You'll forgive the "homer" tone, but it just doesn't seem fair that the University of North Texas at Dallas basketball teams should have to worry about two adversaries at once.  On Monday evening, there was the visit to Mid-America Christian, a formidable conference foe, while back home hands were being wrung over mid-term compliant/eligibility issues that have, for the moment, reduced  both UNTD rosters.
     Without several veterans and ample bench strength, the Trailblazers women lost, 99-74, while the men were defeated 85-74, falling deeper in the Sooner Athletic Conference standings.
     Rodney Belcher's women are now 2-5 in SAC play and 8-6 for the season. The UNTD men are 1-6 and 5-9.
     At least the men didn't make it easy for the host Evangels. The teams battled to a 38-all standoff through the first half and the Trailblazers jumped out to a five-point advantage early in the second. Then, however, the hosts took over and even a 10-point UNTD run late in the game went for naught. Once more playing under the leadership of assistant coach Matthew Johnson while Josh Howard remained isolated after a positive Covid test, the visitors shot 45 percent from the floor.
     For MACU, it was their first conference win in seven starts.
     The Trailblazers women, however, were never a serious challenge after the opening quarter despite newcomer Delyssa Miller's 23-points and eight rebounds performance.
     It was a 39-point third quarter by the hosts that put things out of reach for UNTD.
     Zyunn Cormier contributed 17 points for the Trailblazers and Tamia Miller added 10.  Brooke Lopez hit on three of six three-point attempts for her nine-point contribution.
     The team's four-game road grind continues with a visit to Langston University on Thursday, January 6, then into Kansas to visit Central Christian on Saturday, January 8.
     Both coaches hoped to see full squads, finally certified eligible, getting onto the team bus.