Ladyjacks Host Lamar
1/21/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 21, 2005
NACOGDOCHES - The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack basketball team will look to make it two in a row tonight as they play only their second game in the William R. Johnson Coliseum in the past month. The Ladyjacks enter the game with an 8-7 (.533) overall record and 2-2 (.500) in Southland Conference play after defeating Nicholls State, 68-55, Wednesday night. The Lamar Lady Cardinals are a vastly improved team, coming to Nacogdoches with a 7-8 (.467) overall record and a 1-3 (.250) league mark. Lamar has already won three more games this season than it did all of last year.
The Coaches: SFA head coach Lee Ann Riley is 56-45 (.554) in her fourth season with the Ladyjacks. She is 187-103 (.645) in her 10th season with the Ladyjacks. Lamar head coach Leonard Drake is 14-54 (.206) in his third season with the Lady Cardinals. He is 48-153 (.239) in his eighth season as a head coach.
SFA vs. the Lady Cardinals: The Ladyjacks are 35-2 (.946) all-time against Lamar. The Ladyjacks won the only meeting between the two teams last season, and have won the last 10 contests. The last time the two teams met in Nacogdoches, SFA recorded a 63-38 victory, during the 2002-03 season.
Home Sweet Home: The Ladyjacks are one of the nation's all-time winningest teams at home, with an all-time record of 327-82 (.800). The Ladyjacks have now won 61 of their last 74 games at home and are 4-1 (.800) in the William R. Johnson Coliseum this year.
Cup is Half Full: The Ladyjacks shot the ball well all night against Nicholls State. SFA was 15-for-25 (.600) in the first half and finished the game going 27-for-54 (.500) from the floor. It was the Ladyjacks second-best shooting performance of the season. SFA was 30-of-59 (.508) in their 74-68 win over Southern earlier this season. Senior Alex Bowman was one of three players to score in double figures against Nicholls State leading the way with 16 points.
Axing the Lady Colonels: The Ladyjacks defeated Nicholls State, 68-55, without the services of leading scorer LaToya Mills for a good majority of the basketball game. Mills got into early foul trouble and was forced to sit a majority of the contest. Mills finished the game with no points and four rebounds, which marks the first time in Mills' career that she was held scoreless. That breaks a string of 69 consecutive games that Mills had scored at least two points.
Alex the Great: Senior Alex Bowman led a trio of Ladyjacks who scored double figures Wednesday night in the victory over Nicholls State. Bowman finished the night with 16 points on 7-of-9 (.778) shooting. She also grabbed two rebounds, recorded two steals, dished out an assist and blocked one shot. The 16-point outing ties a season-high she set against Arkansas State back in December. It is also the first time Bowman has reached double figures in points since the Ladyjacks victory over Arkansas State.
Senior Leadership: Senior Stacey Szymanski returned from her first game back from an injury to post 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds in the victory over Nicholls State. Szymanski was 5-of-7 (.714) from the floor and 3-of-4 (.750) from the free-throw line. She is averaging 12.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game over her last five games. She is also 22-of-36 (.611) from the floor and is shooting 18-of-22 (.818) from the floor during that stretch.
Up Next ... The Ladyjacks hit the road again as they travel to Arlington, Texas, Wednesday Jan. 26, to take on the Lady Mavs. The game against Texas-Arlington is slated to begin at 5:45 p.m., from Texas Hall.
-SFA-
