Ladyjacks Open 2005-06 on the Road
11/16/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 16, 2005
After rolling up a 70-54 victory over Texas A&M-Commerce in an exhibition, the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks are set to tip off the 2005-06 regular season. The Ladyjacks will travel to Denton, Texas, Friday to face North Texas. The game against the Mean Green is slated to begin at 5 p.m. from the Super Pit. The Ladyjacks will return home three nights later for their home opener against Alcorn State. The game against the Lady Braves is slated for a 7 p.m. tip off in the William R. Johnson Coliseum. The Ladyjacks are coming off a 12-16 (.429) campaign that saw them finish seventh in the Southland Conference. North Texas went 14-14 (.500) overall last year and finished second in the Sun Belt West division with a 9-6 (.600) conference record. Alcorn State is coming off a 21-9 (.700) season that saw them win the Southwestern Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles and advance to the NCAA Championships.
SFA vs. the Mean Green: The Ladyjacks have dominated the all-time series against North Texas, owning a perfect 27-0 all-time record. Friday's match-up marks the first meeting between the two schools since 1995-96 when North Texas was still affiliated with the Southland Conference. That season, SFA recorded a 98-69 and 109-63 victories over UNT.
SFA vs. the Lady Braves: The Ladyjacks are 5-1 (.833) all-time against Alcorn State. Monday night's game will be the first meeting between the two teams since the 2000-01 season when SFA thumped the Lady Braves, 88-46. The Ladyjacks have won the last five meetings in the series, with the lone loss coming during the 1983-84 season.
Preseason Polls: The Ladyjacks are picked to finish in the middle of the conference pack, according to the preseason polls of SLC head coaches and sports information directors. SFA received one first-place vote and 82 points from the league SIDs to finish fourth. The Ladyjacks were selected fifth in a poll of the league head coaches. SFA received one first-place vote and 59 total points from the coaches.
Preseason All-SLC: Senior LaToya Mills has been selected as a 2005 SLC first-team Preseason All-Southland Conference selection. She iscoming off a season that saw her record a career-high 14.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game as a junior. If Mills earns the postseason honor this year, she will be the first Ladyjack in school history to earn All-Southland Conference honors all four seasons. Mills earned third-team all-conference honors despite missing the final six weeks of her junior season.
A Successful Start: The Ladyjacks opened the 2005-06 season this past Friday in an exhibition against NCAA Division II school Texas A&M-Commerce. SFA recorded a 70-54 victory over the Lady Lions. The Ladyjacks were led by senior Britany Vinson who scored 14 points, and junior transfer Charity Egenti's 11 points. SFA struggled early with some turnovers, finishing the game with 34, but it was the Ladyjack defense that helped SFA gain control of the game. The Ladyjacks forced Commerce into 34 miscues of its own, outscoring the visitors by 12 points in the second half. Senior LaToya Mills recorded four points and a team-high eight rebounds in her first action since going down with an injury in February of last season.
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