ULM Warhawks

MONROE, La. - After playing six of its first eight Sun Belt Conference games on the road, and seven of its last nine games overall on the road, ULM returns home for seven of the final nine games of the regular season, starting Friday and Saturday against UT Arlington. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday.

ULM fell to 2-12 overall and 0-8 in the Sun Belt Conference after losing a pair of games at Little Rock, 71-36 and 67-42. Senior guard/forward Whitney Goins led ULM in both contests against the Trojans. The Anacoco, Louisiana, native set a new season-high with 12 points on Friday and topped it with another new season-high with 17 points on Saturday to lead the Warhawks in scoring in both games.

This weekend's games mark the second series against UT Arlington this season. The Mavericks picked up an 82-37 win on Jan. 8 and followed it a day later with a 61-37 victory. ULM is scheduled to face UTA, Little Rock and Texas State four times each this season, while facing Arkansas State three times due to postponement and cancellation due to COVID-19 concerns.

ULM is scheduled to play more home games in the month of February than it has in the months of December and January combined. ULM has played just five home games so far in 2020-21, but is slated for seven home games in February, facing UTA, Ragin' Cajuns, Little Rock and Texas State. Only the Ragin' Cajuns have played fewer home games (4) among Sun Belt Conference teams.

UT Arlington (8-4 overall, 6-2 Sun Belt Conference) has won six of its last seven games and is coming off a weekend sweep of Arkansas State, winning 62-43 and 80-71 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas. The Mavericks have swept weekend series from ULM and A-State while splitting a pair of weekend series with Little Rock. UTA had a series at the Ragin' Cajuns postponed on Jan. 15-16 due to COVID-19 concerns within the UTA program.

The Mavericks are led by first-year head coach Shereka Wright. Wright spent the previous two seasons as the Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at Vanderbilt. Prior to that, she spent five seasons on the staff of Kristy Curry, a ULM alumna, at Alabama. Wright and ULM head coach Brooks Donald Williams spent two seasons together in Tuscaloosa from 2016-18.

Shyia Smith leads the Mavericks with 12.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Smith ranks seventh in the SBC in scoring, second in field goal percentage (.547) and 15th in rebounding. Bre Wickware is the only other Maverick averaging double figures at 11.8 points per game and is second on the team at 5.6 rebounds per game. Wickware is fourth in the SBC in free throw percentage (83.9%), 11th in scoring, 14th in 3-point field goal percentage (.326) and 19th in rebounding. Katie Ferrell averages 5.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and a team-best 4.8 assists per game, which is third in the SBC. Inside SBC play, Terryn Milton is averaging 10.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. UTA leads the SBC in scoring defense (54.8 ppg.) and field goal percentage defense (.339).

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 8.9 rebounds per game, which ranks fourth in the Sun Belt and 82nd in the nation. She ranks fifth in the SBC in defensive rebounds (5.8 pg.) and fourth in offensive rebounds (3.1 pg.). She has tracked down at least seven rebounds in 12 of 14 games this season. She has topped 10 rebounds in a game four times this season and 11 times in her ULM career.

Crockett scored nine points and pulled in eight rebounds at Little Rock on Friday. She tracked down eight rebounds in each game of the weekend series at Texas State on Jan. 22 and Jan. 23. She added 13 points on Jan. 22 and five points on Jan. 23.

Crockett bounced back on Jan. 16 vs. Arkansas State with eight points and 14 rebounds in nearly 36 minutes against the Red Wolves. On Jan. 15 contest, Crockett was limited to two points and four rebounds and played just 14 minutes due to foul trouble. It was the first time this season Crockett was held to less than seven rebounds in a game.

Crockett collected a career-high 15 rebounds, including 11 in the first half and seven in the first quarter, to go with eight points on Jan. 9 at UT Arlington. Crockett opened the weekend series with the Mavericks with six points and eight rebounds at UTA on Jan. 8.

Crockett pulled down seven rebounds Dec. 17 at Louisiana Tech and eight boards Dec. 15 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.

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.

BRIMZY'S BURST        
Junior guard Kierra Brimzy has led ULM in scoring in eight games this season. The Natchitoches, Louisiana, native was held under 10 points in consecutive games for the first time this season in the weekend series at Little Rock. 

Brimzy paced ULM with 16 points on Jan. 22 at Texas State and matched a season-high with 24 points Jan. 23 against the Bobcats.

She led the Warhawks with 13 points on Jan. 15 vs. Arkansas State. 

