(AGENPARL) – MONROE (LOUISIANA), ven 22 gennaio 2021
ULM (2-8 overall, 0-4 Sun Belt Conference) at Texas State (4-5 overall, 1-3 Sun Belt Conference)
4 p.m. Friday, January 21 | Watch: ESPN+ | Listen: KMLB.com | Live Stats
4 p.m. Saturday, January 22 | Watch: ESPN+ | Listen: 105.7 FM/540 AM KMLB, KMLB.com, TuneIn app | Live Stats
Game Notes
MONROE, La. – ULM and Texas State meet up for the first time in 2020-21 when the Warhawks visit the Bobcats on Friday and Saturday at Strahan Arena in San Marcos. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. each day.
ULM lost both games this past weekend to Arkansas State, 64-50 on Friday and 59-44 on Saturday. Texas State did not play last weekend. The Bobcats were set to entertain Little Rock, but the games were postponed due to COVID-19 concerns within the Little Rock program. Texas State last played on Jan. 8 and 9, dropping a pair of games at Arkansas State, 54-53 and 70-54.
Both games will be televised by ESPN+, with Brant Freeman (play-by-play) and Suzanne Fox (analyst) on the call. The games will also air on the Warhawk Radio Network from Learfield IMG College. Friday’s game will air exclusively on kmlb.com while Saturday’s broadcast will air on 105.7 FM/540 AM KMLB, kmlb.com and the TuneIn app. Mike Hammett will have the call of both games.
ULM shot 50% from the field in Friday’s loss to Arkansas State. It marks the second time this season the Warhawks have shot 50%. ULM shot 20-of-40 from the field on Friday and knocked down 31-of-62 shots against Louisiana College on Dec. 6.
The Warhawks excelled on the defensive end of the floor in both games of the series against Arkansas State. The Red Wolves led the Sun Belt Conference at 79.3 points per game entering the series. ULM limited A-State to 64 points on Friday and 59 points on Saturday. It is the second and third fewest points the Red Wolves have scored in a contest this season.
Senior guard/forward Whitney Goins scored in double figures in both games against Arkansas State. Goins tallied 11 points in Friday’s series opener before leading the team on Saturday with 10 points. It is the third and fourth time this season Goins has scored 10 or more points. She had scored five total points over the previous five contests.
Texas State (4-5, 1-3 Sun Belt) did not play last weekend after the series against Little Rock was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns within Little Rock’s program. The Bobcats last played at Arkansas State on Jan. 8-9, losing 54-53 and 70-54. Texas State opened the Sun Belt Conference slate with a 71-63 win over the Ragin’ Cajuns before dropping the series finale, 67-41.
The Bobcats are one of the top defensive teams in the Sun Belt, allowing 60.2 points per game to rank third in the conference.
Da’Nasia Hood leads the Bobcats at 16.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Hood ranks third in the SBC in scoring and fourth in rebounding. She has topped 20 points three times, doing so against SMU, Lamar and the Ragin’ Cajuns. She earned a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds in the season-opener at New Orleans.
Kennedy Taylor is second on the team in scoring at 10.9 points per game. Kennedy has scored in double figures six times. She also leads the team in assists (4.8 pg.) and steals (2.4 pg.) and is a 39% shooter from 3-point range.
Lauryn Thompson is the third Bobcat scoring in double figures at 10.6 points per game. She has scored in double figures in five of the last six games, and is averaging 13.3 points per game inside SBC play.
SUN BELT COACHES TO HONOR LEE-MCNELIS
Sun Belt Conference women’s basketball coaches will wear black and gold ribbons this weekend to show support of Southern Miss women’s basketball head coach Joye Lee-McNelis, who was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. ULM coach Brooks Donald Williams spent four seasons as an assistant coach for McNelis, first at Memphis in 2003-04 before following her to Southern Miss from 2004-07. McNelis is in her 17th season at USM and 30th season as an NCAA Division I head coach. She started her coaching career as an assistant at Texas State from 1984-86.
