ULM Warhawks

MONROE, La. - ULM closes the non-conference schedule at 6 p.m. Monday when the Warhawks entertain McNeese State at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. The two teams have met at least once in 37 of the last 38 seasons, with the 2012-13 season being the lone exception. ULM leads the series 42-30.

Monday's game is the 73rd all-time meeting between ULM and McNeese. It is the second-most played rivalry for Warhawk women's basketball, trailing only Northwestern State (91 meetings).

ULM head coach Brooks Donald Williams will face her former team for the second time in her ULM career. Williams coached the McNeese Cowgirls for nine seasons, where she picked up 161 victories and led them to six postseason tournament appearances, including back-to-back NCAA Tournaments in 2011 and 2012.

The Warhawks limited Louisiana Tech to just 2-for-22 shooting from 3-point range (9.1%) in Thursday night's game in Ruston. ULM ranks second in the Sun Belt Conference in 3-point field goal percentage defense, allowing opposing teams to shoot just 23.0% from deep over the first six games of the season.

ULM junior guard Kierra Brimzy has led the Warhawks in scoring in four of her five career games. Brimzy paced the Warhawks again on Thursday at LA Tech with 16 points.

McNeese State (0-7 overall, 0-0 Southland Conference) plays its penultimate non-conference game of the season Monday night against ULM. The Cowgirls have played six of their first seven games on the road this season.

Divine Tanks paces the Cowgirls, averaging 7.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, leading the team in both categories. Claralee Richard is second on the team at 7.0 points per game. Mychala Linzy and Kyla Hamilton are the only other Cowgirls averaging over 5 points per game, averaging 6.4 and 6.3 points per game respectively.

McNeese is averaging 49.9 points per game and shooting 27.2% from the field as a team. The Cowgirls' opponents are averaging 88.3 points per game and are shooting 50.0% from the field.

COWGIRL CONNECTIONS
ULM head coach Brooks Donald Williams earned her first NCAA Division I head coaching position at McNeese State in 2007. Williams spent seven years on the sideline in Lake Charles, orchestrating some of the best years of Cowgirl basketball. Williams is the all-time winningest coach in McNeese history with 161 victories. She inherited a program that had not produced a winning record in nearly 10 seasons and guided McNeese to six consecutive postseason appearances, including back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2011 and 2012. She led the Cowgirls to four 20-win seasons in her final six years, including one regular-season Southland Conference Championship (2011) and consecutive SLC Tournament titles (2011 and 2012).

Warhawk assistant coach Amber Donnes played for the Cowgirls for four seasons from 2013-17 and was coached by Williams for her first three seasons before playing for current Cowgirl coach Kacie Cryer in 2016-17. Donnes played in 128 career games for McNeese, averaging 8.0 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.

Williams and Cryer worked together for seven seasons at McNeese. Cryer was part of Williams' staff as a graduate assistant from 2008-10 and was an assistant coach from 2011-16.

WARHAWKS REACH OUT TO SWLA        
In the wake of Hurricane Laura and Hurricane Delta in August and October, respectively, ULM delivered assistance to McNeese State University, Lake Charles and southwest Louisiana.

Former McNeese player and current ULM women's basketball assistant coach Amber Donnes organized an immediate response over Labor Day weekend. Donnes used social media to tell the story of her connection to McNeese and Lake Charles, a city she calls her second hometown. She collected supplies from Monroe and the northeast Louisiana community and drove a trailer to Lake Charles on the first weekend of September. After delivering supplies, Donnes spent time helping out in Lake Charles and at the McNeese campus.

For the full feature story on Donnes' journey, visit https://ulmwarhawks.com/news/2020/10/8/womens-basketball-donnes-spearheads-response-to-lake-charles-mcneese.aspx.

In October, ULM conducted a Community Supply Drive to gather much-needed items for McNeese. While the drive was organized in response to Hurricane Laura, the supplies were delivered to McNeese on October 20th, 15 days following the impact of Hurricane Delta in southwest Louisiana. Students also spent the afternoon walking the campus cleaning up debris and trash from the aftermath of Laura and Delta.

BRIMZY'S BURST        
Junior guard Kierra Brimzy has led ULM in scoring in four of her first five career games as a Warhawk. The Natchitoches, Louisiana, native paced the Warhawks again on Thursday with 16 points at Louisiana Tech. 

Brimzy has scored in double figures in all five games. She scored 13 points against Mississippi Valley State on Tuesday. Brimzy played in her hometown on Dec. 12, scoring a season-high 24 points while pulling down five rebounds and handing out an assist against Northwestern State. Brimzy scored eight points in the first quarter to help the Warhawks to an early 18-6 lead and had 22 points over the first three quarters. 

Brimzy led ULM with 11 points against Grambling. She made her ULM debut on Dec. 6 vs. Louisiana College, leading the team with 15 points while adding a rebound and an assist.

