Women’s Hoops Preview – at UWG, VSU

Thursday, Feb. 20 at West Georgia, 4:30 p.m. CST
Saturday, Feb. 22 at Valdosta State, 1 p.m. CST

WHERE
Thursday's contest against the University of West Georgia will take place in Carrollton, Georgia at The Coliseum. Saturday's matchup at Valdosta State University will take place in Valdosta, Georgia at The Complex.

LINKS VS UWG
Audio (ESPN 104.9) | Video | Stats

LINKS VS VSU
Video | Stats

WEST ALABAMA
The Tigers are 10-13 overall, 5-12 in the Gulf South Conference heading into the week and currently on a four game slide. The team dropped but games last week as a comeback attempt fell short against Christian Brothers Thursday night 66-65 and Union pulled away Saturday for a 70-54 win. UWA is 2-7 away from Pruitt Hall this season.

WEST GEORGIA
The Wolves are 14-8 on the season, 7-9 in league competition and have lost three straight contests. Last Thursday, West Georgia fell on the road 84-49 to Lee. The team hosted Alabama Huntsville Saturday and suffered a 79-71 home loss. UWG is 7-5 at home this season.

VALDOSTA STATE
The Lady Blazers enter the weekend 16-8 as the season winds down, 8-8 in the GSC and are currently on a two-game losing slide. The team dropped both games of the Mississippi swing with a road loss to Mississippi College last Thursday 76-55 and a Saturday loss to Delta State 73-51 also on the road. VSU will host Montevallo this Thursday before the Tigers come to town and is 11-3 at home.

COACHES
Rusty Cram is 63-98 (.391) in his sixth season at West Alabama, 326-361 (.475) in his 25th season as a collegiate head coach. Scott Groninger is 134-142 (.486) in his tenth season at West Georgia, 230-235 (.495) in his 17th season as a collegiate head coach. Deandra Schirmer is 16-8 (.667) in her first season as a collegiate head coach.

UWG STAT LEADERS
Scoring: Ashley Lee, 12.9
              Taylor Brown, 12.2
              Edley Drawhorn, 11.9
Rebounding: Ashley Lee, 7.9
Assists: Zaria Bankston, 2.2
FG% (Min. 5 FGA pg): Taylor Brown, .461 (95-206)
3FG% (Min 2 FGA pg): Kylah Mize, .404 (36-89)
FT% (Min. 3 FTA pg): Ashley Lee, .875 (70-80)

VSU STAT LEADERS
Scoring: Kayla Bonilla, 17.8
               Cheray Saunders, 15.0
Rebounding: Cheray Saunders, 6.0
Assists: Kayla Bonilla, 3.7
FG% (Min. 5 FGA pg): Cheray Saunders, .474 (135-285)
3FG% (Min 2 FGA pg): Nari Garner, .393 (42-107)
FT% (Min. 5 FTA pg): Kayla Bonilla, .783 (90-115)

UWA STAT LEADERS
Scoring: Tazsa Garrett-Hammett, 15.4
               Bria Dent, 14.9
Rebounding: Bria Dent, 11.9
Assists: Naelyn Rios, 2.5
              Jala Williams, 2.5
FG% (Min. 5 FGA pg): Tazsa Garrett-Hammett, .547 (135-247)
3FG% (Min 2 FGA pg): Jada Golden, .273 (36-132)
FT% (Min. 3 FTA pg): Bria Dent, .765 (52-68)

NEW OPPONENT, WHO DIS?
For the first time this month, the Tigers are playing a new opponent when the team travels to West Georgia Thursday. Since Jan. 23, UWA played the exact same opponents in reverse order in terms of weekends on the schedule. West Alabama went 3-9 during the stretch of games.

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL
While the light is dim on the GSC Championship Tournament chances for West Alabama, the Tigers are not officially eliminated from the postseason tournament. UWA will need to win out and have help from other teams, but there is a chance this squad can make the tournament as the eighth seeded team. Remaining on the schedule are the teams currently slotted sixth (Valdosta State), seventh (Mississippi College) and eighth (West Georgia).

DIMINUTIVE DYNAMO
Standing at a reported 5-foot even, VSU's Kayla Bonilla doesn't seem like she'd be one of the top scorers in the GSC, but she is in fact the third leading scorer in the conference at 17.8 points a game. The junior guard has crossed the 20-point mark nine times this season with the highest total being 29 against UWA in Pruitt Hall Gymnasium on Jan. 4.

STILL ELITE
Bria Dent is tied for ninth in NCAA Division II in double-doubles with 15 in 23 games so far this season. Jamiyah Johnson from Davis & Elkins leads the country with 21 double-doubles in 24 contests while Danielle Norquest leads the GSC and is second in the country with 20 double-doubles in 26 games. Dent is also one of four players in the country averaging a double-double this season and is the only one listed as a guard.

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Players Mentioned

#2 Bria Dent: G; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#1 Tazsa Garrett-Hammett: G/F; 5' 11"; Junior

#10 Jala Williams: G; 5' 5"; Sophomore

#3 Naelyn Rios: G; 5' 6"; Freshman

#4 Jada Golden: G; 5' 9"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#2 Bria Dent
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: G

#1 Tazsa Garrett-Hammett
: 5' 11"; Junior
: G/F

#10 Jala Williams
: 5' 5"; Sophomore
: G

#3 Naelyn Rios
: 5' 6"; Freshman
: G

#4 Jada Golden
: 5' 9"; Junior
: G