SFA Heads to New Orleans
12/26/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 26, 2004
NACOGDOCHES - The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack basketball team returns from its Holiday break looking for its fifth-straight win as it competes in the Tulane/DoubleTree Classic on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Ladyjacks will open the classic against tournament-host Tulane Tuesday evening. The game against the Green Wave is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. The Ladyjacks will face either Georgia State or Pepperdine on Wednesday. The tip-off time for the second game will depend on the outcome of the Ladyjacks' game against Tulane. If SFA defeats Tulane, the Ladyjacks will play at 8:30 p.m., Wednesday night. Should the Ladyjacks lose their opening round game, they will play at 6 p.m., on Wednesday.
SFA vs. the Green Wave: The Ladyjacks are a perfect 4-0 all-time against Tulane, but this will be the first meeting between the two teams since the 1988-89 season when the Ladyjacks recorded a 70-65 win. The first meeting between these two programs came during the 1982-83 season when the Ladyjacks were 74-58 winners.
SFA vs. the Lady Panthers: The Ladyjacks are a perfect 1-0 all-time against Georgia State. The lone meeting between the two schools came during the 1981-82 season when SFA recorded an 83-74 victory.
SFA vs. the Waves: If the Ladyjacks face Pepperdine in the second round of the Tulane/DoubleTree Classic, it would be the first time the two schools have met on the court.
Tradition of Winning: The SFA Ladyjack basketball program has been one of the most dominant programs in women's basketball history. The Ladyjacks are among the nation's all-time top 10 with 743 wins. The Ladyjacks are also among the all-time top 10 with a .739 winning percentage (743-263).
The Streak: The Ladyjacks current four-game win streak is the team's longest win streak since they won five straight during the 2002-03 season.
Not Your Everyday Run of the Mills: Although it is still very early in the season, junior LaToya Mills is making a case for Southland Conference player of the year honors. Against Tulsa, Mills recorded a game-high 23 points and 13 rebounds, and followed that up with an 11-point and 11-rebound effort in the win over Arkansas State. During this current five-game stretch, Mills has scored at least 20 points four times and is averaging 21.6 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.2 steals and 1.2 assists per game. Mills is currently second in the Southland Conference averaging 17.0 points per game and is tied for fourth in the league averaging at 8.5 rebounds per contest.
Double-Double: Despite not scoring, 20 points for the first time in the last five game, junior LaToya Mills finished the ASU game with 11 points and 11 rebounds. It was her second consecutive double-double and her third of the season.
Forcing the TOs: SFA forced Arkansas State into 25 turnovers. This comes on the heals of forcing Tulsa into a season-high 29 turnovers. The Ladyjacks have forced their last two opponents into 54 turnovers and are averaging 13.5 steals in those two games.
Hurricane Down-Graded to Breeze: The Ladyjacks forced Tulsa into 29 turnovers in handing the Golden Hurricane its first loss of the season. The Ladyjacks converted those turnovers into 22 points while holding Tulsa to only 11 points off its turnovers. The 29 turnovers by Tulsa are the most by a Ladyjack opponent since SFA force McNeese State into 35 last season.
Stealing the Show: One reason for the Ladyjacks suffocating defense has been junior Kirby Killingsworth. She has become a top-flight thief in the SLC averaging 2.0 steals per game.
Sharp-Shooter: Junior Kirby Killingsworth scored a season-high 22 points in the victory over Arkansas State. She was 5-of-8 (.625) from three-point range. Her five three-pointers ties a mark that she set as a freshman. It is the sixth-best single-game in SFA history.
Career-High: Senior Jaliyla Muhammad tied a career-high with 11 points in the Ladyjacks 68-61 victory over Tulsa. It marks the second time this season that Muhammad has scored in double-figures, matching the total number of times she scored in double figures last season.
Alex the Great: Junior Kirby Killingsworth wasn't the only Ladyjack who recorded a season-high in the win over Arkansas State. Senior Alex Bowman recorded her best night of the year scoring 16 points, while grabbing five rebounds.
Arc Angels: Junior guards Kirby Killingsworth and Britany Vinson are among the school's all-time top 10 in three-point field goals. Killingsworth hit five three-pointers against Arkansas State and is currently fourth all-time at SFA with 100 career three-pointers. Vinson is currently eighth in the SFA record books with 66 triples. Vinson is currently fifth in the SLC with a .378 three-point field-goal percentage. She led the league last season at a .373 clip. Vinson is also currently for fifth in the conference averaging 1.75 three-point field goals per game. Vinson is tied with Killingsworth who is also averaging 1.75 triples per contest.
The Great Wall of Nacogdoches: Junior Kendria Smith continues to move up the Ladyjacks' record books for career blocks. Smith blocked two shots against Arkansas State and is now currently eighth all-time at SFA with 67 career blocks.
Spreading the Wealth: The Ladyjacks played 11 players in the win over Arkansas State. SFA did a good job of spreading the wealth as every player who entered the game scored at least two points.
Making Every Minute Count: Sophomore Evelyn Edwards played seven minutes in the win over Arkansas State and she made the most of her time. Edwards scored four points and pulled down five rebounds.
Rookie Report: Freshman Shanae Green recorded her first career start Tuesday night against Arkansas State. Green responded with a career-high five points, as well as recording four assists, three rebounds and two steals in a victorious effort.
Up Next ... SFA will open the New Year in Corpus Christi, Texas, for a Sunday Jan. 2, game against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The game against the Islanders is slated to get under way at 3 p.m., from the American Bank Center.