Brimzy leads the team in scoring at 15.8 points per game. She ranks seventh in the Sun Belt Conference in scoring and is seventh in free throw attempts with 22.

Brimzy sat out the 2019-20 season following a transfer from Tyler Junior College. She averaged 14.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists as a sophomore with the Apache Ladies in 2018-19. She averaged 13.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game as a freshman in 2017-18.

CROCKETT CONTINUES TO CONTROL THE BOARDS    
Senior Kierra Crockett continues to be one of the top rebounders in the Sun Belt Conference and NCAA Division I. Crockett is averaging 9.2 rebounds per game, which ranks fourth in the Sun Belt and 87th in the nation. She has tracked down 55 rebounds over her first six games, which is second in the SBC and 36th nationally. 

Crockett pulled down seven rebounds Thursday at Louisiana Tech and eight boards Tuesday vs. Mississippi Valley State, including six offensive rebounds. Crockett has tallied at least seven rebounds in all six contests and has at least four offensive rebounds in three of the last four games.

Crockett posted her first double-double of the season and the third of her ULM career Dec. 12 at Northwestern State. She scored a career-high 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting and made all six of her free throw attempts. She matched a career-high with 13 rebounds, with eight on the offensive end, in 32 minutes of action Saturday. She had nine rebounds against Grambling State and added seven boards against Louisiana College. She collected a game-high 11 rebounds in 27 minutes in the season-opener at Arkansas.

Crockett made an immediate impact in her first season at ULM in 2019-20. She started the final 25 games of the season and led the team with 6.5 rebounds per game. She had a pair of double-doubles with 13 points and 11 rebounds against Mississippi Valley State and 11 points and 13 rebounds at South Alabama. Crockett secured 10 or more rebounds in seven games. She ranked fourth in the Sun Belt Conference in rebounding, sixth in offensive rebounding and seventh in defensive rebounding. She is also known for posting social media videos showcasing her musical talent. Crockett took violin lessons while growing up and is a self-taught piano and guitar player.

CLEANING THE GLASS
Through six games, ULM is one of the top rebounding teams in the Sun Belt Conference and in NCAA Division I. The Warhawks rank second in the SBC and 27th nationally in rebounds (267), fifth in the conference and 46th in DI in rebounds per game (44.5 rpg.) and sixth in the SBC and 76th nationally in rebound margin per game (+6.8 rpg.).

ULM had 47 rebounds Dec. 12 at Northwestern State and came up with 49 rebounds Dec. 10 against Grambling. The Warhawks pulled down 58 rebounds on Dec. 6 against Louisiana College, which was the highest rebounding total for ULM in a single game since grabbing 63 boards against Centenary on Nov. 11, 2016. 

Senior forward Kierra Crockett leads the team at 9.2 rebounds per game, while freshman forward Tasionna McDowell averages 5.3 rebounds per game. Senior Diamond Brooks averages 4.5 boards per game. 10 of the 12 Warhawks to play this season are averaging at least 2.0 rebounds per game.

FREE THROW OPPORTUNITIES FADE
ULM has stepped to the free throw line 118 times through six games this season, but the opportunities have been few and far between over the last two games. 105 of ULM's 118 free throw attempts came over the first four contests of the season. The Warhawks have shot just 13 free throws over the last two contests, including a season-low three attempts at Louisiana Tech on Thursday. 

ULM stepped to the free throw line 39 times on Dec. 6 and knocked down 31 free throws for a 79.5% rate from the stripe. The 39 free throw attempts matches last season's high of 39 attempts vs. Mississippi Valley State (12/29/19). The 31 made free throws are the most made in a single game by ULM over the past two seasons. 

Freshman guard Kyren Whittington is a perfect 14-of-14 at the free throw line this season.

BLOCK PARTY
The Warhawks are one of the top shot blocking teams in the Sun Belt and country. ULM is second in the SBC and 48th nationally with 23 blocked shots and is second in the SBC and 94th in DI at 3.8 blocks per game.

ULM had four blocks Dec. 12 at Northwestern State, led by two from senior forward Kierra Crockett. The Warhawks had three rejections against Grambling State on Dec. 10. ULM came up with nine blocked shots on Dec. 6 against Louisiana College. The Warhawks were led by senior Whitney Goins and freshman Hannah Edwards with three blocks each.

Edwards is part of a tie for fourth in the SBC at 1.0 blocks per game and has swatted six shots this season.

FROM DOWNTOWN    
Three Warhawks have hit at least seven 3-pointers in the 2020-21 season. Junior Kierra Brimzy leads the team with eight treys (25.8%). Senior Whitney Goins (28.0%) sophomore Linda van Schaik (31.8%) have hit seven each.

Brimzy collected four of her 3-pointers in the Dec. 12 68-55 win at Northwestern State while shooting 4-of-10 from long distance. She added two more treys Thursday at Louisiana Tech.

