Howell Earns State's Top Honor, Huizar Named to All-Louisiana Third Team
APRIL 11, 2009
Shreveport, La. - A record-breaking season and the program's first-ever appearance in the NAIA National Tournament impressed enough voters to allow Ronnie Howell to earn Coach of the Year on the 2009 All-Louisiana Women's Basketball Team as chosen by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.
Howell beat out LSU's Van Chancellor by one vote to garner Coach of the Year honors. He guided the Lady Pilots to a school record 27 wins after finishing the 2008-09 campaign 27-6. That included a school record 14 game winning streak and the program's first-ever national ranking. He also guided the Lady Pilots to their first-ever appearance in the NAIA National Tournament after placing second in the GCAC - the highest finish in school history.
LSUS junior Valerie Huizar also picked up third-team honors on the All-Louisiana Team after leading the Lady Pilots in both scoring and assists in 2008-09. Huizar was the 2009 GCAC Newcomer of the year and an honorable mention selection on the NAIA All-America Team.
LSU's Allison Hightower was named Player of the Year while teammate LaSondra Barrett was selected at the state's Freshman of the Year. Alexis Green of Louisiana-Lafayette earned Newcomer of the Year accolades.
The team was selected based on nominations by the women's basketball sports information directors of the state and then voted on by a panel of LSWA members. All stats and voting was based on totals through the playing of conference tournaments and post-season play.
Huizar Named Honorable Mention All-American
MARCH 27, 2009
Shreveport, La. - LSUS junior Valerie Huizar has been named to the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball All-America Team, earning Honorable Mention honors as announced earlier this week by the national office.
Huizar, a junior college transfer from Lon Morris College, arguably made the biggest impact for her team during her first season in a Lady Pilot’s uniform. Huizar led the Lady Pilots in both scoring (11.7 PPG) and assists (5.2 APG), while re- writing the record books with a single-season school record 171 assists. She also led the GCAC in assists and tied the single-game school record with 12 on Feb. 19 versus Mobile.
The All-American award is the first in the history of the women's program.
2008-09 Women's Basketball Season Recap: One for the Record Books
MARCH 25, 2009
It’s been nearly one week since the record-breaking 2008-09 season for the LSUS Lady Pilots came to an end at the hands of the Oklahoma Baptist Lady Bison in the NAIA Division 1 Women’s Basketball National Tournament; however, the lasting memories from the most special season in the history of the LSUS Women’s Basketball program will not soon be forgotten.
The list of single-season and team records that the Lady Pilots set in 2008-09 is almost too many to name. If there was a record to be broken in this unforgettable season, it was.
The Lady Pilots began the 2008-09 season winning 16 of their first 17 games, including a school-record 14 straight from Nov. 15 to Jan. 24. On January 17, the Lady Pilots established a new single-season record for most wins with 14, breaking the old record of 13 from the previous four seasons.
After beginning the season on such an incredible hot streak, the Lady Pilots were rewarded on Jan. 12 with the first-ever national ranking in the NAIA Division 1 Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. They entered their first poll at the No. 22 spot and eventually moved up to No. 21 which is currently the highest ranking ever achieved by the Lady Pilots.
As the season moved foward, the wins continued to pile up. Coach Howell and his Lady Pilots finished the regular season with 25 wins and a second-place finish in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference standings. As a result, the Lady Pilots earned a No. 2 seed in the GCAC Tournament and hosted their first-ever conference tournament game on March 4 versus SUNO.
LSUS went on to defeat SUNO and then Xavier in the tournament semifinals to advance to their first-ever GCAC Tournament championship game, while also qualifying for the NAIA National Tournament for the first time in the program’s history. Despite falling in the conference title game versus Loyola, the Lady Pilots received the conference’s second automatic bid to nationals as a result of playing the regular season champion in the finals of the tournament.
On March 19, the Lady Pilots made history once again by playing in the program’s first-ever NAIA National Tournament game. Although the Lady Pilots fell to the No. 1 seeded Lady Bison, the experience of making it out to the national tournament and playing against the nation’s best will pay dividends for the future.
