MONROE, La. – The definition of resilience is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; after Thursday night's loss to Sun Belt opponent Little Rock, the ULM women's basketball team will look to show just how resilient they are when they travel to Arkansas State on Saturday (Jan. 5). Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. (CT).
Following the first conference game of the season, the Warhawk defense continues to compare well statistically against the rest of the Sun Belt Conference. ULM ranks first in scoring defense (57.9 points per game) and second in blocks (4.3 per game), field goal percentage defense (36.6) and three-point field goal percentage defense (24.7).
In Thursday's loss, junior transfer
Lauren Fitch continued to find her rhythm as she reached double figures for the sixth time in the last seven games. Fitch tallied 10 points to tie for the team lead. She also connected from 3-point range for the third straight game.
Sophomore
Whitney Goins made an impact late in the loss at Little Rock. Goins matched Fitch's 10 points to lead the team, scoring all 10 points in the fourth quarter. Goins finished 3-of-5 from the field, 1-of-3 from 3-point range and 3-of-4 at the free throw line. The effort marks just the second double-figure scoring game of the season for Goins and the third such contest of her career.
Arkansas State moved back to .500 on the season with their Sun Belt Conference opener win over the Ragin' Cajuns on Thursday, 87-75. The Red Wolves have won four of their last six games coming in to Saturday's contest.
Sophomore forward Peyton Martin has been a dynamic scorer for the Red Wolves, averaging 15.4 points per game. Martin also leads ASU in rebounding with 6.8 per game, and leads the team in blocks with seven on the season. Senior guard Akasha Westbrook is the other double-figure scorer for Arkansas State, posting 10.2 points per game. Westbrook is also second on the team in rebounding at 5.9 per game. She leads the team with 23 steals on the season
Saturday's game is the 43rd all-time meeting between the Warhawks and the Red Wolves. The Warhawks and Red Wolves met as members of the Southland Conference until Arkansas State departed the conference in 1987. The two have met in Sun Belt Conference play since ULM joined the league for the 2006-07 season.
HawkTalk with ULM head women's basketball coach
Jeff Dow and head men's basketball coach
Keith Richard airs Mondays beginning January 7th from 12-1 p.m. on SportsTalk 97.7, live from Geaux Wings (3600 Desiard Street, Suite 4, in Monroe). Warhawk women's basketball play-by-play announcer
Mike Hammett and men's basketball play-by-play announcer
Nick White serve as hosts for this live show that features insight from the two head coaches along with phone calls.
