Women's Basketball | 11/28/2019 10:00:00 AM

Stiff Test Awaits Lady Braves At Daytona Beach Invitational

Alcorn Game Notes | Live Stats | Live Video
 
LORMAN, Miss. – The Alcorn State University women's basketball program will participate in the Daytona Beach Invitational this Friday and Saturday, matching up with power-five opponents Ole Miss and Clemson.

The Lady Braves (3-4) lead the NCAA in steals (113), steals per game (16.1) and turnovers forced per game (31.14) while ranking top-25 in turnover margin (7.86) and fronting the SWAC with 87 assists.

Senior Jada Hargrove has been as close to automatic on her free throws as you can get, knocking down 19-of-20 (.950), the 11th-highest mark in the nation. Hargrove also ranks top-35 in steals at 16 to go along with topping the conference in points (88). The Rosedale, Georgia native is the club's leading scorer at 12.6 per contest and assister with 20.

Junior LaRae Rascoe finds herself inside the top-15 nationally with 21 steals and top-40 in steals per game at 3.00. Rascoe has been the primary deep-ball threat for the purple and gold, knocking down nine triples so far.

Sophomore Diamond Hall moved up the national steals rankings once again, falling inside the top-25 for steals with 18.

"We are looking forward to the challenge of playing both a SEC and ACC opponent over two days. This will be a great test to see where we are mentally and also to put our defense against some of the best division one collegiate women's basketball players," said head coach Courtney G. Pruitt. "All-in-all, I know we'll leave Florida a better team."

Ole Miss (4-2) has taken home victories over Mississippi Valley State, Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana Tech and Sam Houston State while falling to New Orleans and Southern Miss.

The Rebels possess similar strengths to that of Alcorn's, placing top-five in the SEC for steals (59), steals per game (9.8), assists (91) and assists per game (15.2). The red and blue are stout defensively, ranking top-35 in turnovers forced a night (22.00).

Deja Cage is Ole Miss' best shooter, hitting .482 percent of her shots, ranking top-50 in the country with 108 points, averages 18.0 points per contest and has buried 15 triples on the year.

Dominique Banks patrols the paint for the Rebels, knocking down 14 shots for a 2.33 per game average, top-25 in the country in both statistics.

The University of Mississippi's defense hinges on the play of Valerie Nesbitt who is top-ten nationwide with 22 steals and top-20 with a 3.67 average a night.

Clemson (2-4) came away victorious in its battles against Furman and Alabama State while dropping tilts to Navy, Alabama, Penn State and #5 South Carolina.

The Tigers come into the tournament with one of the best rim protectors in the ACC, Kobi Thornton. Thornton, an All-ACC selection, is fifth in the conference with eight blocks to go along with some impressive offensive numbers such as a .536 field-goal percentage and a 15.2 points per game average.  

NOTES
- This will be the 16th meeting between the Lady Braves and Rebels on the hardwood, with Alcorn defeating Ole Miss 70-66 during the 1979-80 season.

- Alcorn will face off with Clemson for only the second time as the Tigers won the previous meeting 66-58 in the 2000-01 campaign.

- LaRae Rascoe continues to be a huge offseason acquisition for the Lady Braves, notching six double-digit scoring nights in seven tries and has had four straight contests with ten or more. Rascoe is averaging 10.9 points a contest while tallying a team-best 21 steals since transferring over from Ancilla College.

- Jada Hargrove has remained hot, notching five double-figure scoring performances and tops the club at 12.6 points per night. Hargrove holds the team lead at 20 assists through seven games.

- Aysha Kirkland fronts Alcorn in the rebounding department, pulling down 30 overall for a 4.3 per game average.

- Diamond Hall and Jamaysha Bernard both top the Lady Braves in blocks as they've swatted three apiece.

- Pruitt revamped her coaching staff for 2019-20 with the additions of Andre Payne and Mike Pittman. Payne last served as Mississippi Valley State's Men's Basketball Head Coach where he made four SWAC Tournaments and coached two All-SWAC performers. Pittman spent last season at Paul Quinn and led the Lady Tigers to the USCAA Final Four. Also on staff is student assistant De'Asia Brown. She led Alcorn in points per game (12.3) and three-pointers (38) last season.

#FearTheBrave