January 5, 2007
San Antonio – The St. Mary’s University men’s and women’s basketball teams will return to action on Saturday when they host the University of Texas of the Permian Basin, starting at 5:30 p.m. in Bill Greehey Arena.
With wins in their last two games the Rattler men have evened their overall record at 6-6. Despite the fact that St. Mary’s is averaging 66.3 points per game no Rattler is averaging in double figures in scoring. However, five Rattlers are scoring eight or more points per contest. Jarvis Lee (Sr., Houston) leads the way with 9.9 points per contest, while Marcus Hill (So., Longview) is picking up 9.7 per game. St. Mary’s is allowing 62.7 points per game defensively. They are shooting 47.1 percent from the field, while holding opponents to 43.2 percent. The Rattlers are also outrebounding their opponents 35.2 to 31.0.
With wins in their last two games the Rattlers look to be on track as they start Heartland Conference play. St. Mary’s defeated Oklahoma Panhandle State University 63-53 in their Heartland opener Thursday night at Bill Greehey Arena. The Rattlers recent resurgence has coincided with the return of Dominique Richardson (Jr., San Antonio), who missed the previous four games with an injury. Richardson has had six assists in both games since returning. Hill has been strong of late too, scoring 15 points in each of the last two games. The Rattlers are 5-4 during their current 12-game homestand.
As for the women, with wins in three of their last four games the Rattlers are back on track after a slow start to the 2006-07 season. They opened Heartland Conference play on Thursday with a convincing 72-59 win over Oklahoma Panhandle State. Ashton Benford (So., Waxahachie) and Charlena Rodez (Sr., Cedar Park) each posted double-doubles in the game, marking the first time this season that the Rattlers have had more than one player post a double-double.
The Rattlers offense has been the key of late as they have posted two of their top three scoring outputs of the season during that stretch. For the season St. Mary’s is scoring 58.9 points per game, while allowing 66.2. Three Rattlers are scoring in double figures, led by Rodez with 14.2. Natalie Gamez (So., San Antonio) is averaging 13.8, while Benford is picking up 10.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per contest. For the season St. Mary’s is shooting 39.2 percent from the field and 68.0 percent from the free throw line. Rattler opponents shoot 41.1 percent from the field. St. Mary’s is being outrebounded by their opponents 38.0 to 35.1.
The Rattler men’s basketball team will return to action on Saturday, January 13 when it hosts Dallas Baptist University at 3 p.m. in Bill Greehey Arena. The women’s squad will return to action on Monday, January 15 in the first game of a men’s/women’s basketball doubleheader against the University of the Incarnate Word. The women will play at 5:30 p.m., while the men will follow at 7:30 p.m.