A-State Women’s Basketball Notes

Courtesy ASU Athletics Department

Arkansas State (5-7, 2-1) at South Alabama (7-5, 0-3)

GAME INFORMATION

Date: Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012

Tip-Off: 5:05 p.m. CST

Location: Mobile, Ala.

Arena: Mitchell Center (10,000)

TV: N/A

Radio: East Arkansas Broadcasters

95.3 FM The Ticket (Jonesboro)

970 AM KNEA (Jonesboro)

Radio Talent: Brad Bobo (Play-by-Play)

SERIES

Series: 27-10, Arkansas State

Series (In Mobile): 11-6

Current Streak: ASU, 2 Losses

Last Meeting: March 3, 2012

(62-38, ASU)

Boyer Record vs South Ala.: 11-8

MULTIMEDIA

Online Audio: AStateRedWolves.com

Live Stats: AStateRedWolves.com

QUICK SHOTS

• This season will mark the 39th for women’s basketball at Arkansas State.

• The Red Wolves have an all-time record of 191-130 against league teams.

• After starting the season with five straight losses, the Red Wolves have won five out of their last seven contests and are on a three-game winning streak.

• A-State recently completed a stretch where it played four games in seven days. ASU emerged 3-1 from the stretch, which included three straight home victories.

• This will be the the 38th meeting all-time between the Red Wolves and the Jaguars with A-State holding a 27-10 series edge.

• A-State shot a season high 59.6 percent from the field against Louisiana-Lafayette on Dec. 22. That mark missed the all-time record by just 3.6 precentage points, which was set last season against UT-Martin.

• ASU has won four straight home contest and has lost just one game in December.

• Q McDowell has moved into 13th place on ASU’s all-time steals list with 155 for her career.

• Freshman guard Jalen O’Bannon made the first start of her career against Austin Peay and has started in every game since.

• Sophomore Hanna Qeden set career highs in points (12), blocks (3) and steals (3) in the victory over Austin Peay on Dec. 17.

• Q McDowell has started in 87 straight games.

• A-State has knocked down a 3-pointer in 101 straight games.

• Jane Morrill recorded her second career double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds against Southeast Missouri State.

• Junior Jane Morrill was voted a second-team SBC All-Conference selection after leading ASU in both scoring and rebounding last season.

• ASU is in its 19th season of competition in the Sun Belt Conference.

• Brian Boyer is in his 14th season as the head coach of the ASU women’s basketball team. He is the only coach in ASU history (men’s or women’s) to win 200 games and is the school’s all-time winningest basketball coach.

• Junior forward Jane Morrill was selected as a first-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection by College Sports Maddness.

• Seven of ASU’s 15 players are from the state of Arkansas. The list includes Hanna Qedan, Andi Watson, Jessica Flanery, Sandy Jackson, Xena King, Lindsey Killough and Brittney Gill.

• Sonja Tate joined the ASU coaching staff over the summer, returning to ASU where she played from 1990-93. She still holds records in six statistical categories at ASU.

• Brian Boyer is 103-95 all-time against non-conference opponents.

ASU-SOUTH ALABAMA HISTORY

• This will be the the 38th meeting all-time between the Red Wolves and the Jaguars with A-State holding a 27-10 series edge.

• The Jaguars have won the last two meetings, including knocking ASU out of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament last season.

• A-State has had success in Mobile, gathering 11 wins in 17 trips to the Jaguars home arena.

• Brian Boyer has a 11-8 all-time record against the Jaguars.

• The Jaguars have taken four out of the last five games in the series.

SCOUTING THE JAGUARS

• South Alabama enters the game with a 7-5 record, but has lost its last two games to Central Florida and Arkansas-Little Rock.

• South Alabama won its first four games to start the season, but has gone just 2-4 in its last six games.

• The Jaguars are off to an 0-3 start in conference play. After dropping road losses to Florida Atlantic and Florida International in November, South Alabama lost to Arkansas-Little Rock 49-40 at home on Dec. 22.

• Mary Nixon is the team’s leading scorer with 13.3 points per game, but played only 23 minutes against the Trojans after missing the game against Central Florida with a knee injury.

• Ronneka Robertson is the team’s leading rebounder with 7.3 boards per game.

• Head Coach Rick Pietri is in his 13th season at South Alabama and has a 210-158 career record.

SHOOTING LIGHTS OUT

• ASU shot a season high 59.6 percent from the field against Louisiana-Lafayette on Dec. 22.

• That mark missed the all-time record by just 3.6 precentage points, which was set last season against UT-Martin.

• A-State shot 64.3 percent from the field against the Ragin’ Cajuns in the second half, which was its high field goal percentage in a half this year.

