MONROE, La. – The ULM women's basketball team (3-0) will be returning to Fant-Ewing Coliseum to host their first Power Four opponent in Monroe since 2007, the Alabama Crimson Tide (5-0). Tipoff on Sunday is scheduled for 2 p.m. The Warhawks are looking to continue a strong opening to the season, as they broke a three-game road loss streak, remaining undefeated.
SERIES HISTORY –
The Crimson Tide and the Warhawks have matched up twice before, but Alabama has never traveled to Monroe for a game. Last season, ULM traveled to Tuscaloosa, falling to Alabama, 54-70. In the first meeting between the two teams, Alabama won in neutral territory, 118-86, at the Coopers & Lybrand Invite in Chicago, Ill on Nov. 29, 1991. The last time the Warhawks faced a ranked opponent was Dec. 3, 2020, when No. 16 Arkansas hosted ULM and won, 50-103.
SCOUTING THE CRIMSON TIDE –
The Crimson Tide has not lost a game yet, beating Columbus State, New Orleans, Troy and Norfolk State in Tuscaloosa with a combined score of 372-244. On the road, Alabama has played only one game, beating Alabama A&M 84-59 in Huntsville, Ala. The Crimson Tide has been on the rise since, the preseason, with guard Sarah Ashlee Barker named to the Naismith Trophy Women's College Player of the Year Watch List. Barker was also named to the preseason All-SEC First Team, with graduate student Aaliyah Nye named All-SEC Second Team. Last season, the Crimson Tide went 24-10, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to Texas, 54-65.
COMING HOME –
Alabama Head Coach Kristy Curry is in her 12th year with the Crimson Tide, but prior to her coaching career, she was a student at ULM, formerly Northeast Louisiana. She graduated in 1988 with her bachelor's degree in health science and physical education.
The connections between ULM and Curry do not end there. Assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Tatyana Lofton was a graduate assistant at Alabama before coming to coach the Warhawks, working under Curry.
WARHAWKS VS. POWER FOUR –
The last time ULM beat a Power Four opponent was Jan. 28, 1991, when they beat the Oklahoma Sooners, 79-76 in Monroe. The last time the Warhawks took on a Power Four opponent was last season, when California hosted ULM and beat it, 79-55. The last time a Power Four opponent came to Monroe was Dec. 2, 2007, when Syracuse traveled to Fant-Ewing and won, 69-56.
LEADING THE TEAM –
Meloney Thames led the team with a 27-point game and a trio of three-pointers over Southern Illinois on Nov. 13. She now leads the team in points per game (18.3), three-pointers (8) and free throws (9). Thames is also second in the Sun Belt in points per game and fifth in three-point shots.
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 be hitting the road to compete in their first tournament of the season, the Bank of Hawaii Classic, in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Warhawks will face Hawaii on Nov. 22 at 3 p.m. CST and Saint Mary's on Nov. 24 at 4 p.m.
FOLLOW THE WARHAWKS –
Sunday's game will be available to stream on ESPN+, with Mike Vining and Sean Fox calling the game. Fans can also listen to the game on KRJO 1680 AM, 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.
