ULM Faces League-Leading UTA Saturday

Men's Basketball Jan 14

Game 18: ULM (9-8, 1-4 SBC) vs. UTA (8-8, 4-1 SBC)
Saturday, Jan. 15 | 2 p.m. CT
College Park Center (7,000) | Arlington, Texas
ESPN + | KLIP 105.3 FM

2021-22 ULM Basketball Notes: Game 18 vs. UTA

THE STORYLINE –
ULM plays its last road game of the month of January on Saturday at UTA before returning home for four-straight games at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. The short-handed Warhawks are seeking their first Sun Belt Conference road win this season vs. the league-leading Mavericks.

Sophomore Nika Metskhvarishvili led the Warhawks in both scoring and rebounding for the second-straight game and recorded his first career double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds at Texas State.

Senior Russell Harrison shared team-high scoring honors with Metskhvarishvili at Texas State with 15 points and now has 40 3-pointers, second-highest total in the Sun Belt this season.

UTA won all four games played in 2020-21 as part of the Sun Belt Conference COVID-adjusted schedule. The Mavericks have won the last seven games in a row and 10 of the last 11. ULM's last win in Arlington came on Feb. 20, 2016, 64-61.

THE STARTING FIVE –
• The short-handed Warhawks are looking to snap their two-game losing streak and are projected to use the same starting lineup combination from Thursday's game vs. UTA Saturday. It is ULM's seventh different starting lineup against the Mavericks' 11th different starting combination.

• In four contests so far in 2022, Nika Metskhvarishvili is averaging 14.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. The sophomore forward has led the Warhawks in scoring and rebounding in the last two games and has a team-best four steals in the last four games.

• Elijah Gonzales leads the Sun Belt with 30 steals this season, good for 46th nationally, and a 2.0 steals-per-game average for 47th in the nation. The junior guard is 13th among the NCAA Division I active career leaders in steals with his 2.02 per game average.

• Senior Russell Harrison has scored in double figures in 10 of his last 11 games this season and has 29 career double-figure outings to date. The product of Texas has at least three 3-pointers in eight of his last nine games.

• ULM returns home for four-straight games following the final game of its two-game road trip in Texas. The Warhawks have won eight of their last nine games in Fant-Ewing Coliseum and have scored an average of nearly 90 points (89.7) in their seven home games this season.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS –
2 — ULM is one of only two programs with two players who rank in the Sun Belt Conference's Top 20 in both scoring and rebounding. Russell Harrison is ninth in scoring (16.0 ppg.) and 17th in rebounding (6.2 rpg.) while Nika Metskhvarishvili is 10th in scoring (15.8 ppg.) and tied for 18th in rebounding average (6.0 rpg.)

3 — Three Warhawks on the Sun Belt Conference Top-20 scoring chart, Russell Harrison, Nika Metskhvarisvili and Andre Jones (14.0 ppg.), are currently the most by any one program. Harrison and Metskhvarisvili rank ninth and 10th, respectively, with Jones at 17th as ULM leads the league in scoring at 77.6 points per game.

6.3 — Junior guard Elijah Gonzales is averaging 6.3 assists per game in Sun Belt Conference action and possesses a 4.75 assist-to-turnover ratio in league games with 19 assists to only four turnovers.

8 — With 290 total assists to lead the Sun Belt Conference so far this season, ULM also ranks eighth in the country in that category. The Warhawks' 17.1 assists per game average is best in the league and stands at No. 18 nationally.

11 — In his first season as a Warhawk, sophomore forward Nika Metskhvarishvili has 18 treys, good for third on the team, with 11 coming in just five Sun Belt Conference games. His 11 total ties him for third-highest in the league with Coastal Carolina's Vince Cole, and behind App State's Adrian Delph (19) and Russell Harrison (16).

40 — With 40 treys already this season, senior Russell Harrison is on target for his highest single-season mark in 2021-22. Harrison had 48 his freshman year at Wayland Baptist and 42 in his first year as a Warhawk last season. His 40 triples are the second-highest total in the Sun Belt this year.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE –
According to kenpom.com (as of Jan 14, 2021), ULM's strength of schedule in 2021-22 is 162nd with a rating of +0.61. ESPN.com ranks the Warhawks' SOS at No. 152. ULM had a non-conference strength of schedule rating of +3.05 (No. 93).

UTA SCOUTING REPORT –
Head Coach: Greg Young (Howard Payne, 1986)
Record at UTA/Career Record: 8-8 (first season)/same
Young's Record vs. ULM: First meeting
Mavericks' Top Scorer: Graduate G David Azore (17.2 ppg.)
Mavericks' Top Rebounder: Red-shirt sophomore F Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu (5.3 rpg.)

