Saturday, March 9
Nacogdoches, Texas
2:00 PM
Stephen F. Austin
vs
Sam Houston State
Piney Woods Rivalry Takes Center Stage Inside William R. Johnson Coliseum on Saturday
3/8/2019 11:49:00 AM | Women's Basketball
SFA and SHSU meet for 83rd matchup all-time
Ladyjacks vs. Sam Houston State
William R. Johnson Coliseum | Nacogdoches, Texas
Saturday, March 9th | 2:00 p.m.
ESPN3: Lincoln Rose (PbP) - Van Chancellor (Color)
2018-19 Media Guide | Watch | Listen | Live stats | Notes (PDF)
William R. Johnson Coliseum | Nacogdoches, Texas
Saturday, March 9th | 2:00 p.m.
ESPN3: Lincoln Rose (PbP) - Van Chancellor (Color)
2018-19 Media Guide | Watch | Listen | Live stats | Notes (PDF)
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The next chapter in a long and storied rivalry will be written on Saturday afternoon as the SFA women's basketball team takes on Piney Woods rival Sam Houston State inside William R. Johnson Coliseum. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. in Nacogdoches between the 24-5 (15-2 SLC) Ladyjacks and the 16-11 (11-6 SLC) Bearkats in what will be the final regular season finale for both Katy-bound programs.
The matchup will be a full production of the Southland Conference and will be shown on ESPN3, with Lincoln Rose and Van Chancellor providing color commentary and play-by-play analysis of the game's action. Fans can also tune into Q107.7 FM to hear a captivating call of the game's action by third-year man Bobby Mauro.
One offseason has made a world of difference for the Bearkats, who went from a last place finish a year ago to a spot as the conference's fifth/sixth seed heading into next weekend's tournament. In her first season at the helm, Ravon Justice has guided the Bearkats to their most wins since 2012-13 and has her squad ranked at the top of the league in scoring at 75.2 points per game. Guards Jaylonn Walker (15.2 ppg) and Jenniffer Oramas (12.7 ppg) lead the way for SHSU, while forward Lydia Baxter (10.7ppg/8.7rpg) gives them a strong presence in the frontcourt as well. Sam Houston State has thrived off their opponents miscues, ranking second in the league with 23.4 turnovers force per game.
Facing the Ladyjacks at home has never been an easy task for opponents, and it's been even harder this season, as the 'Jacks are 16-0 there and have held 14 opponents below the 60-point mark there this season. Fresh off a win over fourth-place Abilene Christian on Wednesday in which they Wildcats posted just 48 points in the contest, SFA is playing tenacious defense and home and has added incentive to win on Saturday with a share of the Southland Conference regular season title on the line if league-leading Lamar were to slip up against McNeese.
Saturday will also be a special day for the Ladyjacks as they recognize their three seniors on Senior Day. Chanell Hayes, Imani Johnson and Kia Fisker will be playing their final regular season home game at William R. Johnson Coliseum on Saturday, and will be recognized for their career achievements after the contest gets concludes. Hayes and Johnson have been mainstays of the team this season, averaging 13.9 and 12.4 points per game, respectively, to lead the team. The team also looks to get back to full strength, as Riley Harvey and Marissa Banfield work their way back from injuries. SFA's four-member freshmen class of Stephanie Visscher, Brianna Mitchell, Heaven Hamling and Aiyana Johnson each played their roles in the win over ACU, as they have done all season, and give SFA crucial depth heading into the conference tournament.
The Ladyjacks will be looking for their sixth straight victory over the Bearkats on Saturday and 70thoverall in the all-time series. SFA is 29-5 all-time against the Bearkats at home, and has won five straight inside William R. Johnson Coliseum against the Huntsville natives.
TIP-OFF TIDBITS
• While SFA has already clinched a top-two seed (and double bye) in the upcoming conference tournament, the order of seeding between SFA and Lamar is still up in the air pending Saturday's results. Not up in the air? SFA's 32ndstraight conference tournament appearance, which is a Southland Conference record.
• SFA's 57 conference wins over the past four seasons are the most of any program in the Southland Conference.
