SFA Looks to Carry Momentum Through Season Finale
3/5/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 5, 2010
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack basketball team (17-9/12-3 SLC) heads to San Antonio, Texas, to close out the 2009-10 regular season looking to lock up a share of the Southland Conference regular season title. The Ladyjacks have locked up the No. 2 seed, and still have an outside shot at the top overall seed. SFA needs to defeat the Roadrunners, and have Nicholls defeat Lamar to earn the top overall spot. Saturday's game, which was originally scheduled for 2 p.m., will tip off at 4 p.m. from the Convocation Center.
Coaches: Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack head coach Lee Ann Riley is 148-114 (.565) in her ninth season in Nacogdoches. She is 279-172 (.619) in her 15th season as a head coach. UTSA head coach Rae Rippetoe-Blair is 176-116 (.603) in her 10th season with the Roadrunners. She is 283-160 (.639) in her 14th season as a head coach.
SFA vs. the Roadrunners: The Ladyjacks are 31-8 (.795) all-time against UTSA, but the Roadrunners have seen their share of success in the series lately. The 'Runners have won three of the last four, and six of the last nine meetings in the series lately. UTSA recorded a 65-51 decision against the Ladyjacks in the only meeting between the two schools last season.
Career Highs: The best way to describe sophomore Tammara Marion's performance Wednesday night was, "on fire." The Houston, Texas, native was 10-of-15 (.667) from the floor, including 7-of-8 (.875) from beyond the arc, and finished the game with a career-high 25 points.
Record-Breaking Performance: Sophomore Tammara Marion drilled a career-high seven triples against Central Arkansas. Marion tied a school record with her performance becoming the fifth Ladyjack in school history to knock down seven threes in a game, and the first since Stephanie Whitmore in December of 1998.
Records are Meant to be Broken: The Ladyjacks were one three-pointer shy of tying a new team single-game record against Central Arkansas, but with their third three-pointer of the game the Ladyjacks set a new single-season record for three pointers. SFA enters Saturday's game with 189 triples shattering the mark of 179 set during the 2005-06 season.
Playing With Fire: It can be argued that SFA has been playing with fire in its last two games. Last Saturday, the Ladyjacks fouled an 82 percent free throw shooter with 1.8 seconds remaining, and leading by only two points. The Islanders' Jade Davis missed the first of two, and SFA left Corpus Christi with a one-point win. Wednesday evening, SFA fouled Megan Herbert with 7.1 seconds remaining. Herbert completed the three-point play to give the Sugar Bears a one-point lead, but the Ladyjacks had one final response in that game as well, and that was a game-winning three by Tammara Marion as the buzzer sounded.
Up Next ... The Ladyjacks will be in Katy, Texas Tuesday to open play in the 2010 State Farm Southland Conference Championships. The final seeding for the tournament will be determined by Saturday's games.
-SFA-