Playing with just nine players and missing its top scorer in David Azore, UTA topped the Ragin' Cajuns Thursday night, 83-73, behind a triple-double performance from Javon Levi to move into sole possession of first place in the Sun Belt with a 4-1 record. Levi's 14-point, 10-rebound and 10-assist effort was just the third triple-double in program history. Patrick Mwamba delivered career highs of 22 points and five assists.

UTA has defeated both of the Sun Belt preseason top-two teams, in Georgia State (first) and the Ragin' Cajuns (second), and its 4-1 start to the conference season matches the Mavs' 2015-16 squad for the best five-game beginning in their tenure in the league (since 2013-14). The Mavericks have played the hardest non-conference schedule of any Sun Belt team (15th-toughest in the nation) with five Quad 1 opponents, more than any other team in the league.

Red-shirt sophomore forward Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu, a walk-on who made his debut as a Maverick in December of 2020, didn't have a scholarship offer from any school. He emerged onto the scene with a seven-block performance, most by any walk-on in the country last season, off the bench against the Ragin' Cajuns last January. His seven-block total tied for the third-highest in single-game program history and the most by a Sun Belt player in a conference game in 2020-21.

A 35-year coaching veteran and a fixture on the UT Arlington men's basketball sidelines for more than a decade, Greg Young was named the ninth head coach in program history on Apr. 5, 2021. He served as an assistant (2009-13) or associate (2013-21) coach for the program over the previous 12 years and was a part of the program that posted 219 wins and advanced to the postseason four times: 2012 NIT, 2013 CIT, 2016 CIT and 2017 NIT. In Sun Belt Conference play, the Mavs earned the Sun Belt Conference regular-season title in 2017 and went to back-to-back Sun Belt Tournament Championship Games in 2018 and 2019.

ULM/UTA SERIES NOTES –
Saturday's game marks the 78th meeting between ULM and UT Arlington. The Warhawks lead the all-time series, 51-26, including a 19-15 record in games played in Arlington. UTA has won 10 of the last 11 meetings, including the last seven in a row. The last three games have been decided by single digits.

ULM's last win in Arlington came on Feb. 20, 2016, 64-61.

Keith Richard is 5-14 against UTA as ULM head coach.

2020-21 GAME RECAPS –
Series in Monroe
UTA 77, ULM 64 (Jan. 8, 2021 in Monroe, La.): Shahada Wells and Sam Griffin combined for 43 points to lead UT Arlington to a 77-64 win over ULM in the opening game of a Sun Belt Conference weekend series.

UTA (5-6, 1-2 Sun Belt) seized control of the game with an early 16-0 run. Griffin, who hit three consecutive 3s, and Wells combined to score 15 of those 16 points. A steal and layup by Wells gave the Mavericks an 18-5 lead with 13:25 left in the first half. UTA made 6-of-8 field-goal attempts during that decisive stretch while ULM went 0-for-7 from the floor and committed three turnovers. The Warhawks went 5:45 between made field goals.

Trailing 21-7, Russell Harrison sparked a 6-0 spurt with a hard drive to the basket for a layup and Josh Nicholas and Elijah Gonzales followed with layups as ULM (4-6, 2-1) cut its deficit to eight at 21-13 with 9:27 remaining in the first half. The Warhawks again managed to pull to within eight at 27-19 on a layup by Luke Phillips with 4:21 to go in the opening half, but that was the closest ULM would get the rest of the night.

McKade Marquis hit a pull-up jumper from outside the lane with :02 left to send UTA to the locker room with a 16-point halftime lead, 42-26.

The Mavs, who shot 57 percent (16-of-28) from the field including 50 percent (5-of-10) from behind the 3-point arc, got 15 first-half points from Griffin. UTA also converted ULM's seven first-half turn-overs into 13 points. The Warhawks made 10-of-29 shots (34 percent) from the floor, including just 2-of-12 3-pointers (17 percent), in the first 20 minutes.

UTA led by as many as 20 points on three occasions in the second half. ULM scored six-straight points to pull within 69-57 on Koreem Ozier's 15-foot jumper from the right baseline with 3:48 left, but the Warhawks failed to get the margin into single digits despite shooting 55 percent (16-of-29) from the field in the second half.

For the game, the Mavs shot 49 percent (28-of-57) from the floor, including 10-of-21 3-pointers (48 percent, while outrebounding ULM, 37-26. The Warhawks struggled shooting the 3 all night and finished 5-of-23 from 3-point range (22 percent).

