Basketball School?

 I got the idea for this post the day before the most recent slate of games played by both UT Arlington basketball teams. As evidenced by the January 14th games, this will be a little outdated, but a couple of wins doesn't negate the poor start to Western Athletic Conference play for both teams. 

Prior to Saturday, the men's team was 0-5 to start WAC play. You have to go back all the way to the 1988/89 season, when the team started 0-7 in the Southland Conference. to find a worse start. That team ultimately won four of the final seven conference games. They were a young squad then and ultimately built the second-best run in program history (to that point) in the following years. 

In 89/90, they improved to 13-16 overall and 6-8 in conference, 20-9 and 11-3 the next year with two more winning seasons to follow, both in conference and overall. I'll go more in depth on the hopeful parallels that exist between these two teams.

On the women's side, at 1-4, they were off to their worst start since 2013/14 when Krista Gerlich began her first season of rebuilding the women's team that won less than ten games and lost more than 20 the previous three years. The 13/14 squad completed the season at 4-25, 3-15. It was the last major losing season. The only other losing season was a 15-16 mark in 2015/16. There have been four 20-win seasons since, the most successful period in program history.

Now here's the kicker, the combined conference record for both teams is the worst combined record since that 1988/89 season. Connie Kelch, who is statistically the worst coach in program history, was near the end of her losing tenure. The 88/89 schedule was the third single digit win in a row. That UTA group lost ten consecutive games to start conference play en route to a 6-21 overall record and 1-13 SLC mark.

For a basketball school, these are pretty bad marks. For a non-football University in Texas, that just can't happen. The Baker/Ogden effect has been profound on the men's side. If this team holds together, however, I believe the light is visible at the end of the tunnel.

That 88/89 team had a lot of similarities to this year's version. Now obviously, the NCAA was drastically different then than it is now. It's a lot easier to leave a program as a player now than it was then back in that time.

But Willie Brand, who is still UTA's all-time leading scorer, was a sophomore on that team. Shemar Wilson, who is shaping up to be a player to build a team around, is also a sophomore.

Freshman Brandon Walker has produced some productive minutes inside. Bobby Kenyon was a freshman on that late '80's team. Kenyon is currently 14th on the all-time scoring leader and retired at fourth. He's 19th in career rebounds, retired in fifth place.

Freshmen Chendall Weaver has been a dandy to watch and will be in the record books if he stays all four years. Of the top scoring guards this season, three out of four are juniors and have a chance to be back.

Most of UTA's losses were against the better teams in the WAC. Five of the top six teams (out of 12 opponents) have a win against the Mavericks on their ledger. The win against New Mexico State shows UTA can be a good team. They just have the inconsistencies associated with a young squad.

The schedule eases and now is UTA's chance to get in the top two-thirds of the WAC. UTRGV (1-4), Abilene Christian (1-4) and California Baptist (3-3) are the next up followed with a rematch against Tarleton at College Park Center.

Meanwhile, the women's team just seems to play a hair below their opponents. There are quality players and by all accounts a quality coach. But losses are all over the map: California Baptist (3-2), UTRGV (1-4), Abilene Christian (3-3) and Grand Canyon (5-1). The worst losses were to UTRGV (83-73) and ACU (92-72), while they only lost by two to one of the best teams in the conference.

They get a chance for redemption when they go to Edinburg and play game two against UTRGV (1-4). Then it's Stephen F. Austin (4-1) on the road before another rematch game against California Baptist (3-2) in the friendly confines of College Park Center.

This team has the talent, unquestionably. Starr Jacobs is third in the WAC in scoring, while Kayla White is 11th. Kamaria Gipson is seventh in field goal percentage. Jireh Washington is third in assists per game. Jacobs is second in steals per game.

But there's something on the defensive end that just isn't clicking. UTA is 12th out of 13 in conference scoring, and field goal percentage defense. They are ninth in three-point percentage defense and ninth in rebounds of both the offensive and defensive ends.

Some of the numbers are fluke. Abilene Christian couldn't miss, even getting two half court three's as time expired. The Wildcats just couldn't miss. If UTA can limit the opponents points and get them to have a few more misses, then this team will be a formidable opponent for anyone in the conference.