Saturday, February 9
Nacogdoches, Texas
2:00 PM
Stephen F. Austin
vs
Lamar
Ladyjacks Set to Face Cardinals with First-Place On the Line on Saturday
2/8/2019 10:49:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Battle of SLC unbeatens set for Saturday afternoon
Ladyjacks vs Lamar
William R. Johnson Coliseum | Nacogdoches, Texas
Saturday, February 9 | 2:00 p.m.
2018-19 Media Guide | Watch | Listen | Live stats | Notes (PDF)
William R. Johnson Coliseum | Nacogdoches, Texas
Saturday, February 9 | 2:00 p.m.
2018-19 Media Guide | Watch | Listen | Live stats | Notes (PDF)
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The SFA women's basketball team faces stiff competition inside William R. Johnson Coliseum on Saturday, as a showdown between the Southland Conference's top two teams takes place. The Ladyjacks (18-3, 9-0 SLC) will tip-off with first-place Lamar (17-4, 10-0 SLC) at 2:00 p.m., the opening event of a doubleheader between SFA and Lamar's men's and women's basketball teams.
The game will be shown on ESPN3, with play-by-play provided by Bobby Mauro. Mauro's call will also be simulcast onto the airwaves via Q107.7 in the Nacogdoches area and nationwide on the TuneIn app.
Both teams involved in Saturday's contest come in with substantial momentum, having each won their past ten games and maintaining a perfect record in conference play. SFA has posted a conference-best 18 wins this season, one more than Lamar, but the Cardinals sit in first place in the league standings by virtue of having played one more conference game thus far. SFA has posted a 12-0 record at home this season, while the Cardinals have suffered three losses on the road and are 7-3 overall in such games.
Lamar and SFA rank fourth and fifth, respectively, scoring offense during league play at 73.4 and 72.4 points per game. The pair are also the top two in scoring defense, with SFA taking the top spot at 54.7 points allowed and Lamar in second with 56.6. The Ladyjacks are far and away leading the conference in field goal percentage (50 percent) and three-point shooting percentage (40.8 percent). The Ladyjacks also lead the conference in FG percentage defense (32.6 percent) and three-point shooting defense (24.1).
SFA has relied on balanced scoring and depth throughout the season for their success, rather than leaning heavily on any one player. Capable senior scorers Chanell Hayes and Imani Johnson carry the brunt of the Ladyjack offense at 14.2 and 12.5 points per game, respectively, and have combined for nine 20+ point outings between them. Hayes is one of three Ladyjacks who have knocked down 25 or more three-pointers this season, along with Marissa Banfield and Heaven Hamling. Johnson and her two younger sisters Aaliyah and Aiyana have given SFA an added punch down low during conference play, as all three sisters are converting on over 50 percent of their shots in league play. Alyssa Mayfield has given SFA a boost during their winning streak filling in for Riley Harvey in the starting lineup, while Harvey's return from injury on Wednesday night gives SFA its top rebounder back ahead of Saturday's contest.
Wednesday's victory was a milestone one for head coach Mark Kellogg, who became the first coach in program history to put together a 10+ game win streak in each of his/her first four seasons, an impressive feat considering the program's history of great coaches. Kellogg also continues to move up on SFA's win list for coaches, and is within reach of predecessor Brandon Schneider's 95 wins.
TIP-OFF TIDBITS
• SFA is ranked #22 in the Collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll, while Lamar is receiving votes.
• SFA has dominated the all-time series with the Cardinals to the tune of a 55-16 advantage, including wins in five of the last eight meetings.
• Aiyana Johnson and Imani Johnson ranks first and sixth, respectively, in field goal percentage during conference play this season. Aiyana has converted 35 of 54 attempts (.648), while Imani is 41 of 74 (.554) from the field during that stretch.
• Imani is also the Southland Conference's leader in three-point percentage during league play at 64.7 percent (11-17). Johnson knocked down a career-high 5-7 threes in the victory over HBU. Teammate Heaven Hamling ranks third in league play at 45 percent (9-20).
• While no one Ladyjack ranks within the league's top ten list for assists per game, the Ladyjacks are tops in the conference at moving the ball, with an average of 17.3 helpers per game.
• The Ladyjacks have distanced themselves heavily in the third quarter at home this season, outscoring opponents 274-117 in the frame and earning four come-from-behind victories due to big third quarter surges this season.
-SFA-
The game will be shown on ESPN3, with play-by-play provided by Bobby Mauro. Mauro's call will also be simulcast onto the airwaves via Q107.7 in the Nacogdoches area and nationwide on the TuneIn app.
Both teams involved in Saturday's contest come in with substantial momentum, having each won their past ten games and maintaining a perfect record in conference play. SFA has posted a conference-best 18 wins this season, one more than Lamar, but the Cardinals sit in first place in the league standings by virtue of having played one more conference game thus far. SFA has posted a 12-0 record at home this season, while the Cardinals have suffered three losses on the road and are 7-3 overall in such games.
Lamar and SFA rank fourth and fifth, respectively, scoring offense during league play at 73.4 and 72.4 points per game. The pair are also the top two in scoring defense, with SFA taking the top spot at 54.7 points allowed and Lamar in second with 56.6. The Ladyjacks are far and away leading the conference in field goal percentage (50 percent) and three-point shooting percentage (40.8 percent). The Ladyjacks also lead the conference in FG percentage defense (32.6 percent) and three-point shooting defense (24.1).
SFA has relied on balanced scoring and depth throughout the season for their success, rather than leaning heavily on any one player. Capable senior scorers Chanell Hayes and Imani Johnson carry the brunt of the Ladyjack offense at 14.2 and 12.5 points per game, respectively, and have combined for nine 20+ point outings between them. Hayes is one of three Ladyjacks who have knocked down 25 or more three-pointers this season, along with Marissa Banfield and Heaven Hamling. Johnson and her two younger sisters Aaliyah and Aiyana have given SFA an added punch down low during conference play, as all three sisters are converting on over 50 percent of their shots in league play. Alyssa Mayfield has given SFA a boost during their winning streak filling in for Riley Harvey in the starting lineup, while Harvey's return from injury on Wednesday night gives SFA its top rebounder back ahead of Saturday's contest.
Wednesday's victory was a milestone one for head coach Mark Kellogg, who became the first coach in program history to put together a 10+ game win streak in each of his/her first four seasons, an impressive feat considering the program's history of great coaches. Kellogg also continues to move up on SFA's win list for coaches, and is within reach of predecessor Brandon Schneider's 95 wins.
TIP-OFF TIDBITS
• SFA is ranked #22 in the Collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll, while Lamar is receiving votes.
• SFA has dominated the all-time series with the Cardinals to the tune of a 55-16 advantage, including wins in five of the last eight meetings.
• Aiyana Johnson and Imani Johnson ranks first and sixth, respectively, in field goal percentage during conference play this season. Aiyana has converted 35 of 54 attempts (.648), while Imani is 41 of 74 (.554) from the field during that stretch.
• Imani is also the Southland Conference's leader in three-point percentage during league play at 64.7 percent (11-17). Johnson knocked down a career-high 5-7 threes in the victory over HBU. Teammate Heaven Hamling ranks third in league play at 45 percent (9-20).
• While no one Ladyjack ranks within the league's top ten list for assists per game, the Ladyjacks are tops in the conference at moving the ball, with an average of 17.3 helpers per game.
• The Ladyjacks have distanced themselves heavily in the third quarter at home this season, outscoring opponents 274-117 in the frame and earning four come-from-behind victories due to big third quarter surges this season.
-SFA-
Players Mentioned
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