• Saturday will mark SFA's eighth appearance on ESPN3 this season. The Ladyjacks are 7-0 when playing on the network's tertiary station during the 2018-19 campaign.
• With one more victory this season, the Ladyjacks will clinch their third-straight 25-win season.
• SFA head coach Mark Kellogg currently sits just eight wins short of the 100-win mark at SFA and four wins shy of moving into fifth all-time at SFA for head coaching wins.
• SFA will also recognize two student managers with three or more years of service to the team as part of the Senior Day presentation. Kassie Ruzicka (Four years) and Aaron Beadle (Three years) will be recognized in a postgame ceremony.
-SFA-
The matchup will be a full production of the Southland Conference and will be shown on ESPN3, with Lincoln Rose and Van Chancellor providing color commentary and play-by-play analysis of the game's action. Fans can also tune into Q107.7 FM to hear a captivating call of the game's action by third-year man Bobby Mauro.
One offseason has made a world of difference for the Bearkats, who went from a last place finish a year ago to a spot as the conference's fifth/sixth seed heading into next weekend's tournament. In her first season at the helm, Ravon Justice has guided the Bearkats to their most wins since 2012-13 and has her squad ranked at the top of the league in scoring at 75.2 points per game. Guards Jaylonn Walker (15.2 ppg) and Jenniffer Oramas (12.7 ppg) lead the way for SHSU, while forward Lydia Baxter (10.7ppg/8.7rpg) gives them a strong presence in the frontcourt as well. Sam Houston State has thrived off their opponents miscues, ranking second in the league with 23.4 turnovers force per game.
Facing the Ladyjacks at home has never been an easy task for opponents, and it's been even harder this season, as the 'Jacks are 16-0 there and have held 14 opponents below the 60-point mark there this season. Fresh off a win over fourth-place Abilene Christian on Wednesday in which they Wildcats posted just 48 points in the contest, SFA is playing tenacious defense and home and has added incentive to win on Saturday with a share of the Southland Conference regular season title on the line if league-leading Lamar were to slip up against McNeese.
Saturday will also be a special day for the Ladyjacks as they recognize their three seniors on Senior Day. Chanell Hayes, Imani Johnson and Kia Fisker will be playing their final regular season home game at William R. Johnson Coliseum on Saturday, and will be recognized for their career achievements after the contest gets concludes. Hayes and Johnson have been mainstays of the team this season, averaging 13.9 and 12.4 points per game, respectively, to lead the team. The team also looks to get back to full strength, as Riley Harvey and Marissa Banfield work their way back from injuries. SFA's four-member freshmen class of Stephanie Visscher, Brianna Mitchell, Heaven Hamling and Aiyana Johnson each played their roles in the win over ACU, as they have done all season, and give SFA crucial depth heading into the conference tournament.
The Ladyjacks will be looking for their sixth straight victory over the Bearkats on Saturday and 70thoverall in the all-time series. SFA is 29-5 all-time against the Bearkats at home, and has won five straight inside William R. Johnson Coliseum against the Huntsville natives.
TIP-OFF TIDBITS
• While SFA has already clinched a top-two seed (and double bye) in the upcoming conference tournament, the order of seeding between SFA and Lamar is still up in the air pending Saturday's results. Not up in the air? SFA's 32ndstraight conference tournament appearance, which is a Southland Conference record.
• SFA's 57 conference wins over the past four seasons are the most of any program in the Southland Conference.
• Saturday will mark SFA's eighth appearance on ESPN3 this season. The Ladyjacks are 7-0 when playing on the network's tertiary station during the 2018-19 campaign.
• With one more victory this season, the Ladyjacks will clinch their third-straight 25-win season.
• SFA head coach Mark Kellogg currently sits just eight wins short of the 100-win mark at SFA and four wins shy of moving into fifth all-time at SFA for head coaching wins.
• SFA will also recognize two student managers with three or more years of service to the team as part of the Senior Day presentation. Kassie Ruzicka (Four years) and Aaron Beadle (Three years) will be recognized in a postgame ceremony.
-SFA-
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