Ladyjack Game Notes: at Nicholls State
2/6/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 6, 2012
Stephen F. Austin at Nicholls State
Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012 • 6:30 p.m. (CST)
David R. Stopher Gym (3,800) • Thibodaux, La.
Radio: Q107.7 FM • TV: None • Online: www.geauxcolonels.com
Ladyjacks
Record: 15-6, 5-3
Last 5/Streak: 3-2/W-1
Coach: Brandon Schneider
Career: 335-104 (14th season)
At SFA: 27-24 (2nd season)
SID: Kenny Bybee
E-Mail: bybeeka@sfasu.edu
Web: www.sfajacks.com
Colonels
Record: 12-10, 5-4
Last 5/Streak: 3-2/W-1
Coach: DoBee Plaisance
Career: 182-302 (17th season)
At NIC: 26-80 (4th season)
SID: Jamie Bustos
E-Mail: jamie.bustos@nicholls.edu
Web: www.mcneesesports.com
FOR STARTERS: With a win over McNeese State, the Ladyjacks (5-3) stayed within striking distance of the Southland Conference West division lead and are now tied with Texas State (5-3) for second place and only a half game back of division-leading Sam Houston State. SFA has eight games reamining in SLC play before the tournament begins March 6-9 in Katy, Texas.
LAST TIME OUT: On the heels of allowing 95 points in a stinging loss at Texas State, the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks responded Saturday with an impressive 66-58 victory over the defending Southland Conference champion and current co-conference leading McNeese State Cowgirls, 66-58 at William R. Johnson Coliseum. SFA got the job done offensively as a unit with five Ladyjacks scoring six or more points, including double-figure efforts from Tammara Marion (15 points), Porsha Roberts (13 points) and Brittney Matthew (10 points).
THE COLONELS: Nicholls State shot 63 percent in the second half as the Colonels defeated West Division leading Texas State, 83-74, at the Strahan Coliseum in Southland Conference action on Saturday afternoon. Senior Sumar Leslie led the Colonels (12-10, 5-4) with a game-high 29 points.
vs NICHOLLS STATE: The Ladyjacks have dominated the all-time career series with the Colonels by a 38-3 margin. SFA lost at home to Nicholls last season, 75-62, but had previously beaten the Colonels six consecutives times prior.
COVERAGE: Saturday’s game vs Nicholls State will be available via live stats on www.geauxcolonels.com.
UP NEXT: SFA returns home this Saturday, Feb. 11 for a rematch against UTSA. Tipoff is at 6 p.m.
HALFWAY THERE: The Ladyjacks once again proved that establishing a lead and taking it into halftime is a very positive sign for this year’s squad. SFA improved to a spectacular 13-0 when leading at halftime with their 66-58 victory over McNeese State Saturday.
EFFICIENT MARION: Senior guard Tammara Marion once again led SFA in scoring in their previous victory with 15 points and did so in a very efficient fashion. The Houston, Texas native put up only seven shots from the field (her second lowest attempts of the year), and made 3-of-4 from beyond the arch. Marion is making a strong case for a first-team all-conference selection by averaging 15.4 ppg (6th in SLC), 2.9 assists (12th), .810 free throw percentage (4th), .399 3pt. percentage (2nd), 2.7 3pt. per game (1st) and 32.8 minutes per contest (8th).
TAKING DOWN THE POWERHOUSES: The Ladyjacks became the first team in the Southland Conference other than Central Arkansas to beat the Cowgirls in league play in the last two years. The Cowgirls entered Saturday ranked 12th in the mid-major polls. SFA also knocked off Central Arkansas (15th) at home earlier this year, and is still UCA’s only league loss of the season.
MATTHEW PLAYING STEADY AS A STARTER: Although she has struggled with her shot (.289), freshman point guard Brittney Matthew is slowly becoming a steady force for the Ladyjacks, especially running the offense. The Houston, Texas native is averaging 9.2 points and 6.2 assists per game since becoming a starter on Jan. 25 at Sam Houston State. Matthew has recorded five or more assists in four of her past five contests.
UPCOMING PROMOTIONS: The Ladyjacks will have quite a bit going on at William R. Johnson in the upcoming games, beginning with Girl Scout Night this Saturday where all Girl Scouts will get free admission in the game against UTSA. The Feb. 18 game against Texas State will be the annual ‘Think Pink’ night in awareness of breast cancer where pink t-shirts (from Barnes & Noble) and bracelets will be distributed. Finally, the Feb. 29 contest against Sam Houston State will be for the Academic Shootout where fans can make pledges per point.
RECORD WATCHES: With six made three-pointers, only one short of a personal best, against Southern Miss (11/26/11), senior guard Tammara Marion became the all-time leader in made three-pointers (184), passing former Ladyjack Dayna Reed’s previous record of 178. Marion also tied the all-time school record for three-pointers attempted on 1/14 at UTSA by launching her 555 trifecta, tying the previous mark held by Kirby Killingsworth.
PARTY IN THE CUSA: With their back-to-back wins over Rice (68-64) and SMU (66-60), and their win over Southern Miss earlier this season, the Ladyjacks have defeated three Conference USA squads in a season for the first time since the 2006-07 campaign when SFA knocked off Southern Miss, Louisiana Tech and Tulsa.
PRESEASON POLLS: With one of the top recruiting classes in the nation, the Ladyjacks earned four first-place votes in the coaches’ poll and three more in the SID poll and a second-place finish; however, each poll has UTSA in the top spot in the league’s West Division.
MARION PRESEASON ALL-SOUTHLAND: Tammara Marion was named to the all-Southland Conference preseason first team on Wednesday while the Ladyjacks were selected to finish second in the SLC West according to the preseason polls of league coaches and sports information directors. Marion, who was a second team all-conference selection last year, ranked third in the conference in 2010-11 in scoring (16.1).
800-WIN CLUB: The Ladyjacks (865 wins) became the sixth member of an exclusive club with their 73-40 victory over Sam Houston State in 2007-08. SFA became only the sixth women’s program in NCAA Division I history to record 800 wins. The Ladyjacks joined 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. Tennessee Tech also joined the 800-win club in 2008-09.
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