Men's Basketball

UT Arlington travels to Appalachian State seeking best start in school history

Drew Charles and UT Arlington are beating teams by an average of 16.3 points per game.
Drew Charles and UT Arlington are beating teams by an average of 16.3 points per game. Star-Telegram

Never in its 56-year history has the UT Arlington men’s basketball team started a season 12-2. But Thursday’s trip to Appalachian State gives the Mavericks the opportunity to do just that.

When the Mavericks tip off at 6:30 p.m. at the Holmes Convocation Center in Boone, N.C., they’ll go for their seventh straight win and the best start in program history against the Sun Belt’s last-place team.

Outside of an overtime loss at Texas, the Mavericks (11-2, 2-0 SBC) have won every game by at least 14 points since beating Ohio State and Memphis in late November. UTA is outscoring teams by 16.3 points this season — the largest margin in the Sun Belt.

UTA is ranked No. 28 in the NCAA RPI rankings and as high as 10th in various mid-major polls. The Mavericks lead the nation with 45.7 rebounds per game.

Appalachian State (2-11, 0-2) has only one victory since opening the season with a win over Jacksonville. The Mountaineers feature the Sun Belt’s second-leading scorer in Frank Eaves, who is averaging 19.4 points per game.

UTA men at Appalachian St.

6:30 p.m. Thursday

This story was originally published January 6, 2016 at 1:20 PM with the headline "UT Arlington travels to Appalachian State seeking best start in school history."

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