Preseason polls and player accolades are out now. Season starts in a few weeks.

https://wacsports.com/news/2023/10/15/ba...orite.aspx

The poll, with first-place votes in parenthesis:

1. Grand Canyon (6) 93
2. Southern Utah (5) 87
3. California Baptist 83
4. Utah Tech 71
5. Stephen F. Austin 61
6. Abilene Christian 54
7. UT Arlington 53
8. UT Rio Grande Valley 42
t9. Tarleton 22
t9. Utah Valley 22
11. Seattle 17

Preseason Player of the Year: Breaunna Gillen, Fifth, G, Utah Tech

2023-24 Preseason All-WAC Team
Grace Schmidt, So., F, California Baptist
Trinity San Antonio, Jr., G, Grand Canyon
Tiarra Brown, Sr., G/F, Grand Canyon
Tomekia Whitman, Gr., G, Southern Utah
Breaunna Gillen, Fifth, G, Utah Tech

UTRGV loses an exhibition match to D2 St. Mary's. It wasn't really close, either. Somehow we managed to get a technical even before the jump ball.

Perhaps, you're thinking, they were an exceptionally good D2 team. No. They were 8-20 last year.

Interesting turn of events.

Half time Texas Tech 62 UTRGV 15.

About half the possessions we aren't even making it across the line before they take away the ball.

(11-07-2023 07:54 PM)edinburger Wrote:  Half time Texas Tech 62 UTRGV 15.

About half the possessions we aren't even making it across the line before they take away the ball.

We really need you guys to wear them down a little as we are playing them Friday.

(11-07-2023 08:00 PM)TexanFan Wrote:  

(11-07-2023 07:54 PM)edinburger Wrote:  Half time Texas Tech 62 UTRGV 15.

About half the possessions we aren't even making it across the line before they take away the ball.

We really need you guys to wear them down a little as we are playing them Friday.

Yeah, that's it. We're wearing them down. Especially their nets. Their nets will be all torn up by the time you get there.

Just flipped over to see TT vs UTRGV.

This isn’t pretty.

(11-07-2023 08:19 PM)TexanFan Wrote:  Just flipped over to see TT vs UTRGV.

This isn’t pretty.

TTU 95 RGV 53

Spin: we won the second half 38-33! We were getting quadrupled but ended up not even getting doubled!

Anyway, now the standard has been set. Tarleton needs to score at least 53.

UTA drops their first game at South Florida, 76-61. Bad quarters, 21-12 and 22-13 doomed the Mavs. That was the formula last year too.

Lamar at home up next on Friday.

I have more confidence in our women's team this year. I think they will be drastically improved. I do not think we will beat Tech on Friday but I think they will put a scare into them!

Our women's team has A LOT of new faces this year and a great new freshmen group. They seem to be gelling quickly though. We still have a lot to work on, but it gives me something to look forward to. We host Rice Thursday evening.

We went the foreign route on our womens team. We have a 6'5 girl from Montenegro! We also have girls from Norway, Brazil, Poland and I think a few others.

GCU's buzzer beater over Saint Mary's made ESPN's Top 10. It is the first one on the video.
The Lady Lopes came back from 19 down in the fourth quarter to win at the buzzer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YqzrPBHLso&t=31s

We ended up losing to Rice 69-58, but can't complain a lot. Rice was big and very athletic. We fought hard though and have made lots of improvements since last year. We are moving the ball a little better and working inside better. We are still struggling some with our shots, but all-in-all, trending back in the right direction for now.

(11-09-2023 10:42 PM)Outsider Wrote:  We ended up losing to Rice 69-58, but can't complain a lot. Rice was big and very athletic. We fought hard though and have made lots of improvements since last year. We are moving the ball a little better and working inside better. We are still struggling some with our shots, but all-in-all, trending back in the right direction for now.

How did you get Rice to play in Abilene? I think it’s great as I wish we could do something like this.

Women will play on the road more than the men. Moody Coliseum's renovation, with a possibility of someone from one program working with the other a possibility too.

I expect Tarleton's new arena to be a massive game-changer in that regard. Wisdom gym is a good home-floor advantage, but a massive eye sore.

We had Air Force come to play us 2 years ago and beat them soundly. They got revenge on their home court last year. Until our new Arena is built, I would rather not have bigger named schools come to Wisdom. Next year hopefully we will have the new arena ready and get some good D1 opponents to come to Stephenville.

Glad Rice came to Abilene, sorry that ACU could not get the win in that one. Utah Tech beat Jacksonville State on the womens side of the WAC/C-USA Challenge that we are not suppose to call a challenge. I hope beating up on weak C-USA teams does not hurt our RPI.

(11-09-2023 11:15 PM)TexanFan Wrote:  

(11-09-2023 10:42 PM)Outsider Wrote:  We ended up losing to Rice 69-58, but can't complain a lot. Rice was big and very athletic. We fought hard though and have made lots of improvements since last year. We are moving the ball a little better and working inside better. We are still struggling some with our shots, but all-in-all, trending back in the right direction for now.

How did you get Rice to play in Abilene? I think it’s great as I wish we could do something like this.

We played Rice at Tudor last year, so must have been a home and away. I am not sure how we pulled it off, but I hope we keep it up. Last year we lost 85-69, so we did indeed improve with last night's performance. I think if the WAC continues to trend in the right direction, getting these home and aways a couple of times a year will become more common.

(11-10-2023 01:20 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  Women will play on the road more than the men. Moody Coliseum's renovation, with a possibility of someone from one program working with the other a possibility too.

I expect Tarleton's new arena to be a massive game-changer in that regard. Wisdom gym is a good home-floor advantage, but a massive eye sore.

Having the newly renovated Moody is KEY. Moody is actually nicer than Tudor and you could actually see the Rice players enjoying the game atmosphere. I know there has to be connections as well, but if a team is treated right, then they will want to continue to schedule with you.

(11-10-2023 01:20 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  Women will play on the road more than the men..

Very true. Texas is visiting us this season, unlikely to happen with the men.