Game Notes | Live Stats
RUSTON, La. – After over a week off for the Christmas break, the Alcorn State University women's basketball program is back on the court Friday as the Lady Braves conclude non-conference play at Louisiana Tech. The game is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. tipoff at the Thomas Assembly Center.
After posting a 4-3 record in November, Alcorn is looking for its first win of the month. The squad faced tough competition at the Wichita State Winter Classic on Dec. 15-16 and dealt with early foul trouble in a loss at UL-Lafayette on Dec. 20.
The Lady Braves are led by senior guards
Tia Sanders and
Alexus Freeman with 17.1 and 15.3 points a game, respectively. The duo has combined for 42 long balls this season, while junior guard
Cloe Lane has made 11. Senior forward
Miracle Rushing is averaging 8.7 rebounds per contest to lead the team on the glass.
Alcorn is shooting 249-674 (36.9 percent) from the field, 60-200 (30.0 percent) from deep, and 102-162 (63.0 percent) at the charity stripe. The squad averages 66.0 points (-3.4), 39.0 rebounds (-2.6), 12.8 assists, 19.2 turnovers (+2.8), 11.6 steals, and 2.0 blocks per outing.
Louisiana Tech (8-4) is on a four-game winning streak and earned an 85-62 win over Houston Baptist on Dec. 21. Kierra Anthony scored 21 points in the win and Taylor Stahly added a career-high 19. The duo combined to hit eight of the Lady Techsters' 10 three-pointers. Also in double-digit scoring were Alexus Malone with 13 and Zhanae Whitney with 10.
Malone is the team's leading scorer with 13.7 points per game as well as the leading rebounder with 98 boards (8.2 per game). She adds a team-high 10 blocks and 21 steals. Following Malone in scoring are Anthony with 13.1 points and Stahly with 10.1. Anthony owns a team high 28 steals while Stahly is the go-to option from long-range with 31 long balls.
As a team, the Lady Techsters are shooting 287-669 (42.9 percent) from the floor, including 62-193 (32.1 percent) from beyond the arc, and 170-239 (71.1 percent) at the free-throw line. The squad is averaging 67.2 points (+7.8), 38.1 rebounds (+5.5), 14.7 assists, 19.8 turnovers, 9.7 steals, and 2.3 blocks per outing.
NOTES
- Louisiana Tech is 8-0 in the all-time series. The two programs last met during the 2005-06 season when the Lady Techsters prevailed 77-44.
- Friday's game is Alcorn's second against a Conference-USA opponent this season. The Lady Braves fell 72-67 to Southern Miss on Nov. 24 in Alcorn's first game at the Lady Eagle Thanksgiving Classic.
- With the win over Tougaloo College on Nov. 30, Alcorn posted a 3-0 home record in its non-conference portion of the schedule.
- The game at UL-Lafayette on Dec. 20 marked the first time all season that Alcorn didn't have a player reach double digit scoring.
- The Lady Braves were charged with eight fouls in the first quarter versus the Ragin' Cajuns last week, while ULL did not get called for a foul until 9:30 to play in the second.
- The Lady Braves lead the league in three-point field goal percentage defense (25.0) and three-point field goals made. The team is second in the SWAC in three-point field goal percentage (30.0), offensive rebounding (15.7 orpg), and offensive rebounding percentage (35.0).
- Freeman is tied atop the league standings with 5.0 assists per game while Sanders is tied for the lead in three-point field goal percentage (42.4).
- Appearing in just her third game this season, redshirt-sophomore guard
Brianna Tolliver played a season-high 16 minutes against the Cajuns and netted four points with two boards and a career-high four steals.
- Junior guard
De'Asia Brown saw 22 minutes at ULL and scored her first points as a Lady Brave with five. She added a rebound and a steal.
Quoting Head Coach Courtney G. Pruitt
On what to expect from the Lady Techsters and closing out the non-conference schedule
"We're expecting to see a very disciplined and well-coached La. Tech team that will certainly be a big challenge for us before conference play begins."
On Tolliver, Brown, and junior forward Ugochinyere Nwarie seeing more playing time
"Hopefully Tolliver is working herself into better shape and we're hoping to see the De'Asia we see in practice every day. If they ever get going, they can be a real asset to this team. Ada [Nwarie] is injured and likely won't be back the rest of the season."
#FearTheBrave
