Friday, November 25, 2011

MACON, Ga. - Nineteen women's basketball games are slated for play over the next week including the first three conference games of the season on Thursday, Dec 1st. Eight contests can be seen on ASun.TV.

• North Florida’s Brittany Kirkland continues her charge up the Atlantic Sun record books as her 1,256 career points ranks 39th-best all-time. Kirkland needs 30 points to take over 38th place from Stetson’s Lamilia Ford (1993-96).
• FGCU’s Kelsey Jacobson is only 13 points away from becoming the 91st women’s basketball student-athlete to reach 1,000 career points.
• Two current A-Sun student-athletes have already etched their names into the conference record books this season for career rebounds. Belmont’s Haley Nelson moved into 38th place for career boards with 643 after her five-rebound performance at Ohio. Kennesaw State’s Sametria Gideon appears in the record books already as a junior with her 571 boards. She ranks tied for 51st with ETSU’s Taronda Wiles (2006-10).
• Nelson also ranks 12th for career blocks with 140.
• Stetson captured the Winthrop Classic with a 3-0 record in the non-conference tournament with wins against Niagara, Bradley and Winthrop. The Hatters sits at 4-1 on the season and marks the best start for the program in 11 years.
• FGCU and Stetson both appeared in this week’s CollegeInsider.com Women’s Mid-Major Poll after their impressive weeks of play. The Eagles jumped up to No. 11 in the polls, while the Hatters received votes in the poll for the first time this season. FGCU’s 59-58 win against Michigan State was the program’s sixth against a BCS level opponent.
• Through five games this season, USC Upstate’s Tee’Ara Copney leads the A-Sun in scoring at 16.8 PPG. Last season, Copney’s former teammate Chelsea McMillan led the A-Sun in total points at 534 just ahead of Mercer’s Briana Williams at 522. Copney also leads all active A-Sun players with 17 career 20-point games.
• After five games, Mercer is led in scoring by two Williams as sophomore Briana Williams (10.4 PPG) and freshman Alicia Williams (8.2 PPG). Last season, B. Williams claimed the A-Sun Freshman of the Year honors.
• Despite being only a sophomore, ETSU’s Destiny Mitchell ranks third amongst A-Sun student-athletes with 11 career double-doubles. Her teammate Gwen Washington also ranks sixth amongst active players with five.
• Five of Lipscomb’s top-six scorers this season have increased their point production from last season. At 8.0 PPG this season, Morgan Faulkner has seen the biggest increase as last year she averaged only 1.7. Hannah Phillips, O’Neisha Smith and Haley Nelson have all increased their average by at least 2.5 PPG.
• Jacksonville faces Wake Forest on Friday, Nov. 25th. Last season, the Dolphins defeated the Demon Deacons, 72-66, for the program’s first win against an ACC foe since 2007.