Wells, who hit 10-of-16 field-goal attempts, finished with 25 points, with 17 of those coming in the second half. Griffin added 18 points, hitting 4-of-10 3-pointers, and eight assists. UTA also got 12 points and eight rebounds from Patrick Mwamba.

Nicholas scored a career-high 23 points to pace the Warhawks, hitting 11-of-16 shots from the floor. He poured in 15 second-half points.

Ozier, who reached double figures for his fourth-straight game, netted 16 points to go along with a career-high eight assists.

UTA 75, ULM 74 (Jan. 9, 2021 in Monroe, La.): Shahada Wells stole the ball on a busted inbounds play and fed Fredelin De La Cruz with a bounce pass for the game-winner as UTA rallied past ULM 75-74 to complete the Sun Belt weekend series sweep.

Sam Griffin led the Mavericks with 18 points, Jordan Phillips added 16, De La Cruz chipped in 12, Wells 11 and Patrick Mwamba had 10. Wells also had seven assists and six rebounds.

ULM still had 5.9 seconds to answer, but lost the ball off a foot and time ran out in a scramble for the loose ball.

Josh Nicholas had 19 points for the Warhawks (4-7, 2-2 Sun Belt Conference). Koreem Ozier added 15 points while Russell Harrison had 15 points.

Series in Arlington
UTA 63, ULM 56 (Feb. 5, 2021 in Arlington, Texas): Sam Griffin and Shahada Wells combined for 40 points to lead UT Arlington to a 63-56 home-court win over ULM in the first game of a Sun Belt Conference weekend series. It marked UTA's sixth win in a row overall in the series.

UTA jumped out to a 7-2 lead, but ULM answered with a 13-2 run and took a 15-9 lead on Russell Harrison's 12-foot jumper in the lane with 13:58 left in the first half. Chris Efretuei's hook shot from inside the paint gave ULM (4-14, 2-9) its largest lead of the game at 21-13 with 11:16 remaining.

Patrick Mwamba's runner in the lane sparked a 10-2 spurt and the Mavericks tied the game at 23-all as Jordan Phillips banked in a 3-pointer from the top of the circle with 6:38 to go in the opening half. ULM outscored UTA, 8-2, over the final 6:18 and took a 31-25 lead into the intermission.

ULM limited the Mavericks to 33-percent (10-of-30) field-goal shooting in the first half, including just 3-of-14 (21 percent) from 3-point range. UTA made only one of its last eight shots from the floor in the first 20 minutes and went scoreless for 3 1/2 minutes.

UTA outscored ULM, 11-2, over the first 3:20 of the second half and regained the lead at 36-33 on a 15-foot jumper by Wells from the right wing following an offensive rebound. During that stretch, the Warhawks committed three turnovers and went 0-for-3 from the field.

Koreem Ozier buried a 3-pointer from the left corner as ULM pulled even at 36-all with 16:16 on the clock. The Mavs put together a 12-2 run and built their largest lead at 48-38 with 9:33 left on a Wells' 3 from the left baseline in transition, off another ULM turnover. During that stretch of 6:43, the Warhawks committed seven turnovers and managed only three field-goal attempts (1-for-3).

ULM responded with an 8-1 spurt and cut its deficit to 49-46 with 4:01 to go as Nicholas connected on a deep 3 from the left wing. Nicholas accounted for seven of those points during the run, but the Warhawks failed to close the gap any further during the closing minutes.

UTA pressured ULM into 11 second-half turnovers while committing only one of its own and enjoyed a 15-0 advantage in points off turnovers after the intermission.

The Mavs struggled to find an offensive rhythm against ULM, hitting 24-of-66 field-goal attempts (36 percent) including 9-of-25 3s (36 percent). UTA missed 11-straight shots from the floor during one stretch in the second half before making its last five attempts in a row. The Warhawks also outrebounded UTA, 39-35; however, the Mavs collected 13 offensive rebounds, including 10 in the second half.

Griffin hit 9-of-18 shots from the floor and finished with a game-high 23 points, including 13 in the second half. Wells contributed 17 points, a season-high seven assists and three steals. The Mavericks also got 14 points and seven rebounds from Mwamba.

Nicholas came off the bench to score a team-high 15 points, with 10 coming in the second half, on 5-of-9 shooting from the field, including 2-of-3 3-pointers. In three games against UTA this season, Nicholas is averaging 19.0 points per game while hitting 64 percent (23-of-36) from the floor, including 58 percent (7-of-12) from behind the 3-point arc.

Harrison added 11 points for the Warhawks. Efretuei netted eight points to go along with a season-high seven rebounds while Marco Morency recorded a season-best seven assists.