The Lady Pilots were led by a trio of all-conference selections in 2008-09. Janai Sells, Whitney Hollins and Valerie Huizar were each named to the All-GCAC First Team, while Huizar was also honored as the GCAC Newcomer of the Year.
Sells finished her senior campaign as the school’s all-time leading rebounder with 606 career rebounds. Despite missing nearly half of the season due to a foot injury, Sells provided the Lady Pilots with a dominating presence in the paint, averaging 11 PPG and a team-high 7.5 rebounds.
Hollins made a huge splash in her second season with the Lady Pilots, establishing herself as one of the premier three- point shooters in the county. Hollins averaged 11.6 PPG, while starting in all 33 games played. She ended the 2008-09 season shooting over 39% from the three-point line and set the LSUS record for most made three-pointers in a single season with 88. Hollins also etched her name in the record books on Feb. 28 by knocking down an LSUS single-game record eight three-point baskets versus SUNO. Huizar, a junior college transfer from Lon Morris College, arguably made the biggest impact for her team during her first season in a Lady Pilot’s uniform. Huizar led the Lady Pilots in both scoring (11.7 PPG) and assists (5.2 APG), while re- writing the record books with a single-season school record 171 assists. She also led the GCAC in assists and tied the single-game school record with 12 on Feb. 19 versus Mobile.
Head Coach Ronnie Howell was also named the 2009 GCAC Coach of the Year after leading his team to a school-record 27 wins. Under his guidance, the Lady Pilots established a new record for the highest single-season winning percentage in the program’s history at .818 (27-6). After winning just 13 games in the previous four seasons, Howell took to the Lady Pilots to new heights in 2008-09, and has the future of the program looking very bright.
In addition to all of the above mentioned records the Lady Pilots set in 2008-09, they also established new team records for most points scored (65. PPG), fewest points allowed (56.3 PA/G), most field goals (768), field-goal percentage (.428) most three-pointers (193), highest three-point field goal percentage (.343), most rebounds (38.7 RPG), and most assists (14.7 APG).
With their two leading scorers (Hollins and Huizar) and another starter (Tish Flowers) coming back for another season, the Lady Pilots have a solid foundation to build on. If Coach Howell can find some quality replacements to fill in the spots created by the loss of his top three post players (Sells, Quan Joseph and Jamien Arvie), the 2009-10 season might be one for the record books as well.
Oklahoma Baptist Ends Special Season for Lady Pilots
MARCH 19, 2009
JACKSON, Tenn. - Oklahoma Baptist University got a game-high 14 points off the bench from Natasha Hogg in a 57-39 victory over LSUS in first-round action Thursday morning at the 29th Annual NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship.
Oklahoma Baptist never trailed in the contest, opening up a 14-point halftime lead at 31-17 behind nine points each from Hogg and Ashley Harrell, and the No. 1-seeded Lady Bison led by double-digits through the entire second half. Afeisha Noel added eight points and a game-high six of Oklahoma Baptist's 16 steals. Harrell finished with 11 points, and Jennifer Jupin tallied 10 points and a game-high four assists for the Lady Bison in the victory.
In the first half, Oklahoma Baptist put together a pair of seven-point runs in addition to runs of six and five points, and the Lady Bison took a 31-17 lead into halftime. Jupin's basket in the paint with 6:24 remaining gave Oklahoma Baptist its largest lead of the game at 54-30.
LSUS was led by Janai Sells, who registered nine points along with a game-high eight rebounds for the Lady Pilots.
Oklahoma Baptist (30-4), which had lost five of its past six first-round national tournament contests, advances into the second round, where the Lady Bison will take on No. 5-seeded Columbia (Mo.) College Friday at 12:30 p.m.
LSUS's winningest season in program history ends with a final record of 27-6.
Watch Lady Pilots' First-Ever NAIA National Tournament Game Live
MARCH 19, 2009
The LSUS first round match-up versus Oklahoma Baptist in the NAIA National Tournament can be viewed live over the internet for a small fee by visiting the link below. LSUS and Oklahoma Baptist will tip-off in the NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship at approximately 10:45 a.m on Thursday morning.
