MONROE, La. - The ULM Warhawks open a season-long four-game home stand at noon Saturday vs. South Alabama. The Warhawks will play six of their final eight regular season games at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. ULM sits at 3-18 overall and 1-9 in the Sun Belt Conference after a 77-65 loss at Troy on Wednesday, while South Alabama downed the Ragin' Cajuns 78-63 Thursday in Mobile.
Saturday's game features the "Donate Those Duffles" drive for the Junior League of Monroe. Every day, a child in foster care transitions into another home without proper luggage. Help the Junior League of Monroe break the cycle. Support "Donate Those Duffles" by bringing in duffles to ensure youth in our area have the appropriate luggage. Donate a duffle bag Saturday and receive four general admission tickets ($10 each, $40 value) for ULM's basketball doubleheader. The men's basketball team will face Georgia State at 2:30 p.m.
Saturday's game is also "Youth Day," with youth 18 and under receiving a free general admission ticket to the doubleheader. Following the men's game, children 12 and under are invited to shoot baskets on the court for 20 minutes.
For tickets, call 318-342-HAWK or visit ULMWarhawks.com.
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP (based on previous game)
#2
Gara Beth Self, 5-8, Fr., G: 8.7 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 2.0 apg
#1
Amber Thompson, 5-9, Sr., G: 10.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.4 apg
#11
Whitney Goins, 6-0, Jr., G/F: 6.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.2 apg
#4
Kierra Crockett, 6-0, Jr., F: 5.9 ppg, 7.0 rpg
#24
Diamond Brooks, 6-2, Jr., C: 8.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg
STARTING FIVE
1. Senior guard
Amber Thompson had a bounce-back game on Wednesday night at Troy. Thompson, who battled illness recently, struggled to a total of nine points over the last three games. On Wednesday, Thompson returned to the form she played with early in Sun Belt Conference play, pouring in a game-high 20 points. It is Thompson's second 20-plus point effort of her career after going for 21 vs. Mississippi Valley State on Dec. 29. Thompson was 8-of-20 from the field, including 2-of-5 from 3-point range for her first made treys sinc Jan. 16 at Texas State. Thompson also had four rebounds, four assists, a block and a steal.
2. Freshman guard
Gara Beth Self has tallied nine-consecutive double-figure scoring games after adding 13 points at Troy on Wednesday. Self hit three 3-pointers on the night, including her first two attempts early in the first quarter. Self added a career-high five rebounds. Since the start of Sun Belt play, Self leads ULM with 12.6 points per game, and is also pulling down 2.2 rebounds per game while handing out 2.5 assists per game.
3. For the first time in her career, junior guard/forward
Whitney Goins notched her third consecutive double-figure scoring game on Wednesday. Goins scored 12 points and pulled down four rebounds at Troy. Goins has tallied a 3-pointer in four-straight games, and has at least one trey in 14 of the last 15 games. All five of her double figure efforts this season have come inside of Sun Belt Conference play. Of her 13 career double-figure efforts, 11 have come against a Sun Belt foe.
4. ULM committed 12 turnovers in Wednesday's loss at Troy, tying for the second-fewest turnovers committed by the Warhawks in a single game this season. ULM had just four first half turnovers. ULM had just 11 turnovers on Nov. 12 at Tennessee Tech, and also had 12 turnovers at Ole Miss in the season-opener on Nov. 10. The Warhawks had notched 20 or more turnovers in four-straight games before Wednesday. Wednesday's game also marks the first time ULM had fewer turnovers than an opponent since Dec. 1 at McNeese State.
5. After knocking down seven 3-pointers at Troy, ULM has 18 made 3-pointers over the last three games, which is the second-most for a three-game stretch this season. The Warhawks made 22 treys over a three-game stretch against Troy, South Alabama and Texas State from Jan. 8 to 16.
PREVIEWING SOUTH ALABAMA
Saturday's game is the 29th all-time meeting between ULM and South Alabama, with South Alabama leading the series 19-9. South Alabama is on a six-game winning streak in the series. ULM last defeated the Jaguars on Feb. 25, 2016, in Mobile, 67-54. USA has won seven of the last eight meetings. ULM last defeated South Alabama in Monroe on Jan. 31, 2015.
South Alabama ranks among the league leaders in several stat categories. The Jaguars are the top shot blocking team in the Sun Belt, averaging 4.6 blocks per game. They also lead the league in 3-pointers made per game at 7.3. The Jaguars also rank third in the league in scoring offense (69.1 points per game), 3-point field goal percentage (30.8%), rebounding (41.5 per game), offensive rebounds (14.6) and defensive rebounds (26.9).
Senior guard Shaforia Kines leads the Jaguars at 14.9 points per game. Kines is also pulling down 3.9 rebounds and dishing out 2.7 assists per game. Kines ranks fourth in the Sun Belt in scoring, fifth in 3-point field goals made (1.8 per game), sixth in free throw percentage (80.4%), 10th in minutes played (32.5) and 11th in assists. Kines has reached double-figure scoring 17 times and has topped 20 points seven times. Kines has a pair of double doubles, scoring 24 points and pulling down 11 rebounds vs. Appalachian State on Jan. 2, and tallying 20 points with a career-high 15 rebounds at the Ragin' Cajuns on Jan. 9. She has picked up seven games with at least three 3-pointers. Kines accounted for 17 points and three rebounds in the first meeting with ULM on Jan. 11.
Junior guard Savannah Jones is also among the top scorers in the Sun Belt Conference, averaging 14.6 points per game, which ranks fifth. Jones is also tracking down 5.8 rebounds per game, ranking 19th in the Sun Belt. She is statistically the best 3-point shooter in the Sun Belt, leading the league in both percentage (37.3%) and 3-point field goals made (2.6 per game). She is a 40% 3-point shooter in her career. Jones has 18 double-figure games, including six consecutive games topping 10 points. She has topped 20 points on six occasions, including a season-high 26 points on Thursday night vs. the Ragin' Cajuns. Jones was a perfect 5-for-5 from the 3-point line in the win, and has 10 games with at least three 3-pointers this season. Jones was limited to three points and two rebounds against ULM on Jan. 11.
Sun Belt Conference preseason Player of the Year and junior center Antoinette Lewis is third on the team in scoring at 13.5 points per game. Lewis is averaging a double-double with 10.2 rebounds per game. Lewis leads the Sun Belt in rebounding and is sixth in scoring. She has picked up 11 double-doubles on the year, and had a four-game double-double streak snapped on Thursday night, picking up 13 points and three rebounds against the Ragin' Cajuns. Lewis has 16 double-figure scoring games and 14 double-figure rebounding games on the season. She has topped 20 points five times, including a season-high 36 points vs. Mobile on Nov. 26. She is also one of the top shot blockers in the SBC, sitting second in the league at 1.9 blocks per game. Lewis leads the league in offensive rebounding at 5.2 boards per game. Lewis had 15 points and nine rebounds in the first meeting with ULM on Jan. 11.