UTA 58, ULM 52 (Feb. 6, 2021 in Arlington, Texas): Patrick Mwamba produced his second career double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds as UT Arlington rallied from a five-point halftime deficit for a 58-52 victory over ULM Saturday to complete the Sun Belt Conference weekend series sweep.

With the score tied at 13-all, the Warhawks reeled off seven-straight points on a layup from Thomas Howell, a 3-pointer from Russell Harrison and a fast-break dunk by Howell to take a 20-13 lead with 10:14 left in the opening half. Marco Morency's 3 gave ULM its largest lead at 28-20 with 6:57 on the clock. The Warhawks led by five at the break, 34-29.

ULM shot 50 percent (14-of-28) from the field in the first half, including 5-of-15 from behind the 3-point arc (33 percent).

The Warhawks got a basket in the lane from Chris Efretuei to open the second-half scoring, but UTA (11-9, 7-5 Sun Belt) responded with a 10-0 run and regained the lead at 39-36 on Mwamba's 3-pointer with 16:58 remaining. Another 3 from Mwamba pushed the Mavs' lead to 46-40 with 12:15 left. ULM rallied to tie the score at 46-all on Koreem Ozier's jumper with 8:26 to play. UTA matched its largest lead at 52-46 on another Mwamba field goal with 4:39 on the clock. The Warhawks pulled to within 52-50 on Ozier's trey with 2:06 remaining, but the Mavericks converted 4-of-6 free-throw attempts in the final 1:31 to ice it.

ULM (4-15, 2-10) managed a season-low 18 points in the second half, hitting only 6-of-29 field-goal attempts (21 percent) including just 2-of-14 3-pointers (14 percent), as the Warhawks' dropped their 10th consecutive league game.

The Mavs outrebounded ULM, 44-32.

Mwamba put on a show in the second half, scoring 14 of his 19 points and collecting nine of his 12 rebounds over the final 20 minutes.

UTA also got 14 points from Sam Griffin and 13 from Shahada Wells.

Harrison recorded his first double-double as a Warhawk, finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Howell added 10 points off the bench, going a perfect 5-for-5 from the floor.
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THE LAST TIME OUT –
Texas State 80, ULM 56 (Jan. 13, 2022, in San Marcos, Texas): Caleb Asberry recorded his second career double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds as Texas State returned to competition after a 14-day COVID break and extended its winning streak over ULM to seven in a row with an 80-56 victory Thursday night. It also marked Texas State's first win since Dec. 18.

ULM played the game without two of its starting guards, in Andre Jones and Koreem Ozier, due to COVID protocols. Jones and Ozier combine to average nearly 26 points per game.

Texas State (10-4, 1-1 Sun Belt), which never trailed in the game, raced out to a 14-4 lead. The Warhawks answered with a 7-2 run and pulled to within 16-11 on Elijah Gonzales' 3-pointer from the top of the circle, off a steal by Nika Metskhvarishvili, with 13:01 left in the first half. The Bobcats outscored ULM, 13-3, over the next 3:17 and built a 29-14 lead on Asberry's 3 from the left wing with 9:21 on the clock. A pull-up jumper by Gonzales from the free-throw line sparked an 8-2 spurt and the Warhawks cut their deficit to 31-22 on Russell Harrison's 8-foot jumper from the right baseline with 7:02 remaining. Mason Harrell buried back-to-back 3s to fuel a 13-0 run as Texas State took a 48-26 advantage with 2:13 to go. The Bobcats enjoyed an 18-point lead at the intermission, 51-33.

Harrison opened the second-half scoring with a step-back jumper from the left wing, but Texas State reeled off 11 consecutive points to take a 62-35 lead on Asberry's trey from the left wing with 15:29 left. Dylan Dawson's 3 from the left corner gave the Bobcats' their largest lead at 69-40 with 12:19 on the clock. ULM (9-8, 1-4) went the final 5:51 without a field goal.

For the game, Texas State made 28-of-56 field-goal attempts (50 percent), including 9-of-17 3-pointers (53 percent). By comparison, ULM shot 32 percent (18-of-56) from the floor, including 5-of-21 3s (24 percent). The Bobcats, who outrebounded the Warhawks, 42-21, also enjoyed a decided advantage in points in the paint, 32-20, and fast-break points, 16-5.

Asberry hit 5-of-8 shots from the field, including 4-of-6 3s, and finished with a game-high 19 points. Three other Texas State starters scored in double figures, including Harrell and Shelby Adams, who netted 14 points each, and Isiah Small, who added 13 points and seven rebounds.