Watch LSUS vs. Oklahoma Baptist below: http://www.watchnaia.com//liveEvents/liveEvents.dbml?db_oem_id=5901
Live stats are also available for free by visiting the Tournament Central link below: http://naia.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/072108aab.html
Lady Pilots Draw Oklahoma Baptist
MARCH 12, 2009
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The LSUS Lady Pilots will face No. 4 Oklahoma Baptist University in the first round of the 29th Annual NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship, as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) released its 32-team bracket earlier today.
LSUS (No. 8 seed) and OBU (No. 1 seed) were both automatic qualifiers, as the Lady Pilots received the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference’s second automatic bid after facing the GCAC regular season champion in the conference tournament finals, while OBU qualified as the regular season champion of the Sooner Athletic Conference.
The Lady Pilots (27-5) are making their first-ever National Tournament appearance, while Oklahoma Baptist (29-4) will make their 15th appearance overall.
LSUS and OBU are set to square off at 10:45 a.m. on Thursday morning. The tournament will start with the first round games on Wednesday, March 18 and Thursday, March 19 and will end with the championship game on Tuesday, March 24 at 7 p.m.
The women’s bracket is broken down into fourths with eight teams in each quarter of the bracket. The 2008 championship tournament saw three of the four No. 1 seeds lose in the first or second round, an eight seed knock off No. 1 in the first round for the second consecutive year and the No. 1 team in the country for all 11 regular season polls bounced out in the semifinal round.
JumpTV Inc. is the exclusive provider of live video and audio-streaming at the NAIA National Championship. JumpTV will stream the first 30 games of the championships. These events can be viewed by going to http://www.watchnaia.com/. The National Championship Game will air live nationwide on CBS College Sports.
To view a PDF version of the official bracket, click here (http://naia.cstv.com/photos/schools/naia/sports/w- baskbl/auto_pdf/2009DIWBBBracket.pdf) For more information on the Championship, click here (http://naia.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/072108aab.html)
Watch the LSUS Lady Pilots in the Championship Game Here
MARCH 09, 2009
The LSUS Lady Pilots will travel to New Orleans to face the Loyola Wolfpack in the finals of the GCAC Tournament tonight at 7:00 P.M. The game will have a video broadcast provided by Loyola University, and live stats will also be available for viewing during the game. Please visit the following links below tomorrow night to access the features: Video Broadcast: http://atwsportscast.com/Colleges/Players/Loyola%20University%20New%20Orleans.htm Live Stats: http://www.dakstats.com/WebSync/Pages/Webcasts.aspx?association=10 The LSUS internet radio broadcast can be heard by visiting the Teamline link on the navigation menu on the hompage for LSUS Athletics or Women's Basketball.
Lady Pilots Fall in GCAC Title Game
MARCH 09, 2009
New Orleans, La. - The LSUS Lady Pilots dropped a 61-40 decision to the Loyola Wolfpack in the their first-ever appearance in the GCAC Tournament finals on Monday night at The Den.
The Lady Pilots shot just 38% (13-for-34) from the field and turned the ball over as season-high 24 times in the loss.
LSUS jumped out to an 8-2 lead just four minutes into the contest, but the Wolfpack responded with a 15-0 run over the next eight minutes that gave them a nine-point lead and control of the contest.
After LSUS scored three straight points following Loyola's big run, the Wolfpack outscored the Lady Pilots 13-3 for the final eight minutes of the half.
The Wolfpack never looked back in the second half, as they stretched their lead out to as many as 25 points on several occasions late in the contest before settling for a 21-point win.
The Smith twins, Trenell and Trenese, combined to score 31 of Loyola's 60 points to lead the Wolfpack to their second conference tournament championship in the last three years.
Janai Sells was the only Lady Pilot to reach double figures in the loss, finishing with 10 points.
Despite the loss, LSUS will be making their first trip to the National Tournament in Jackson, Tenn., next week as the GCAC's second automatic qualifier. National Tournament brackets will be released on Wednesday.
