CARBONDALE, Ill. – The ULM women's basketball team (2-0) will be hitting the road for the first time this season, taking on Southern Illinois (0-2) for the first time in program history. The Warhawks are looking to continue a strong opening to the season, as they beat Central Baptist and Louisiana Christian at home, the best start to the season since 2007. Tipoff in Carbondale is scheduled for Wednesday at 6 p.m. CST.
SCOUTING THE SALUKIS –
Southern Illinois is searching for their first win of the season, hoping to do so in front of a home audience. To open the season, the Salukis fell at Auburn, 65-31. Gift Uchenna led the team with eight points and nine rebounds. Southern Illinois then went on to fall at home to Eastern Kentucky, 70-49, with Uchenna leading the team again, posting 10 rebounds. To start the season, SIU was selected to finish 10th out of 12 teams in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason rankings. Last season, the Salukis went 11-20, finishing the season on a three-game win streak before falling to Indiana State in the MVC tournament.
FOURTH-PLACE PICK –
The Warhawks started the preseason strong, being selected fourth in the Sun Belt preseason coaches poll, receiving 150 votes. This is the highest ULM women's basketball has been ranked in the SBC preseason poll since joining the conference in 2006.
PRESEASON HONORS –
Jakayla Johnson was named All-Sun Belt First Team after receiving multiple honors at the conclusion of last season. She was the second leading scorer on the Warhawks, averaging 15.2 points/game. She reached the 30-point mark in two games last season as well. This is ULM's first player to be named to the All-Sun Belt First Team since 2006, when the Warhawks joined the conference.
Katlyn Manuel, the conference's reigning Sixth Woman of the Year, was named All-Sun Belt Third Team to open the 2024-25 season. In her third year with the Warhawks, Manuel averaged 10.2 points/game, racking up three double-doubles. She also led the team with 30 blocks on the season, averaging 1.0 per game.
RECORD BREAKERS –
In the first two games of the season, the ULM Warhawks have set or beat multiple program records. They scored 117 points on the Central Baptist Mustangs on Nov. 4, tying the record for most points scored in a game, a record set in 1982 vs. Nicholls State. The 57-point victory ranks sixth in program history for highest margin of victory. In the following game, the Warhawks had 4,509 fans cheering them on vs. Louisiana Christian, the highest attendance since 1986 and eighth-highest attendance all-time.
LOOKING AHEAD –
The women's basketball team will return to Fant-Ewing Coliseum this weekend to host No. 22 Alabama in Monroe. This is the first time the Warhawks have hosted a Power 4 opponent since 2007. Tip-off against the Crimson Tide is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Sunday.
FOLLOW THE WARHAWKS –
Wednesday's game will be available to stream on ESPN+. Fans can also listen to the game on KMLB 105.7 FM, with Adam Holland on the call. Links to live stats for all games, when available, can be found at ULMWarhawks.com. Navigate to the women's basketball schedule page and select that day's opponent.
