Ladyjacks Prepare for Battle Against Ninth-Ranked Baylor
11/19/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 19, 2008
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack basketball team is out to one of its best starts under head coach Lee Ann Riley, and will look to keep that streak alive against a very tough Baylor squad that has an identical 2-0 record. The ninth-ranked (ESPN/USA Today Top 25 Poll) Lady Bears are coming off an impressive 81-65 victory over No. 2 Stanford last Sunday. Friday's game against the Lady Bears is slated to begin at 7 p.m. from the Ferrell Center in Waco.
SFA vs. the Lady Bears: The Ladyjacks are 15-4 (.789) all-time against the Baylor Lady Bears, and have won three consecutive game in the series. Friday's game will be the first meeting between the two schools since the 1996-97 season when SFA recorded a 96-73 victory.
Tough Slate: Friday's game against No. 9 Baylor is the first of three games the Ladyjacks will play against team's ranked in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 poll, and one of two against teams among the nation's top 10. SFA will also face No. 7 Texas A&M, and No. 20 Auburn.
2-Oh: Despite the fact that SFA is only two games into the 2008-09 season, the Ladyjacks are off to their best start since the 2000-01 season. If the Ladyjacks knock off Baylor it would be the program's first 3-0 start since the 1998-99 season. SFA also started that year with a season-opening victory against Prairie View A&M.
249 Down, One to Go: With her team's 10-point win over Houston Baptist, SFA head coach Lee Ann Riley is only one win away from another coaching milestone. Riley currently has 249 career wins, and needs only one more victory to record her 250th all-time win.
Being Offensive: For a second consecutive game, the Ladyjacks have had four players finish in double figures. Compare that to last season when SFA had four players finish in double digits only seven times all season. Junior Whitney Cormier leads the squad averaging 13.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in the team's two games.
Being Offensive, Pt. II: The Ladyjacks were 30-of-65 (.462) from the field against Houston Baptist. It is the highest shooting percentage for a Ladyjack squad since they connected on 36-of-73 (.493) shots against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi during the 2006-07 season.
The Defense Doesn't Rest: The Ladyjacks have been active defensively in their first two games. SFA has averaged 10 steals, and forced its opponent into 20 turnovers per game during that time.
Rookie Opportunities: Two Ladyjacks recorded their first regular-season action of their careers Monday evening against Houston Baptist. Cambria Smith played 13 minutes, scored five points, pulled down three rebounds, dished out an assist and recorded a steal. Classmate Courtney Conwright played six minutes scored four points and pulled down two rebounds.
Up Next ... The Ladyjacks will be back in action Monday, Nov. 24th, when they return home to host Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane are 1-0 on the season, but will face Missouri State and Oral Roberts before traveling to Nacogdoches. Monday's game against the Lady Bears is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. from the William R. Johnson Coliseum.
