Stephen F. Austin

Feb. 16, 2006

The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack basketball team will look to rebound from its disappointing 68-67 setback at Nicholls State Saturday when it hosts McNeese State. The Ladyjacks enter the game with a 15-7 (.682) overall record and are currently second in the Southland Conference with a 9-2 (.818) league mark. SFA has won four of its last five games and 10 of its last 12. McNeese State (10-12/4-7 SLC) seems to be heating up at the right time having won its last three contests. The game against the Cowgirls is slated to tip off at 7 p.m. from the William R. Johnson Coliseum.

SFA vs. the Cowgirls: The Ladyjacks have dominated the all-time series against McNeese State, owning a 35-7 (.833) record in the series. But McNeese State has had its fair share of success lately, winning three of the last five meetings. The two teams split the season series last year with each team winning on its home floor. The Ladyjacks recorded a 69-63 victory over McNeese earlier this season in Lake Charles, La.

Home Sweet Home: The Ladyjacks are one of the nation's all-time winningest teams at home, with a 339-85 (.800) all-time record. The Ladyjacks have won 75 of their last 89 games at home and are a perfect 8-0 at home this season.

Ladyjack Academic Shootout: The Ladyjacks' game against McNeese State will also be the team's annual Academic Shootout. A pledge table will be set up at the front gate of the William R. Johnson Coliseum where fans can make a pledge for every point the Ladyjacks score or they can pledge a flat rate. The funds raised from the game go to help pay for Ladyjack summer school scholarships.

Double-Double: Senior LaToya Mills continues to post career numbers in her final season in the purple and white uniform. Mills scored a team-high 17 points and pulled down a team-high 13 rebounds in the victory over Louisiana-Monroe. She followed that up with a 23-point, 13-rebound game against Nicholls State. It marks the 10th time this season that a Ladyjack has recorded a double-double. It is the eighth time this season, and the 27th in her career that Mills has reached the accomplishment.

From Way Downtown: The Ladyjacks knocked down seven three-pointers against Nicholls State. It marks the 10th time this season that the Ladyjacks have hit at least seven three-pointers in a game. The Ladyjacks currently lead the Southland Conference averaging 6.45 three-pointers per game. SFA is also leading the conference shooting .376 from beyond the arc.

Offensive-Minded: The Ladyjacks were 27-of-63 (43 percent) from the field against Nicholls State. It marked the 15th time this season the Ladyjacks have shot at least 40 percent in a game. SFA is 12-3 (.800) in those games. The Ladyjacks currently lead the Southland Conference in scoring offense (72.4 points per game), and are second in the SLC in scoring margin (+8.8) and field-goal percentage (.427).

Chasing 20: The benchmark for a successful season in college basketball, in terms of wins, is 20. The Ladyjacks still have a shot at 20 wins in the 2005-06 regular season. The Ladyjacks will need to win all five of their remaining regular-season game to record win No. 20. If the Ladyjacks can win 20 games this season it would mark the first time SFA has won 20 games since the 2001-02 campaign. It would also be the Ladyjacks' 25th 20-win season since the school started tracking results during the 1972-73 season.

Magic Number: A great deal of the conference race is still yet to be played, but the Ladyjacks have already locked up a berth in SLC tournament. If the Ladyjacks win only two of their remaining five games it will lock up the fifth seed in the tournament. The Ladyjacks still have a shot at the SLC title and the league's No. 1 seed in the tournament, but they will need win their remaining five games and have Texas-Arlington lose at least one of its six remaining league contests.

Not Your Everyday Run of the Mills: Senior LaToya Mills is once again making a push for All-SLC honors. Mills is currently second in the SLC shooting 54 percent from the field, is second in the conference in scoring (17.0 points per game), second in rebounding (8.7 rpg) and is fourth in the league averaging 2.2 steals per game.

Arc Angels: Senior guards Kirby Killingsworth and Britany Vinson are among the school's all-time top five in three-point field goals. Killingsworth is second all-time at SFA with 161 career three-pointers. Vinson is currently fourth in the SFA record books with 138 triples.

Chasing the Record: Senior Kirby Killingsworth has an outside shot at becoming the school's all-time leader in three-point field goals. She is currently 17 behind all-time leader Dayna (Reed) Westbrook and needs to average 3.4 treys over the team's final five regular-season games to get the record.

Dialing Long Distance: Three current Ladyjacks are looking to put their names among the best three-point shooters in school history. If the season ended today senior Britany Vinson's .404 clip from beyond the three-point arc this year would place her third in the school's single-season top 10 list. Sophomore Nikki Carr is currently tied for fourth (.400) and senior Kirby Killingsworth is currently seventh (.376).

Nacogdoches Block Party: Junior Kendria Smith continues to move up the Ladyjacks' record books for career blocks. Smith is currently fourth all-time at SFA with 131 career blocks.

Up Next ... The Ladyjacks return to action Thursday Feb. 23 when they host Texas-San Antonio. The rematch with the Roadrunners is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in the William R. Johnson Coliseum. SFA will be in San Marcos, Texas, two days later to take on Texas State. The game against the Bobcats is slated to tip off at 4 p.m. in Strahan Coliseum.