DEFEND THE NEST
ULM excelled on the defensive end of the floor in the weekend series against Arkansas State at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. A-State entered the series ranked first in the Sun Belt Conference in field goal percentage (45.4%), assists (18.5 pg.) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2), and second in scoring offense (79.3 ppg.). On Friday, ULM held the Red Wolves to 64 points, 37.8% shooting (17-of-45), eight assists and 19 turnovers. On Saturday, the Warhawks gave up just 59 points as A-State shot 33.3% (21-of-63) from the field with 10 assists and 13 turnovers. The 64- and 59-point outings mark two of the three lowest scoring outputs in a game by the Red Wolves this season. Going back to the Jan. 9 contest at UT Arlington, in which ULM limited the Mavericks to 33.3% (21-of-63) shooting, the Warhawks have held their opponents under their season field goal percentage in three consecutive contests.
GETTING DEFENSIVE
ULM is among the top teams in the Sun Belt Conference and nation in keeping the opponent’s shooting percentage down. The Warhawks rank third in the SBC and 79th in Division I in field goal percentage defense (37.2%) and fourth in the SBC and 52nd nationally in 3-point field goal percentage defense (26.7%).
CROCKETT CONTINUES TO CONTROL THE BOARDS
Senior Kierra Crockett continues to be one of the top rebounders in the Sun Belt Conference and NCAA Division I. Crockett is averaging 9.6 rebounds per game, which ranks second in the Sun Belt and 46th in the nation. She ranks third in the SBC in defensive rebounds (6.3 pg.) and fourth in offensive rebounds (3.3 pg.). She has tracked down at least seven rebounds in all nine of 10 games this season. She has topped 10 rebounds in a game four times this season and 11 times in her ULM career.
Crockett bounced back on Saturday vs. Arkansas State with eight points and 14 rebounds in nearly 36 minutes against the Red Wolves. In Friday night’s contest, Crockett was limited to two points and four rebounds and played just 14 minutes due to foul trouble. It was the first time all season Crockett was held to less than seven rebounds in a game.
Crockett collected a career-high 15 rebounds, including 11 in the first half and seven in the first quarter, to go with eight points on Jan. 9 at UT Arlington. Crockett opened the weekend series with the Mavericks with six points and eight rebounds at UTA on Jan. 8.
Crockett pulled down seven rebounds Dec. 17 at Louisiana Tech and eight boards Dec. 15 vs. Mississippi Valley State, including six offensive rebounds. Crockett has tallied at least seven rebounds in all six contests and has at least four offensive rebounds in three of the last four games.
Crockett posted her first double-double of the season and the third of her ULM career Dec. 12 at Northwestern State. She scored a career-high 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting and made all six of her free throw attempts. She matched a career-high with 13 rebounds, with eight on the offensive end, in 32 minutes of action Saturday. She had nine rebounds against Grambling State and added seven boards against Louisiana College. She collected a game-high 11 rebounds in 27 minutes in the season-opener at Arkansas.
She is also known for posting social media videos showcasing her musical talent. Crockett took violin lessons while growing up and is a self-taught piano and guitar player.
CLEANING THE GLASS
Through 10 games, ULM is one of the top rebounding teams in the Sun Belt Conference and in NCAA Division I. The Warhawks rank fifth in the SBC and 75th nationally with 40.5 rebounds per game. ULM is fourth in the Sun Belt in defensive rebounds with 28.9 per game.
The Warhawks pulled down 58 rebounds on Dec. 6 against Louisiana College, which was the highest rebounding total for ULM in a single game since grabbing 63 boards against Centenary on Nov. 11, 2016.
Senior forward Kierra Crockett leads the team at 9.6 rebounds per game, while senior Diamond Brooks averages 4.5 boards and freshman forward Tasionna McDowell averages 4.1 rebounds per game. 10 of the 12 Warhawks to play this season are averaging at least 2.3 rebounds per game.
