Game Notes
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Alcorn State University women's basketball program competes in its first of two classics this season as the Lady Braves square off with Southern Miss and Stephen F. Austin this Friday and Saturday in the Lady Eagle Thanksgiving Classic, held at Reed Green Coliseum.
"We're definitely a lot smaller than Southern Miss," said head coach Courtney G. Pruitt. "They're a big athletic team. We've got to make sure we handle their size by taking care of the ball and get back to shooting like we did in the first three games. We size up a little better with Stephen F. Austin, however we don't have a long time to turn around and prepare. We've got to execute against a good defensive team and work together to get back into the win column for both games."
Alcorn is led by senior guards Tia Sanders and Alexus Freeman with 19.5 points and 16.3 points per game, respectively. The pair has combined for 15 three-pointers through the team's first four games. Senior forward Miracle Rushing is close to averaging double-digit scoring with 9.8 points and is the team's leading rebounder with 36 boards (9.0 per game).
As a team, the Lady Braves are averaging 73.2 points (+12.0 scoring margin), 44.8 rebounds (+8.3 rebounding margin), 14.8 assists, 10.3 steals, and 2.5 blocks per contest. Alcorn is shooting 40.9 percent (110-269) from the field, including 33.8 percent (25-74) from long-range, and 68.6 percent (48-70) from the free-throw line.
Southern Mississippi | Nov. 24 | 6 p.m.
The Lady Eagles enter the Classic sporting a 3-1 record and are coming off a 91-56 loss to No. 7 Mississippi State last Sunday. Megan Brown and Shonte Hailes led the way with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Molly Brown followed with eight points, while Jayla King and Kyle Felton each finished with six. King led the team on the glass with six rebounds.
Hailes is the team's leading scorer with 17.0 points per game. She and teammate Allie Kennedy are the deep threats with four three pointers each. King is averaging a double-double with 13.3 points and 10.0 rebounds per contest.
As a team, Southern Miss is averaging 72.0 points (+6.5), 43.2 rebounds (+8.8), 11.5 steals, and 4.3 blocks per game. The Lady Eagles are shooting 45.8 percent (110-240) from the floor, 25.5 percent (13-51) from beyond the arc, and 67.1 percent (55-82) from the charity stripe.
Stephen F. Austin | Nov. 25 | 2 p.m.
The Ladyjacks are 2-1 this season and defeated Howard Payne 105-35 on Nov. 18. Stevi Parker recorded a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double to lead the team. Also in double figures were Marissa Banfield with 14 points, Alyssa Mayfield with 13, and Lovisa Brunnberg with 11.
Parker is averaging a double-double with 13.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. Chanelle Hayes follows with 10.0 points per outing. Banfield is the go-to option from long-range with five deep balls, followed by Hayes with four.
SFA is netting 75.3 points per game with a scoring margin of +19.3. The Ladyjacks own a +2.7 rebounding margin, are scoring 21.7 points off turnovers, and make 11.0 steals and 2.3 blocks per contest. The team is shooting 41.8 percent (79-189) from the field, 28.6 percent (18-63) from deep, and 64.1 percent (50-78) at the line.
NOTES
- The Lady Eagles are 1-0 against SWAC teams this season with an 84-9 win over Mississippi Valley State on Nov. 16. Southern Miss hosts Alabama State on Saturday to conclude the Classic.
- Friday's game marks the ninth meeting in the all-time series, with Southern Miss holding a 5-3 advantage. Alcorn's last win over the Lady Eagles was a 90-79 final in the 1991-92 season.
- SFA's 105 points scored against Howard Payne are a program-high under head coach Mark Kellogg, beating the 96 points scored against McNeese last season on January 2. It was the Ladyjacks' first 100-point performance since a 101-59 win over Texas A&M Commerce in '13-14, and highest team point total since the '96-97 season when the 'Jacks bested Lamar 115-57.
- Saturday's game is the 10th in the all-time series and first meeting since Dec. 7, 2007. SFA leads 8-1, with Alcorn's lone victory an 88-74 decision during the 1983-84 season.
- The 41-point margin of victory over Blue Mountain College was Alcorn's largest since a 104-30 win over Arkansas Baptist on Dec. 4, 2004.
- With the loss at Central Arkansas, Alcorn is 1-1 this season against Southland Conference opponents. The only other meeting with a Southland team is Saturday's game with the Ladyjacks.
- UCA led for 32:48 and was ahead by as many as 25 (7:51 in the third quarter). Both are season highs by an opponent.
- Sanders and Freeman combined for just 17 points against the Sugar Bears. It marked their fewest combined total so far this season.
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