Ladyjacks Host Houston Baptist in Home Opener
11/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 17, 2008
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack basketball team will look to make it two-in-a-row Monday when it faces Houston Baptist. Fresh off their 69-58 victory over defending Southwestern Athletic Conference Champion, Prairie View A&M, the Ladyjacks open the 2008-09 home schedule against Houston Baptist. The game will serve as the season-opener for Houston Baptist, who is coming off a 14-11 (.560) record last season. The game is slated to begin at 7 p.m. from the William R. Johnson Coliseum.
SFA vs. the Huskies: Monday's meeting between SFA and Houston Baptist will be the first matchup on the hardwood between the two schools.
The 800 Club: The Ladyjacks became the sixth member of an elusive club with their 73-40 victory over Sam Houston State last season. SFA became only the sixth women's program in NCAA Division I history to record 800 wins. The Ladyjacks now join Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, Old Dominion, Texas and James Madison as the only schools to ever accomplish the feat. Making the victory more special was the fact that it was Sue Gunter Day on the SFA campus.
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 806 wins. The Ladyjacks are also among the all-time top 10 with a .721 winning percentage (807-313).
Home Sweet Home: The Ladyjacks are one of the nation's all-time winningest teams at home, with a 361-94 (.793) all-time record. SFA has won 30 of its last 39 games in the Coliseum.
1-Oh: The Ladyjacks' 69-58 victory over Prairie View A&M to open the 2008-09 season ended a seven-game slide for the Ladyjacks in season openers, and marked the first win in a season opener for head coach Lee Ann Riley at Stephen F. Austin.
248 Down, Two to Go: With her team's 11-point victory over Prairie View A&M, SFA head coach Lee Ann Riley is only two wins away from another coaching milestone. Riley currently has 248 career wins, and needs only two more victories to record her 250th all-time win.
Spreading It Around: The Ladyjacks won their 2008-09 season opener in much the same fashion to how they won their exhibition contests. All but two players who entered the game scored, and every Ladyjack who played in the game pulled down at least two rebounds.
Double Digits: The Ladyjacks were led by four players who scored in double figures Friday night against Prairie View A&M. It is the first time the Ladyjacks have had four players score in double figures since defeating Sam Houston State last season (Feb. 23, 2008). The Ladyjacks accomplished that feat only seven times all of last season.
Setting the Standard: SFA head coach Lee Ann Riley is hoping that freshman Tammara Marion's performance at Prairie View A&M will not be the highlight of her career, but what a way to start your college career. The 5-6, guard from Houston led the Ladyjacks with 19 points and finished tied for third on the team with seven rebounds. Marion finished the game 5-of-11 (.455) from the field, and 4-of-7 (.571), from beyond the three-point arc. Marion's 19-point performance was only two points shy of Decreasha Goodner's 21-point outing at New Orleans last season.
Taking Advantage of the Freebies: The Ladyjacks were near the bottom of the conference last season in free throw percentage shooting 64 percent from the stripe. SFA took advantage of its opportunities Friday night knocking down 26-of-37 (.703) attempts.
Up Next ... The Ladyjacks will be back on the road Friday when they travel to Waco, Texas, to take on No. 19 Baylor (1-0). The game against the Lady Bears is slated to begin at 7 p.m. from the Ferrell Center.