BRIMZY’S BURST
Junior guard Kierra Brimzy has led ULM in scoring in six of her first nine career games as a Warhawk. The Natchitoches, Louisiana, native led the Warhawks with 13 points on Friday vs. Arkansas State.
Brimzy scored in double figures in her first six games of the season. She paced the Warhawks with 16 points at UT Arlington on Jan. 8 and at Louisiana Tech on Dec. 17. She scored 13 points against Mississippi Valley State on Dec. 15.
Brimzy played in her hometown on Dec. 12, scoring a season-high 24 points while pulling down five rebounds and handing out an assist against Northwestern State. Brimzy scored eight points in the first quarter to help the Warhawks to an early 18-6 lead and had 22 points over the first three quarters.
Brimzy led ULM with 11 points against Grambling. She made her ULM debut on Dec. 6 vs. Louisiana College, leading the team with 15 points while adding a rebound and an assist.
Brimzy leads the team in scoring at 13.7 points per game. She ranks eighth in the Sun Belt Conference in scoring.
Brimzy sat out the 2019-20 season following a transfer from Tyler Junior College. She averaged 14.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists as a sophomore with the Apache Ladies in 2018-19. She averaged 13.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game as a freshman in 2017-18.
GOINS BOUNCES BACK
Senior guard/forward Whitney Goins snapped out of a statistical slide on the offensive end of the floor against Arkansas State. After scoring in double figures in two of the first three games of the season, Goins totaled five points over the next five contests while shooting 2-of-23 (1-of-14 3FG) from the field in that stretch. Head coach Brooks Donald Williams speaks highly of Goins work ethic and time spent in the gym. Her hard work and stick-to-itiveness paid off against the Red Wolves. Goins knocked down a pair of 3-pointers in the first quarter on Friday night, cutting an early 7-point A-State lead to one. She finished with 11 points to tie Gara Beth Self for second on the team. The next afternoon, Goins led the Warhawks with 10 points and canned two more treys.
Goins opened her senior campaign with 11 points and three 3-pointers at No. 16 Arkansas on Dec. 3 and added 10 points with a pair of treys vs. Grambling on Dec. 10.
DIAMOND IN THE POST
Senior Diamond Brooks saw a significant increase in her role in the post in 2019-20. Brooks moved into the full-time starting center position, playing in all 29 games while starting 28 last season. She nearly tripled her scoring average to 8.0 points per game while increasing her rebounding average by 2.3 boards per game to 5.9. Brooks averaged 26.0 minutes per game as a junior after averaging just 13.9 minutes per game as a sophomore.
Brooks scored 11 points in just eight minutes vs. Louisiana College on Dec. 6. She matched her season-high with 11 points and added five rebounds at Northwestern State on Dec. 12. She set a new season-high with nine rebounds vs. Mississippi Valley State on Dec. 15. She led the team with 10 points in the weekend finale at UT Arlington on Jan. 9.
SELF IMPROVEMENT
Sophomore Gara Beth Self saw her numbers drastically improve after taking over the starting point guard position for the remainder of the 2019-20 season in the final non-conference game of the year vs. Mississippi Valley State. Self was handed the reigns after senior point guard Lauren Fitch suffered a season-ending injury at Texas Tech. Self flourished inside of Sun Belt Conference play, averaging 12.8 points and 2.5 assists over 34.5 minutes per game. She scored in double figures in 12 of 18 conference games, including an eight-game streak from Jan. 8 to Feb. 5. Self scored a career-high 28 points on the strength of 5-of-11 3-point shooting and added two rebounds, three assists and five steals at then-Sun Belt leading Coastal Carolina on Feb. 27. Self was named Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year and Honorable Mention All-Louisiana by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.
Self broke into double figures for the first time in 2020-21 at Northwestern State, scoring 12 points, seven in the fourth quarter, and handing out five assists against the Lady Demons. She followed it up with 14 points and four assists vs. Mississippi Valley State on Dec. 15. Self tallied 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting with three steals, two assists and one rebound in 25 minutes before suffering an apparent knee injury late in the third quarter Friday vs. Arkansas State.
