Stop me if you've already heard this one.
On the morning of New Year's Day (Jan. 1), University of North Texas at Dallas women's basketball coach
Rodney Belcher carefully counted the number of his players stepping onto the bus for the visit to Southwestern Christian. Due to grade and health problems, only seven Trailblazers would be available for the Sooner Athletic Conference game scheduled for later in the day.
You can guess the ending to the story. After a determined and physically draining effort, UNTD lost, 71-56, falling to 2-4 in conference play and 8-5 for the season. When
Mykayla Dumas fouled out four minutes deep into the third quarter, the number of available players was reduced to six.
It brought back too vivid memories of the 2020-21 season when the always short-handed squad was, at times, made up of only five healthy and eligible players. People are still talking about the game last season when the gutty Trailblazers played most of a fourth quarter with only four on the court.
"We just ran out of juice toward the end," Belcher said, "but, I was proud of the effort."
And, yes, there was even some good news. Junior transfer
Delyssa Miller, making her debut as a Trailblazer, scored 19, the only UNTD player in double figures. "She's going to be a big help once she gets her game legs and becomes familiar with our system," Belcher said.
In the nightcap, the UNTD men were also burdened by reduced ranks. They didn't even have their coach. Josh Howard, having tested positive for Covid-19, remained in Dallas while assistant
Matthew Johnson directed the team.
Falling 73-70, the visitors were without the services of veteran performers
Steven Kimberling, Dominick Deal and
Curtis Coleman.
Still, after trailing 29-22 at halftime, the Trailblazers outscored the hosts by four in the second period.
Christian Plummer led the scoring with 17, followed by
Demaryon Thornton's 12.
Larry Rusk and
Lundyn Ellison contributed 10 each.
The loss dropped the men to 5-8 for the season and 1-5 in SAC play.
