Stephen F. Austin
3-1,0-0Southland
Jackson State University
0-2,0-0SWAC
Ladyjacks Surge Past Jackson State, 88-58
12/3/2020 9:23:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Marissa Banfield named Player of the Game finishing with 20 points, netting six 3-pointers.
NACOGDOCHES, Texas --
An evenly matched 1st quarter kept the spectators engaged as the Ladyjacks applied a light full-court pressure to give themselves a spark after the Tigers scored the first two buckets of the game. A Zya Nugent 3-pointer put the home team on the board at the 7:34 mark, with another trey from Marissa Banfield 30 seconds later evening the contest at 6-6, with fast break layups from Stephanie Visscher and Alyssa Mayfield to close out the spurt shifting into the first media timeout. Both squads were even in the turnover category with seven apiece, but the competition was fluent in the air on both ends.
Nugent opened up the 2nd quarter communicating a backdoor pass for a layup from Aaliyah Johnson, followed by quick buckets from Nugent and Johnson forcing a Jackson State timeout with the score at 21-16. Tarsharian Robinson jumped out of the timeout with a corner 3-pointer of her own to boost the Ladyjacks to their largest advantage of the half at 24-16, but Jackson State's Ameshya Williams traded baskets with a post-move on the block with just under seven minutes to go. SFA's lead was then cut to 24-23 after a jumper from JSU's Dayzsha Rogan, but a quick Banfield triple boosted SFA's lead back to four at 27-23. The offense rolled as the half moved forward with eight Ladyjacks appearing in the box score, led by Banfield with 11 points (4-5 FG) including three triples. SFA had a 41-36 edge at the half.
Jackson State took a 44-41 lead early in the 3rd quarter, and a SFA timeout was called after the Tigers' mini-stretch. Banfield hit another 3-pointer to tie the game back at 44-44 with 6:05 on the clock after a made free-throw from JSU, and came down the floor to make another basket beyond the arc giving the Ladyjacks another slim lead at 47-45. Once again, the sharp shooter swished another 3-pointer making it 50-45, forcing a Jackson State timeout. As the ballgame progressed, Jackson State continued to be a threat keeping their deficit under double-digits. The Ladyjacks were able to hold onto their 59-53 lead heading into the final possession of the quarter, moving the score to 61-53 after a put-back layup from Avery Brittingham as the game- clock expired to wrap up the 3rd quarter.
SFA's lead was pushed out to 10 after a slashing layup from Avery Brittingham to start the 4th quarter to give Coach Kellogg's squad a 63-53 lead. A few possessions later, Visscher rebounded the basketball after a JSU missed basket, and went coast to coast for a layup setting the Ladyjacks up for a 65-53 lead. Visscher kept her own momentum going making back-to-back 3-pointers, and the Ladyjacks stretched the game out to a 20-point ballgame, 73-53. The Ladyjacks outscored the Tiger's 27-5 in the 4th quarter, with 33 points off the bench to JSU's 7 points. Banfield was named Player of the Game finishing with 20 points (6-9 3-PT.), Stephanie Visscher with 16 points (5-10 FG), Zya Nugent scoring 11 points (4-8 FG) and adding five assists, along with Tasharian Robinson chipping in 11 points (5-12 FG). SFA improves to 3-1 on the year.
The Ladyjacks are back in action against UT-Dallas on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. inside William R. Johnson Coliseum. Tickets for the 2020-21 home season of SFA basketball are on sale now. To purchase, visit sfatickets.com or call the SFA ticket office at 936-468-5225. Stay tuned to sfajacks.com and the SFA women's basketball social media platforms for the most up-to-date information on schedule changes as the 2020-21 season progresses.