GATTE RETURNS
Junior guard Maddi Gatte made her 2020-21 season debut in the series at UT Arlington. Gatte missed the first six games of the season while recovering from offseason surgery.
Gatte played five minutes in her season debut Jan. 8 at UT Arlington, coming up with three rebounds and two blocked shots. On Saturday, Gatte played six minutes, scoring her first points of the season on a baseline jumper while adding a steal. Against Arkansas State, Gatte played 12 minutes on Friday with a season-high six points and a steal. In Saturday’s series finale, Gatte played a season-high 22 minutes with four points and a season-best four rebounds, two assists and a steal.
Gatte suffered the loss of her 16-year-old brother Brennon on Nov. 16 due to complications from hydrocephalus. He was a junior at Iota (La.) High School, where he played football, ran track, was involved in powerlifting, maintained an A average and was in the honors program. To honor Brennon’s life, the ULM women’s basketball team wears his football jersey number, 45, on the back of its shooting shirts.
VAN SCHAIK PROVIDES SPARK VS. MISSISSIPPI VALLEY
Sophomore guard Linda van Schaik played a huge role in ULM’s rally on Dec. 15 vs. Mississippi Valley State. Van Schaik entered the game for the first time at the 4:08 mark of the third quarter with ULM trailing 42-27. The native of South Holland, Netherlands, proceeded to score 16 of ULM’s final 24 points to lead the team in scoring on the night. She shot 5-of-7 from the floor and 3-of-5 from 3-point range.
Van Schaik knocked down two 3-pointers and three free throws in the third quarter to help bring ULM within five at the end of the quarter, 45-40. In the fourth quarter, van Schaik hit a third trey and had a pair of layups that brought ULM within two points of MVSU each time.
Van Schaik has scored in double figures twice this season after scoring 11 points vs. Louisiana College on Dec. 6. Through eight games, she is averaging 5.9 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.
FRESH PERSPECTIVE
Six freshmen have played minutes early in the season for ULM. Hannah Edwards, Morgan Hill, Tasionna McDowell, Kyren Whittington, Gracen Williams and Sadie Williams all made their season debuts at Arkansas on Dec. 3. Through 10 games, Whittington leads the freshmen at 4.4 points per game and scored a season-high 13 points at Louisiana Tech on Dec. 17. McDowell is grabbing 4.1 rebounds per game. Gracen Williams is handing out 2.5 assists per game. Edwards is averaging 0.9 blocks per game.
BLOCK PARTY
The Warhawks are one of the top shot blocking teams in the Sun Belt. ULM is fourth in the SBC at 3.3 blocks per game, and ranks fifth in the conference with 33 blocked shots. The Warhawks have blocked multiple shots in nine of 10 games this season.
ULM blocked five shots in the series opener at UT Arlington on Jan. 8. Sophomore Maddi Gatte had a pair of blocked shots in her season debut.
ULM had four blocks Dec. 12 at Northwestern State, led by two from senior forward Kierra Crockett. The Warhawks had three rejections against Grambling State on Dec. 10. ULM came up with nine blocked shots on Dec. 6 against Louisiana College. The Warhawks were led by senior Whitney Goins and freshman Hannah Edwards with three blocks each.
Edwards has swatted six shots this season to lead the team. Freshman Morgan Hill is tied for 13th in the Sun Belt Conference at 0.6 blocks per game.
WARHAWKS RETURN FROM LAYOFF
The Jan. 8 game against UT Arlington marked ULM’s first game in 22 days due to COVID-19 concerns within the Warhawk women’s basketball program. It was the longest in-season layoff for ULM since a 23-day break in the nonconference schedule in the 1994-95 season (Dec. 6 – Dec. 29). ULM had three games postponed due to COVID-19: McNeese State (Dec. 21) and at Arkansas State (Jan. 1-2).
Fonte/Source: https://ulmwarhawks.com/news/2021/1/21/womens-basketball-ulm-heads-to-texas-state-for-weekend-series.aspx