Brimzy scored in double figures in her first six games of the season. She paced the Warhawks with 16 points at UT Arlington on Jan. 8 and at Louisiana Tech on Dec. 17. She scored 13 points against Mississippi Valley State on Dec. 15. 

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 14.8 points per game. She ranks fifth in the Sun Belt Conference in scoring.

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.

GOINS TAKES CHARGE        
Senior guard/forward Whitney Goins led the Warhawks in the series at Little Rock. Goins, who missed nearly the entire week of practice leading into the Little Rock series with a heel injury, was a game-time decision on Friday, but came off the bench to lead the team with 12 points and added six rebounds. She returned to the starting lineup on Saturday to score a season-high 17 points. She has knocked down at least two 3-pointers in three consecutive games and five of the last six contests.

Goins snapped out of a statistical slide on the offensive end of the floor against Arkansas State. After scoring in double figures in two of the first three games of the season, Goins totaled five points over the next five contests while shooting 2-of-23 (1-of-14 3FG) from the field in that stretch. Head coach Brooks Donald Williams speaks highly of Goins' work ethic and time spent in the gym. Her hard work and stick-to-itiveness paid off against the Red Wolves. Goins knocked down a pair of 3-pointers in the first quarter on Jan. 15, cutting an early 7-point A-State lead to one. She finished with 11 points to tie Gara Beth Self for second on the team. The next afternoon, Goins led the Warhawks with 10 points and canned two more treys.

Goins opened her senior campaign with 11 points and three 3-pointers at No. 16 Arkansas on Dec. 3 and added 10 points with a pair of treys vs. Grambling on Dec. 10.

DIAMOND IN THE POST        
Senior Diamond Brooks continues to be efficient in the post for ULM. The Kentwood, Louisiana, native is shooting 71% (15-of-21) from the field inside Sun Belt Conference play and 63% (29-of-46) for the season.

Brooks scored eight points and tracked down seven points in the Jan. 23 loss at Texas State. She led the team with 10 points in the weekend finale at UT Arlington on Jan. 9. She set a new season-high with nine rebounds vs. Mississippi Valley State on Dec. 15. She matched her season-high with 11 points and added five rebounds at Northwestern State on Dec. 12. She scored 11 points in just eight minutes vs. Louisiana College on Dec. 6. 

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. 

GATTE RETURNS        
Junior guard Maddi Gatte made her 2020-21 season debut in the series at UT Arlington. Gatte missed the first six games of the season while recovering from offseason surgery. 

Gatte played five minutes in her season debut Jan. 8 at UT Arlington, coming up with three rebounds and two blocked shots. On Saturday, Gatte played six minutes, scoring her first points of the season on a baseline jumper while adding a steal. Against Arkansas State, Gatte played 12 minutes on Jan. 15 with a season-high six points and a steal. In the Jan. 16 series finale, Gatte played a season-high 22 minutes with four points and a season-best four rebounds, two assists and a steal. She scored four points with two assists in 17 minutes on Jan. 22 at Texas State.

Gatte suffered the loss of her 16-year-old brother Brennon on Nov. 16 due to complications from hydrocephalus. He was a junior at Iota (La.) High School, where he played football, ran track, was involved in powerlifting, maintained an A average and was in the honors program. To honor Brennon's life, the ULM women's basketball team wears his football jersey number, 45, on the back of its shooting shirts.

VAN SCHAIK PROVIDES SPARK VS. MISSISSIPPI VALLEY    
Sophomore guard Linda van Schaik played a huge role in ULM's rally on Dec. 15 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 14 games, she is averaging 4.3 points and 2.1 rebounds per game.

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 on Dec. 15. Self tallied 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting with three steals, two assists and one rebound in 25 minutes before suffering an apparent injury late in the third quarter Jan. 15 vs. Arkansas State. She returned to the lineup at Texas State, playing nine minutes on Jan. 22 and earning the start on Jan. 23, playing 23 minutes. Self remained in the starting lineup at Little Rock, scoring two points with a rebound and an assist in 26 minutes on Friday before adding nine points with four rebounds and two assists in 36 minutes on Saturday.

WARHAWKS RETURN FROM LAYOFF
The Jan. 8 game against UT Arlington marked ULM's first game in 22 days due to COVID-19 concerns within the Warhawk women's basketball program. It was the longest in-season layoff for ULM since a 23-day break in the nonconference schedule in the 1994-95 season (Dec. 6 – Dec. 29). ULM had three games postponed due to COVID-19: McNeese State (Dec. 21) and at Arkansas State (Jan. 1-2).