The University of Texas-Arlington women’s basketball team will find itself in a similar position the Kansas University team was in for its last game against the West Coast All-Stars, when KU wasn’t sure which squad the All-Stars were bringing.

The Mavericks (1-0) won’t know which KU team will take the floor today: the Jayhawks who demolished Fort Hays State on Nov. 9, or the Jayhawks who dropped their next exhibition game to the West-Coast All-Stars.

Tipoff for KU’s regular-season opener will be 1 p.m., with a live telecast on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6.

KU coach Bonnie Henrickson said she expected her team to have regrouped since its loss to the All-Stars.

“Right now they’re anxious,” Henrickson said. “Whether it’s basketball or life, you have to control what you can control.”

KU’s free-throw shooting was out of control Tuesday. The Jayhawks made only 10 of 20 opportunities from the line, made worse by the fact that they shot 43 percent in the second half when it mattered the most.

Another aspect of the Jayhawks’ game Henrickson said they had worked on controlling in practice was defense near the baseline, a shortcoming that plagued the Jayhawks against the All-Stars.

“We gave up 15 lay-ups, so we’ve got to guard against penetration,” Henrickson said.

The Jayhawks may have better luck down low against a smaller Mavericks team, but also will have to be ready to cover their speed. Henrickson said the Mavericks’ created most of their offense from ball movement and off the transition.

KU-UTA game notes (.pdf)

It was enough for UTA to coast past Arkansas-Little Rock, 76-59, in its first game of the regular season Friday. The Mavericks were led by sophomore guard Terra Wallace’s 18 points.

The Jayhawks can’t afford to send the Mavericks to the free-throw line today: The Mavericks shot 80 percent Friday, up from 70 percent against the Houston Jaguars in a previous exhibition game.

Today is Henrickson’s first regular-season game as KU’s coach, which means she wasn’t around to see the Jayhawks defeat the Mavericks, 71-52, the year before in the Wells Fargo Classic in Denver. KU returns Crystal Kemp, who led the Jayhawks last year with 21 points in that victory on Dec. 20, 2003.

The Mavericks won’t look much different: They return four of the five starters from that game.