GETTING INSIDE

At least if you have to watch a basketball game at Texas-Arlington’s bizarre venue at Texas Hall, you’ll get a good show.

The Mavericks score points and will most nights, especially when Southland Conference play rolls around. The question is can Texas Arlington, an NCAA Tournament team last season, stop anyone?

Texas Arlington’s defense, 11th in points allowed in the SLC a season ago, must improve for another league-title run. It’s especially crucial now that center Anthony Vereen, second in the SLC at 17.7 points per game last season as a senior, is gone.

Senior guard Marquez Haynes, third behind Vereen in league scoring, drives the Mavericks’ up-tempo offense.

Vereen was an agile, big man with offensive skills to be reckoned with, a player type many teams in the SLC lacked. Haynes will be one of several talented guards in the league, so his leadership and finding someone to pair with him are critical.

If the offense, which averaged an SLC-best 79.4 points per game, falls off, Texas-Arlington’s defense will need better chops.

It’s a priority for Mavs coach Scott Cross, who has few potential replacements for Vereen and plans to fill the void by committee. UTA will be smaller inside and Vereen’s replacements are either raw backups or newcomers.

Without Vereen, look for Texas-Arlington to shoot more three-pointers than last season, when the Mavericks were fourth in SLC with 601 shots from behind the arc.

At Texas Hall, the show will go on.

NOTES, QUOTES

• After a 2008 NCAAs appearance, UTA’s attendance didn’t exactly spike last season. Texas Hall, Texas-Arlington’s dreadful basketball venue set on a performance stage, averaged 848 fans per game, third-lowest in the SLC. Three SLC clubs—Texas-Arlington, McNeese State and Central Arkansas, drew fewer than 1,000 per game.

• Senior SG Brandon Long made 57 three-pointers last season but sank only 24 percent in league play from three-point range.

• Despite being only 6-5, F Tommy Moffitt is Texas Arlington’s top returning rebounder at 6.4 per game and is expected to step up his scoring. Trey Parker, a 6-9 junior, had a team-high 44 blocked shots while weighing only 200 pounds.

Last Year:   16-14 overall, 9-7, third in SLC West.

Head Coach:   Scott Cross (career 50-43, all at UTA); fourth year.

Quote To Note:   “We have to get better on defense this year. We just gave up too many points. All of our guys have been much better in that area in preseason, and I believe that will carry over into the regular season.”—Coach Scott Cross.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

Scouting The Newcomers:   Most intriguing is 6-3 G Cameron Catlett, an All-Texas selection who helped lead San Antonio Madison to a 33-2 record. Kerry Jones, a 6-6 freshman from Tyler, could add frontcourt scoring. Big man Jordan Reeves (6-10, 240) was a Kentucky prep standout but needs more developmental time.

Key Early-season Games:   North Texas at home; at Baylor, Michigan State; vs. North Dakota and Drake in Des Moines, Iowa; Texas-Arlington opens SLC play Jan. 9 at home against Texas State.

Program Direction:   With limited resources and a venue not worthy to show on recruiting visits, Texas-Arlington does more with less. Coach Scott Cross is getting players, small but athletic, who fit into his system. Despite little fan support, UTA should sustain recent success and perhaps build toward an NCAA return trip.

Probable Starting Lineup:   G Marquez Haynes, G Brandon Long, G Cameron Catlett, F Tommy Moffitt, F LaMarcus Reed.

Roster Report:  

• Coach Scott Cross received a one-year contract extension through 2013. New top assistant coach Greg Young (Jacksonville College) replaced Reggie Brown, who went to SMU.

• UTA was expected to return three proven scorers despite the loss of Vereen. But junior G Roge’r Guignard, who averaged 12.6 points off the bench, skipped his senior season to pursue a professional career overseas.

• F Trey Parker isn’t 100 percent following left knee surgery but should be ready to play.

• Texas-Arlington hopes to move into a new 6,600-seat Special Events Center in 2012.