Goins had a strong start to the 2020-21 season from deep, hitting 3-of-6 attempts from long distance and finishing with a team-high 11 points at Arkansas. She added six points, including a 3-pointer, against Louisiana College. Goins reached double figures again with 10 points, including a pair of treys, vs. Grambling.

Last year, Goins paced the Warhawks from 3-point range. Goins shot a career-best 33.1% from behind the arc last season and knocked down 45 3-pointers. She set a career-high with five 3-pointers, including four in the fourth quarter, against Troy on Jan. 8. She was one of two Warhawks with more than 10 3-point field goal attempts to shoot over 30 percent from deep on the season (Amber Thompson, 30.1%).

Van Schaik buried three of her six 3-pointers this season on Tuesday vs. Mississippi Valley State, with all of them coming in the second half as ULM tried to erase a 15-point deficit. Van Schaik also hit a pair of 3-pointers at Arkansas on Dec. 3.

FRESH PERSPECTIVE    
Six freshmen have seen minutes early in the season for ULM. Hannah Edwards, Morgan Hill, Tasionna McDowell, Kyren Whittington, Gracen Williams and Sadie Williams each picked up at least 12 minutes against Louisiana College, and all six made their season debuts at Arkansas on Thursday. Through six games, Whittington leads the freshmen at 5.5 points per game after scoring a season-high 13 points at Louisiana Tech on Thursday. McDowell is grabbing 5.3 rebounds per game. Gracen Williams is handing out 2.5 assists per game. Edwards is averaging one blocked shot per game.

VAN SCHAIK PROVIDES SPARK OFF BENCH        
Sophomore guard Linda van Schaik played a huge role in ULM's rally on Tuesday vs. Mississippi Valley State. Van Schaik entered the game for the first time at the 4:08 mark of the third quarter with ULM trailing 42-27. The native of South Holland, Netherlands, proceeded to score 16 of ULM's final 24 points to lead the team in scoring on the night. She shot 5-of-7 from the floor and 3-of-5 from 3-point range.

Van Schaik knocked down two 3-pointers and three free throws in the third quarter to help bring ULM within five at the end of the quarter, 45-40. In the fourth quarter, van Schaik hit a third trey and had a pair of layups that brought ULM within two points of MVSU each time.

Van Schaik has scored in double figures twice this season after scoring 11 points vs. Louisiana College on Dec. 6. Through five games, she is averaging 7.0 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.

BALANCE RULES THE DAY VS. LOUISIANA COLLEGE    
ULM had five players score in double figures and three more just missed out on a double figure day in the Dec. 6 96-48 win over Louisiana College. Junior Kierra Brimzy paced the Warhawks with 15 points, while senior Diamond Brooks and sophomore Linda van Schaik had 11 points apiece and freshmen Morgan Hill and Kyren Whittington added 10 points. Sophomore Gara Beth Self had nine points, while freshmen Tasionna McDowell and Sadie Williams chipped in eight points. It is the first time ULM has had five double figure scorers since a 93-62 win over LSU-Alexandria on Nov. 15, 2018 (Tiara Malone 24, Amber Thompson 17, Destini Lunsford 12, Logan Oestreich 11, Whitney Goins 10). All 12 players that suited up for Sunday's game scored for the Warhawks.

SELF IMPROVEMENT 
Sophomore Gara Beth Self saw her numbers drastically improve after taking over the starting point guard position for the remainder of the 2019-20 season in the final non-conference game of the year vs. Mississippi Valley State. Self was handed the reigns after senior point guard Lauren Fitch suffered a season-ending injury at Texas Tech. Self flourished inside of Sun Belt Conference play, averaging 12.8 points and 2.5 assists over 34.5 minutes per game. She scored in double figures in 12 of 18 conference games, including an eight-game streak from Jan. 8 to Feb. 5. Self scored a career-high 28 points on the strength of 5-of-11 3-point shooting and added two rebounds, three assists and five steals at then-Sun Belt leading Coastal Carolina on Feb. 27. Self was named Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year and Honorable Mention All-Louisiana by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

Self broke into double figures for the first time in 2020-21 at Northwestern State, scoring 12 points, seven in the fourth quarter, and handing out five assists against the Lady Demons. She followed it up with 14 points and four assists vs. Mississippi Valley State Tuesday.

DIAMOND IN THE POST
Senior Diamond Brooks saw a significant increase in her role in the post in 2019-20. Brooks moved into the full-time starting center position, playing in all 29 games while starting 28 last season. She nearly tripled her scoring average to 8.0 points per game while increasing her rebounding average by 2.3 boards per game to 5.9. Brooks averaged 26.0 minutes per game as a junior after averaging just 13.9 minutes per game as a sophomore. She scored 11 points in just eight minutes vs. Louisiana College on Sunday and added four points and six rebounds vs. Grambling.

Brooks scored 11 points in just eight minutes vs. Louisiana College on Dec. 6. She matched her season-high with 11 points and added five rebounds at Northwestern State on Saturday. She set a new season-high with nine rebounds vs. Mississippi Valley State on Tuesday.