counterpart on the men's side, everyone knows what the UT Arlington women's basketball team is bringing to College Park Center this year. After finishing second in the Sun Belt Conference at the conclusion of the regular season, the Mavericks dominated the conference tournament and made the NCAA tournament. I still stand by the post after the game where they were robbed in Iowa. That said, they have the talent to return. The team earned coach and player of the year honors.
And both are back.
WHAT WE KNOW
Player of the Year Starr Jacobs is returns. One of the most dominating seasons by a player to don a Maverick uniform, Jacobs averaged 21 points, over six rebounds, over two steals and almost two assists, all at the forward position. She also shot over 50 percent from the field. She was the player other teams tried to stop, and still put up those numbers. Jacobs plays an aggressive, active game. I'd list all of her accolades from last year, but it would double the length of this post. The fact that she's on the Becky Hammon pre-season player of the year watch list tells you all you need to know there.
Fifth-year guard De'Sha Benjamin will get more playing time this year after getting 9.9 points per game last year, which was good for third on the team. In the NCAA tournament, she scored 14 against Iowa State.
Fifth-year forward Shyia Smith contributed quality minutes with 6.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game (fifth on team for both). Her numbers will improve as she moves into the role occupied by two departing Mavs.
Sophomore guards Reniya Jones, Stephanie Mosely and sophomore forwards Cassidee Kinslow, Jordyn Turner return as well.
It's hard to oversell the job third-year coach Shereka Wright did in her first two seasons. A 13-7 opening, COVID-shortened season, followed by a 20-8 season last year means she has one of the better starts to a coaching career in program history, behind Cindy Salser in the mid-1970's and Samantha Morrow in the mid-2000's. She currently has the best winning percentage in program history, though I contend the two seasons are not enough of a sample size. I suspect nothing this year will change that too terribly much. She's also just the second coach with an NCAA tournament appearance.
WHAT'S MISSING
Three big senior contributors are gone from last year's team. Point guard Terryn Milton was second on the team in scoring with 11.9 points per game. Her 4.5 assists per game led the team.
Guard Claire Chastain averaged near nine points, five rebounds and two assists per game. She joined Jacobs as the only player to start every game and was also clearly a team leader on and off the floor.
Katie Ferrell was listed as a guard, but "Big Kat" played everywhere. She didn't score as much as others, but did not have to score to have an impact as her 5.3 points were countered by 5.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.5 blocks and almost one steal a game. She was a nightmare to plan around.
Chastain and Milton are playing their fifth year at Oklahoma State. Ferrell transferred to Texas Tech and former coach Krista Gerlich for her fifth year.
WHAT'S NEW
UTA added several players who may have a big impact on the team, which was saying something due to the talent already there.
The loss of Milton will be minimized by Jireh Washington. In fact, as hard as it may be to imagine, it may be an upgrade. The fifth-year point guard comes to UTA from Arkansas State. Last season, she put in 14.3 points, 3.5 boards, 3.2 assists and 1.9 steals per game. She scored 1,171 points in her career and 312 assists.
6'3" junior center Kamaria Gipson comes to Arlington from San Diego State. The Beeville, Texas native returns to Texas after 2.6 ppg and 2.9 rpg at San Diego State. She started 18 of 28 games for the Aztecs. It was a dip from her freshman year, four points and 5.3 boards per in 22 games, of which 12 were starts.
Kyla White makes the trip down Interstate-30 as the fifth-year guard leaves SMU after a third-team All-American Athletic Conference senior season saw her score 13.2 points per game. She shot a cool 73 percent from the free throw line and scored over 1,000 points in her career there.
Additionally, five freshmen join the team for their first NCAA season.
WHAT IT MEANS
There's no denying UTA is an upper tier team in the WAC. While the women's team has the same challenge as the men of not knowing their conference, there's just not the talent among the other teams that UTA has. Stephen Austin is close, but I believe the 'Jacks are a step below the Mavericks. They lost more than they gained, in my opinion. That's not to say they can't beat UTA, but by the end of it, UTA should be on top of the conference, as I see it.
Coach Wright put together an attractive schedule for UTA. They have four Division I, non-conference opponents at College Park Center, Texas Southern of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (Nov. 7), Texas A&M-Commerce of the Southland Conference (Nov. 12), North Texas of Conference USA (Nov. 29) and Arizona of the Pac-12 (Dec. 21). Additionally, the Mavs play University of Oklahoma of the Big 12 at Schollmaier Arena (Nov. 20). Within the WAC, notable games include Tarleton St. (Dec. 31), UT Rio Grande Valley (Jan. 4), Sam Houston St. (Feb. 16), Abilene Christian (Feb. 18) and Stephen F. Austin (Mar. 2).
UTA opens the season tonight as the host Texas Southern. If things go as predicted, they will be playing well beyond that.
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