Saturday, February 2
Huntsville, Texas
4:30 p.m.
Stephen F. Austin
at
Sam Houston State
Ladyjacks Travel to Huntsville for Piney Woods Clash with Rival Sam Houston State
2/1/2019 4:51:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Ladyjacks and Bearkats set to meet for 81st installment
Ladyjacks at Sam Houston State
Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum | Huntsville, Texas
Saturday, February 2 | 4:30 p.m.
2018-19 Media Guide | Watch | Listen | Live stats | Notes (PDF)
Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum | Huntsville, Texas
Saturday, February 2 | 4:30 p.m.
2018-19 Media Guide | Watch | Listen | Live stats | Notes (PDF)
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Up to this point in the season, the Ladyjacks have done a good job overcoming the challenges thrown their way. Injuries, youth and a myriad of tough, skilled opponents have tested the mettle of the Ladyjacks, and SFA has thrived to the tune of a 16-3 overall record and a 7-0 mark in conference play. SFA now travels to face rival Sam Houston State on Saturday, and the Bearkats (10-8, 5-3 SLC) stand as a much improved squad from a year ago.
Saturday's doubleheader between the SFA and SHSU basketball teams will begin at 4:30 p.m. with the tip of the women's game, and will be shown on ESPN3. Tom Franklin will call all the action on the video feed, but fans can also tune in to FM Q107.7 to hear audio sensation Bobby Mauro deliver a play-by-play of all the action as well.
Saturday's matchup pits the second-place Ladyjacks against the fourth-place Bearkats, a matchup that would've been hard to forsee coming off of last season. The 'Jacks swept both matchups with the rival 'Kats by comfortable margins, adding to an edge in the all-time series that now sits at 68-12 in favor of SFA. Picked to finish 13thin the Southland Conference Preseason Poll heading into the season, the Bearkats are instead thick in the hunt in the upper quarter of the league standings in the first season under new coach Ravon Justice. Justice, now in her third season as a head coach after two years at Prairie View A&M, has got the Bearkats in formidable shape on both sides of the ball.
Transfer guard Jaylonn Walker is a big reason why the Bearkats are in the position they are in, as she leads her squad with 15.3 points per game. Jenniffer Oramas returns after leading SHSU in points last season and averages 10.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and a team-high 4.2 assists. The Bearkats are one of four Southland Conference teams ranking within the top 25 nationally in steals per game (along with SFA) and average 11.7 swipes per game, helping turn their opponents over 23 times per game, on average. SHSU ranks lightly ahead of SFA in scoring average (73.6-71.7), but sits in the middle of the pack in scoring defense (65.4 ppg).
Through the first seven games of conference play, the Ladyjacks have been remarkably efficient, converting on a league-high 50.4 percent of shots from the field and 40.5 percent from beyond the arc. SFA has shown the ability to switch between torching opponents from the perimeter (7.8 3pt per game) or turning the Johnson sisters loose down low to devastating effect. All three Johnson sisters have been playing well for SFA through the first seven league games, with freshman Aiyana turning in four straight double-digit efforts on 70 percent shooting in SFA's recent stretch of games. When the ball moves outside thanks to SFA's excellent ball movement (17.3 assists per game), sharpshooters Chanell Hayes, Marissa Banfield and Heaven Hamling have all knocked down 20+ triples this season. Depth is a strength for the team as well, as the Ladyjacks have shooters and scoring at all five starting positions as well as off the bench.
While the non-conference pitted SFA against some tough road matchups to begin the season, the 'Jacks have begun to find their way on the road, with wins in five of their past six away from home.
TIP-OFF TIDBITS
• SFA ranks within the top five in most offensive categories in the Southland Conference, and ranks within the top 35 nationally in assists (34th), assists per game (20th), field goal percentage defense (25th), scoring defense (34th), steals (29th), steals per game (25th), and win-loss percentage (21st).
• The Southland Conference's top shooter* in conference play, Aiyana Johnson, has converted on 71.8 percent of her attempts from the field in conference play. Older sister Aaliyah has her beat, however, with a 78.9 percent clip (15-19). (*Based on FG per game minimums)
• The Ladyjacks are 20-5 in the past three seasons in games played in the month of February.
