On Wednesday, the UTSA Roadrunners (12-13, 7-5) face their archrival, the Texas State Bobcats (12-11, 7-5) in San Marcos, TX and are trying to rebound from a disheartening 79-73 loss at home on February 18 to the UTA Mavericks (13-11, 8-5) in a game that definitely would have helped the Roadrunners climb the Southland Conference standings.

The Mavericks outrebounded the Roadrunners 45-21, including clutch defensive boards in the last five minutes of the second half that set up drives to the lane – for clutch baskets or fouls and successful trips to the free-throw line. UTA sophomore guard Jarrett Howell led all scorers with 20 points, including 3-of-5 3-pointers that sparked rallies for the Mavericks. UTSA guard Rapheal Posey, a junior, came off the bench to lead the Roadrunners with 17.

This win, coupled with a 73-64 trouncing of Texas State on February 21, doubled up the bookend of the Mavericks’ five-game winning streak. Against the Bobcats, senior forward Derrick Obasohan scored 16 of his game-high 21 points in the second half for UTA. Currently, the Roadrunners and Bobcats are part of a five-way tie for third place and the Mavericks are hanging on to second place by a game. How’s that for tight.

And, to think, the conference tournament starts March 8.

Speaking of which, Southeastern Louisiana (10-3, 18-6) is more than holding its own in the Conference in clinching the Lions first-ever berth in the SLC Postseason Tournament on February 21 with an 89-72 shellacking of the hapless Lamar Cardinals (5-8, 11-15). Senior guard Amir Abdur-Rahim led the first-place Lions and all scorers with 23 points as the Lions devoured the Cardinals with 53 percent shooting from the field and 35 percent from the 3-point line.

The Lions are poised to take the No.1 seed in the Tournament, with a game at home against Louisiana-Monroe (7-6, 11-16) followed by stops at McNeese State (3-9, 7-16) and Nicholls State (1-12, 6-18). The ULM Indians beat the McNeese State Cowboys 70-65 on February 21 and the Stephen F. Austin Jacks (7-5, 16-7) beat the Nicholls State Colonels 65-60. The 7-5 mark look familiar? Yes, SFA also is part of that logjam at second in the SLC.

The Lions now have tied their record win total from the 1980-81 win since going to Division I in the 1980-81 season. The team’s mark is its best since an 18-9 record in 1984-85 and trails only the 22-10 team from 1953-54 and a 21-7 record posted by the1972-73 team.

Let not forget that logjam.

Sam Houston State (7-5, 12-11) jumped from eighth place to a – guess what – tie for third with victories over Texas State and at Northwestern State (7-5, 10-13), also in third. Junior guard Joe Thompson led the Bearkats in both wins with 24 points, nine assists, three steals, and four rebounds in the 86-73 victory over the Bobcats on February 19 and 19 points, two assists, and four rebounds in the 72-70 win on the Demons’ homecourt on February 21.

In women’s action, the Roadrunners (11-12, 7-5) bested the UTA Lady Mavs (14-10, 8-4) 55-43 on February 18 behind 16 points apiece from senior swing player Dewella Holliday and sophomore center Lacy Mingee. Senior forward Rola Ogunoye’s 18 points led the Lady Mavs, who seemed out of sync most of the night. But the Lady Mavs took it out on Texas State three nights later with the school-record-tying points pinned on the Bobcats (7-15, 7-5) in a 79-64 win to end Texas State’s four-game winning streak.

Those records look familiar? Well, the UTSA and Texas State women are tied for fourth heading into Wednesday night’s tilt at San Marcos prior to the men’s game.

In other recent games, the Sam Houston women (6-17, 6-6) set an SLC record from behind the arc, raining 15 – that’s right 15 – 3-pointers (15-of-26 3-point shooting) on the conference-leading Northwestern Lady Demons (18-5, 11-1) in an 84-65 pummeling on February 21. The second-place ULM Lady Indians (14-10, 10-3) got the best of McNeese’s Cowgirls (7-16, 5-7) 81-73. SFA (6-17, 6-6) stomped Nicholls’ Lady Colonels (2-22, 1-12) 93-71.

Noticed that some of those SLC marks were alike? Well in addition to the tie for fourth, SFA’s Ladyjacks and Sam Houston’s Bearkats are tied for fifth.

And to think, there’s just a little more than a week’s worth of basketball left.