Ladyjack Game Notes: vs. Rice
12/19/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 19, 2011
Rice at Stephen F. Austin
Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011 • 7:00 p.m. (CST)
William R. Johnson Coliseum • Nacogdoches, Texas
Radio: None • TV: None • Online: www.sfajacks.com
Ladyjacks
Record: 8-2
Last 5/Streak: 3-2/L1
Coach: Brandon Schneider
Career: 328-100 (14th season)
At SFA: 20-20 (2nd season)
SID: Kenny Bybee
E-Mail: bybeeka@sfasu.edu
Web: www.sfajacks.com
Owls
Record: 5-5
Last 5/Streak: 2-3/W1
Coach: Greg Williams
Career: 295-244 (19th season)
At Rice: 94-105 (7th season)
SID: Jay Jameson
E-Mail: jj7473@rice.edu
Web: www.riceowls.com
FOR STARTERS
After starting the season 7-0, the Ladyjacks have dropped two of their last three, including their first home loss of the season. Tuesday's game against Rice marks the final home non-conference game of the season for SFA and will be the last home game of the calendar year. The Ladyjacks still remain tied with McNeese State for the best non-conference record (8-2) in the Southland Conference and sit atop the West division standings.
LAST TIME OUT
Despite a valiant comeback in the game's final minutes, the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks came up just short in a 69-64 loss to Arkansas State Saturday evening at William R. Johnson Coliseum. Freshman sophomore Annette Davis led SFA (8-2) with a career high 15 points, followed by 11 from senior guard Tammara Marion but it wasn't enough to overcome 17-point performances from Arkansas State's (5-6) Jane Morrill and Ashley Olvera and the Ladyjacks suffered their first home loss of the season.
THE OWLS
After a 13-day break, Rice defeated Texas State 73-66 and saw the return of its leading scorer and rebounder, Jessica Kuster. Kuster had missed the two games in the Gene Hackerman Invitational with an injured foot. Kuster averages 19.9 ppg and 12.8 rpg, to lead Rice.
THE SERIES
The two teams are tied 3-3 all-time and Rice won last year's matchup 59-54 in Houston. The Owls have won three of the last four meetings.
COVERAGE
Saturday's game will be available online at www. sfajacks.com.
UP NEXT
The Ladyjacks will travel to SMU on Dec. 30, followed by a road game at Tulsa on Jan. 1. SFA's next home game will not be until Jan. 11 when they host Central Arkansas in the first home conference game of the season.
DAVIS FINDING A GROOVE: Sophomore forward Annette Davis has come on strong in her last two games. The Houston, Texas native and Kansas University transfer set new career-highs in points (15), field goals (5), rebounds (6) and steals (4) in SFA's 69-64 loss to Arkansas State. That performance came on the heels of an 11-point outing against UTPA the previous game.
RAINING THREE'S: With five more made three-pointers against the Red Wolves on Saturday, the Ladyjacks now sit 27th in the nation in trifecta's made per contest (7.2). Overall SFA has made 72-of-220 long balls attempted and leads the Southland Conference in makes per game. Senior Tammara Marion, who connected on a season-high six three-pointers at Southern Miss back in November, leads SFA with 29 made threes this year and is 20th in the country at 2.9 makes per game. Marion, who is SFA's all-time leader in 3pt. made (202) and 3pt % (.380) is just 24 long distance attempts away from tying the school record (555) in attempts held by Kirby Killingsworth.
DOING IT WITH D: Although SFA is shooting just 35 percent and averaging 62 points per game (9th in SLC), the Ladyjacks are more than making up for their struggles on the defensive side of the ball. SFA ranks third in the league in scoring defense (55.0 ppg) and is first overall in rebounding margin (+3.8). The Ladyjacks have yet to lose (7-0) when allowing 59 points or less and are third in the conference in blocks per game (3.8).
A FIRST FOR CONWRIGHT: It took until her senior season, but in her 80th game as a Ladyjack and with 1,733 minutes of action, Courtney Conwright fouled out for the first time in her career. The DeSoto, Texas native picked up her fifth foul with 27 seconds remaining in the game against Arkansas State. The Mansfield Timberview High School graduate is averaging a team-best 3.9 assists per game for SFA.