• Mark Kellogg is 6-1 against the Bearkats during his tenure at SFA.
• SFA is tied for 21st nationally in total wins this season with 16. Undefeated NC State has the top spot with a 20-0 record.
• Movin' on up has been the theme of the past few weeks for SFA in the collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll, as the 'Jacks are now ranked 22ndin the poll with 74 total votes.
• SFA is 27-3 in its last 30 Southland Conference regular season contests dating back to the 2016-17 season, and are 7-0 in league play this season.
-SFA-
Saturday's doubleheader between the SFA and SHSU basketball teams will begin at 4:30 p.m. with the tip of the women's game, and will be shown on ESPN3. Tom Franklin will call all the action on the video feed, but fans can also tune in to FM Q107.7 to hear audio sensation Bobby Mauro deliver a play-by-play of all the action as well.
Saturday's matchup pits the second-place Ladyjacks against the fourth-place Bearkats, a matchup that would've been hard to forsee coming off of last season. The 'Jacks swept both matchups with the rival 'Kats by comfortable margins, adding to an edge in the all-time series that now sits at 68-12 in favor of SFA. Picked to finish 13thin the Southland Conference Preseason Poll heading into the season, the Bearkats are instead thick in the hunt in the upper quarter of the league standings in the first season under new coach Ravon Justice. Justice, now in her third season as a head coach after two years at Prairie View A&M, has got the Bearkats in formidable shape on both sides of the ball.
Transfer guard Jaylonn Walker is a big reason why the Bearkats are in the position they are in, as she leads her squad with 15.3 points per game. Jenniffer Oramas returns after leading SHSU in points last season and averages 10.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and a team-high 4.2 assists. The Bearkats are one of four Southland Conference teams ranking within the top 25 nationally in steals per game (along with SFA) and average 11.7 swipes per game, helping turn their opponents over 23 times per game, on average. SHSU ranks lightly ahead of SFA in scoring average (73.6-71.7), but sits in the middle of the pack in scoring defense (65.4 ppg).
Through the first seven games of conference play, the Ladyjacks have been remarkably efficient, converting on a league-high 50.4 percent of shots from the field and 40.5 percent from beyond the arc. SFA has shown the ability to switch between torching opponents from the perimeter (7.8 3pt per game) or turning the Johnson sisters loose down low to devastating effect. All three Johnson sisters have been playing well for SFA through the first seven league games, with freshman Aiyana turning in four straight double-digit efforts on 70 percent shooting in SFA's recent stretch of games. When the ball moves outside thanks to SFA's excellent ball movement (17.3 assists per game), sharpshooters Chanell Hayes, Marissa Banfield and Heaven Hamling have all knocked down 20+ triples this season. Depth is a strength for the team as well, as the Ladyjacks have shooters and scoring at all five starting positions as well as off the bench.
While the non-conference pitted SFA against some tough road matchups to begin the season, the 'Jacks have begun to find their way on the road, with wins in five of their past six away from home.
TIP-OFF TIDBITS
• SFA ranks within the top five in most offensive categories in the Southland Conference, and ranks within the top 35 nationally in assists (34th), assists per game (20th), field goal percentage defense (25th), scoring defense (34th), steals (29th), steals per game (25th), and win-loss percentage (21st).
• The Southland Conference's top shooter* in conference play, Aiyana Johnson, has converted on 71.8 percent of her attempts from the field in conference play. Older sister Aaliyah has her beat, however, with a 78.9 percent clip (15-19). (*Based on FG per game minimums)
• The Ladyjacks are 20-5 in the past three seasons in games played in the month of February.
• Mark Kellogg is 6-1 against the Bearkats during his tenure at SFA.
• SFA is tied for 21st nationally in total wins this season with 16. Undefeated NC State has the top spot with a 20-0 record.
• Movin' on up has been the theme of the past few weeks for SFA in the collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll, as the 'Jacks are now ranked 22ndin the poll with 74 total votes.
• SFA is 27-3 in its last 30 Southland Conference regular season contests dating back to the 2016-17 season, and are 7-0 in league play this season.
-SFA-
Players Mentioned
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