Ladyjacks, Lady Privateers Square Off Saturday in Johnson Coliseum
12/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 11, 2008
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - After winning four of their first five games, the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack basketball team (4-4) will be looking to rebound from its current three-game skid Saturday against New Orleans. The Lady Privateers have rebounded from their own three-game slump to rattle off consecutive victories and enter Saturday's game with a 4-3 (.571) overall record. The game against the Lady Privateers is slated to begin at 6 p.m. from the William R. Johnson Coliseum. Saturday's contest will also mark the team's last game in front of the home fans for more than a month. The Ladyjacks will not be back in the William R. Johnson Coliseum until Wednesday, Jan. 14, when they host Central Arkansas in the Southland Conference home opener.
SFA vs. the Lady Privateers: Saturday's game will be the third time the two schools have met on the court. New Orleans has won the previous meetings, including a 74-69 decision in New Orleans last season. The Lady Privateers recorded a 69-66 decision in the inaugural meeting between the two schools during the 1983-84 season.
Tough Slate: The Ladyjacks have already faced a daunting non-conference slate to this point in ths season. SFA has played two teams ranked among the nation's top 10 (Baylor - 9th and Texas A&M 4th), and has one more team listed on the schedule that is currently ranked among the nation's top 25. The Ladyjacks will face No. 11 Auburn Saturday, Jan. 3.
Making the Switch: After spending the previous two seasons in the Southland Conference West Division, SFA will be switching to the league's east division taking the place of Lamar. The Lady Cardinals will be in the SLC West for the 2008-09, and the 2009-10 seasons.
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 810 wins. The Ladyjacks are also among the all-time top 10 with a .720 winning percentage (810-315).
Purple, White and Green: Senior Natashia Green is one of head coach Lee Ann Riley's top reserves off the bench. Over the course of the past two games Green has been the Ladyjacks' go-to player offensively. She is averaging 15.0 points per game during that stretch.
Career High: Sophomore Chantol Drennan tied a career-high when she pulled down 10 rebounds against Grambling State. It is the first time that a Ladyjack has grabbed double-figure boards since Nikki Carr pulled down 10 against Texas-San Antonio in the 2007-08 regular-season finale.
Early Freshman of the Year Candidate: It is still very early in the 2008-09 season, but freshman Tammara Marion is making an early bid for Southland Conference Freshman of the Year honors. Marion has scored in double figures in six of the team's eight games and currently leads the Ladyjacks averaging 10.8 points per game. The league's 19th ranked scorer, Marion's mark is currently third-best among all league rookies.
Unique Statistic: Saturday's game against Grambling State marked the first time this season that SFA has either outrebounded an opponent, or shot better than its opponent and not gone on to record the victory. The Ladyjacks outrebounded Grambling State by eight, 48-40, and shot 38.2 percent from the floor while holding GSU to 29 percent.
Overcoming the Disadvantage: Despite fourth-ranked Texas A&M's height advantage, the Ladyjacks were able to hang with the Aggies on the glass. SFA was only outrebounded by six for the game, and the Ladyjacks pulled down two more offensive rebounds (16) than their visitors from College Station.
The Defense Doesn't Rest: Despite its tough non-conference slate the Ladyjacks continue to be among the league leaders in terms of forcing their opponents into turnovers. The Ladyjacks have forced their opponents into 153 (19.1 pg) turnovers this season, which currently ranks second in the Southland Conference.
Converting Defense to Offense: The Ladyjacks have struggled during the early part of the 2008-09 season in an area where Lee Ann Riley's teams have excelled during her eight years on campus. That is the team's inability to convert its strong defense into easy offense. SFA has forced its opponents into 153 turnovers this season, but have managed only 106 points from those turnovers. Another area where the Ladyjacks have struggled has been in second chance points. The Ladyjacks have pulled down 131 offensive rebounds on the season, but have recorded only 89 second chance points.
Up Next ... The Ladyjacks will be on the road for five of their next six games, and will be away from the William R. Johnson Coliseum for more than a month beginning Friday, Dec. 19th, when they travel to Cancun, Mexico, to compete in the Cancun Caribbean Classic. The Ladyjacks will open the Cancun Classic with a 3:30 p.m. game against Missouri State on Friday, Dec. 19th. SFA will follow that up with a contest against San Francisco Saturday, Dec. 20. The game against the Lady Dons is slated to begin at 1 p.m.