Metskhvarishvili posted his first career double-double with 15 points to go along with a career-high 11 rebounds (4 offensive boards).

The Warhawks also got 15 points from Harrison, who has reached double figures in 10 of his last 11 games.

2021-22 ULM STARTING LINEUPS –
Nov. 9 at LSU: Gonzales, Jones, Gee, Harrison, Howell
Nov. 12 at Auburn: Gonzales, Boston, Gee, Harrison, Howell
Nov. 16 vs. Champion Christian: Gonzales, Jones, Gee, Harrison, Howell
Nov. 22 vs. Northwestern State: Gonzales, Jones, Ozier, Harrison, Howell
Nov. 24 vs. Louisiana Tech: Gonzales, Jones, Ozier, Harrison, Howell
Nov. 28 at SMU: Jones, Ozier, Powell, Harrison, Howell
Dec. 1 vs. Centenary: Jones, Ozier, Powell, Harrison, Howell
Dec. 4 vs. Northwestern State: Gonzales, Ozier, Jones, Harrison, Howell
Dec. 8 vs. Louisiana Christian: Gonzales, Powell, Jones, Harrison, Howell
Dec. 14 at SFA: Gonzales, Powell, Jones, Harrison, Howell
Dec. 18 vs. Southern Miss: Gonzales, Ozier, Jones, Harrison, Howell
Dec. 20 at Lamar: Gonzales, Ozier, Jones, Harrison, Howell
Dec. 30 at Coastal Carolina*: Gonzales, Ozier, Jones, Harrison, Howell
Jan. 1 at App State*: Gonzales, Ozier, Jones, Harrison, Howell
Jan. 6 vs. Little Rock*: Jones, Ozier, Russell, Metskhvarishvili, Howell
Jan. 8 vs. Arkansas State*: Jones, Ozier, Powell, Russell, Howell
Jan. 13 at Texas State*: Gonzales, Powell, Harrison, Metskhvarishvili, Howell

Different Starting Combinations (7):
Gonzales, Ozier, Jones, Harrison, Howell: 7 (4-3)
Jones, Ozier, Powell, Harrison, Howell: 3 (1-2)
Gonzales, Powell, Jones, Harrison, Howell: 2 (2-0)
Gonzales, Jones, Gee, Harrison, Howell: 2 (1-1)
Jones, Ozier, Harrison, Metskhvarishvili, Howell : 1 (1-0)
Gonzales, Powell, Harrison, Metskhvarishvili, Howell: 1 (0-1)
Gonzales, Boston, Gee, Harrison, Howell: 1 (0-1)

2021-22 WARHAWK STATISTICAL TRENDS –
Games played in Fant-Ewing Coliseum: 6-1
Games played on the road: 2-7
Games played at a neutral site: 1-0

Games played in November: 2-4
Games played in December: 6-1
Games played in January: 1-3
Games played in February: 0-0
Games played in March: 0-0

When leading at halftime: 7-4
When trailing at halftime: 1-4
When tied at halftime: 1-0

When shooting .500 or better from the field: 7-0
When shooting less than .500 from the field: 2-8
When opponent shoots .500 or better from the field: 0-5
When opponent shoots less than .500 from the floor: 9-3

When outrebounding opponent: 6-0
When outrebounded by opponent: 3-8
When rebounding totals are equal: 0-0

When hitting more free throws than opponent: 5-0
When hitting fewer free throws than opponent: 4-7
When hitting the same number of free throws as opponent: 0-1

When committing fewer turnovers than opponent: 8-2
When opponent commits fewer turnovers: 1-6
When turnover totals are equal: 0-0

When ULM scores less than 50 points: 0-1
When ULM scores 50-59 points: 0-1
When ULM scores 60-69 points: 0-4
When ULM scores 70-79 points: 1-1
When ULM scores 80-89 points: 5-1
When ULM scores 90+ points: 3-0

When opponent scores less than 50 points: 0-0
When opponent scores 50-59 points: 1-0
When opponent scores 60-69 points: 5-0
When opponent scores 70-79 points: 3-2
When opponent scores 80-89 points: 0-1
When opponent scores 90+ points: 0-5

Games decided by five points or less: 1-0
Games decided by 6-10 points: 2-3
Games decided by 11-19 points: 2-1
Games decided by 20 points or more: 4-4

Largest deficit overcome to win: 10 (42-32 at Lamar, Dec. 20)
Largest lead surrendered in a loss: 11 (66-55 vs. Arkansas State, Jan. 8)

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ULM Faces League-Leading UTA Saturday