• The game also marked the third time the Red Wolves had shot over 50 percent in a game this season. ASU is 2-1 in games it shoots over 50 percent, with its only loss coming at Florida Atlantic.

• The Red Wolves finished with seasons highs in points, field goal percentage and field goals made against ULL.

DISHING IT OUT

• Ashley Olvera dished out a season high 9 assists, missing her career high by just one.

• Ashley Olvera has a 29 game active assist streak dating back to the 2011-12 season.

• As a team, A-State had a season high 19 assists in the game.

• She ranks 24th in ASU’s all-time career assists list with 149 for her career. Latanya Jones (1994-97) is 23rd with 155 for her career.

O’BANNON UNBEATEN AS A STARTER

• ASU is 3-0 since freshman Jalen O’Bannon has been inserted into the starting lineup.

• Against ULL, O’Bannon went 6-for-6 from the field and scored a career-high 13 points.

• Her 6-for-6 day for the field is tied for the highest field goal percentage by an ASU player in the Convocation Center in school history. Only four other players, with a minimum of five attempts, have gone perfect from the field.

WATSON LIGHTS IT UP FROM OUTSIDE

• Senior Andi Watson had a career day from beyond the 3-point line against the Ragin’ Cajuns. She hit three straight 3-pointers and finished the game 3-for-5 from beyond the arc.

• Her previous career high in 3-pointers made in a game had been two, and before the Dec. 22 game she had made just eight 3-pointers in her career.

PROTECTING HOME COURT

• ASU is currently on a four game winning streak at the Convocation Center.

• After losing its first two games to Wichita State and Southeast Missouri State, the Red Wolves have rolled off wins against Central Arkansas, Austin Peay, Nicholls State and Louisiana-Lafayette.

• During the streak, ASU’s average margin of victory has been 17.5 points.

LEADER OF THE PACK

• Junior Jane Morrill has lead ASU in scoring eight times this season. She has been the leading scorer in three of A-State’s four wins and has scored in double-digits in every game this season.

• She has also been the team’s leading rebounder eight times this season.

• Against Austin Peay, Morrill set a career high with 11 free throws made. She also sent a career high with 15 free throw attempts.

• Morrill has posted back-to-back 20 point games. She scored 21 points against Nicholls State and then added 22 against Louisiana-Lafayette. She has crossed the 20-point mark three times this season.

WINNING AND WINNING BIG

• ASU’s 31-point victory over Austin Peay was its largest margin of victory over an opponent since the 2008-09 season when it defeated Northern Arizona 71-40.

• The last time ASU defeated an opponent by a larger margin was the 2006-07 when it defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff 87-55 for a 32 point victory.

QEDAN’S QUEST

• Sophomore Hanna Qedan had a career night against Austin Peay on Dec. 17. She set career highs in points (12), blocks (3) and steals (3).

• She set a career-high with seven rebounds against Florida Atlantic on Dec. 1 and was one rebound away from tying that career against Austin Peay.

• She is currently third on the team in rebounding average with 4.0 per night.

• She knocked down a career-high three, 3-pointers against Wichita State.

DOWNTOWN FLANERY

• Freshman forward Jessica Flanery has made the most of her limited opportunities this season. She is averaging just 3.3 minutes in for games this season, but has drained four 3-pointers on the year.

• She drained three, 3-pointers against Austin Peay on 3-of-4 shooting for a career-high 9 points.

HITTING THE BOARDS

• Junior sophomore Carlisha Wyatt pulled down a career high 14 rebounds against Austin Peay.

• She is second on the team with 5.9 rebounds per night.

TURNOVERS INTO POINTS

• In ASU’s five victories this season the Red Wolves have taken advantage of their opponents mistakes. ASU has forced their opponents into 99 turnovers in those games and has scored 112 points off those turnovers.

A STATISTICAL NIGHT TO REMEMBER

• A-State set several season highs against Austin Peay. The Red Wolves set season highs in points (75), field goals made (29), 3-pointers made (5), 3-point field goal percentage (.417) and tied season highs in steals (11) and blocked shots (4).

• The ASU defense held Austin Peay to an opponent season low 44 points and also held the Lady Governors to just 17 made field goals, also an opponent season low for A-State.

FRESHMAN CONTRIBUTIONS

• ASU has had six freshman see playing time this season.

• Jalen O’Bannon has seen the most time, averaging 16.3 minutes per game and 5.2 points per contest.

• Sandy Jackson is averaging nearly 11.0 minutes per game, while Khadija Brown-Haywood has played in seven of ASU’s eleven games. Xena King has played in nine games and Jessica Flenery has seen action in five games.