Lady Pilots Advance to GCAC Finals, National Tournament With 59-56 Win Over Xavier
MARCH 06, 2009
Shreveport, La. – The LSUS Lady Pilots will make their first-ever GCAC Tournament finals and NAIA National Tournament appearance after defeating the Xavier Gold Nuggets 59-56 on Friday night at The Dock.
The Lady Pilots held off a furious rally by the Gold Nuggets over the final minutes, as Jasmine Grant’s game-tying three- pointer fell just short as time expired.
LSUS led by as many as ten points with just over one minute remaining before Xavier the game’s next nine points. Valerie Huizar then stepped up and nailed a pair of free throws with seven seconds remaining to put the Lady Pilots back ahead by three before Grant missed on her game-tying attempt.
Xavier led by one at the break and extended their lead out to four points at the 12:25 mark on a made basket by SiMon Franklin. However, LSUS responded with a huge 10-0 run over the next five minutes capped off by a Quan Joseph layup.
Once again, it was the defensive end of the court that propelled the Lady Pilots to their 27th victory of the season. LSUS used another tenacious defensive effort to earn a hard fought win over the visitors from New Orleans, as they held Xavier to 31% shooting for the game and just 3-for-17 from behind the three-point line.
Joseph led the Lady Pilots with a game-high 13 points, while Tish Flowers and Huziar also finished in double figures with 12 and 10 points respectively.
Janai Sells pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds in the win.
With the win, LSUS will travel to face Loyola of New Orleans in the GCAC Tournament finals on Monday night. Since Loyola has already received the conference’s first automatic bid to the National Tournament after winning the regular season title outright, the Lady Pilots will receive the GCAC’s second automatic bid win or lose on Monday night.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 P.M. on Monday night and fans will be able to listen to the game live over the internet via Teamline and LSUS play-by-play announcer Travis Schurling.
Sells Ignites Lady Pilots in Comeback Victory Over SUNO
MARCH 04, 2009
Shreveport, La. – The LSUS Lady Pilots rallied from a 12-point halftime deficit to defeat the SUNO Lady Knights 56-46 in the quarterfinals of the GCAC Tournament on Wednesday night at The Dock.
Janai Sells scored 20 of her game-high 20 points in the final 20 minutes to carry the Lady Pilots to just their second postseason victory in the program’s six-year history.
LSUS shot a miserable 22% (6-for-27) in the first half, while committing 10 turnovers and getting outrebounded 27-19. 12 of the Lady Knights 27 rebounds came on the offensive end, as they capitalized on their extra opportunities to score 18 second-chance points and take a 30-18 lead into the break. However, with their season potentially on the brinks, LSUS responded to a very spirited halftime speech by Head Coach Ronnie Howell and outscored the visitors 12-3 over the first seven minutes of the second half.
“At halftime, I told our girls that we needed to play better on the defensive end and with more intensity overall,” said Howell. “We allowed 12 offensive rebounds in the first half, and that was because they were playing with a lot more effort than we were. I challenged our team to play harder and with more focus and determination in the second half, and they responded in a big way.”
The Lady Pilots took their first lead of the game since leading 4-2 just five minutes into the contest at the 10:23 mark on a made three-point basket by Whitney Hollins, and that is when Sells took over the game.
Sells connected on five of the Lady Pilot’s six made field-goals over the final ten minutes and assisted on the other basket with a beautiful dump-off pass to Quan Joseph for the layup.
After going 0-for-3 from the field in the first half, Sells finished the game 9-for-15, while also pulling down a game-high 11 rebounds for the double-double.
“Because SUNO was running a triangle-and-two defense on Valerie (Huizar) and Whitney (Hollins), we really needed somebody to step up in a big way,” added Howell. “Fortunately for us, Janai did that in the second half.”
Fellow senior Quan Joseph also recorded a double-double in the win, scoring 10 points and grabbing 10 boards.
With the win, the Lady Pilots will host Xavier of New Orleans in the semifinals of the GCAC Tournament. LSUS has defeated Xavier twice already this season and will look to move one-step closer to a National Tournament bid on Friday night at The Dock. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 P.M.
Lady Pilots Rack Up All-Conference Honors
MARCH 02, 2009
Shreveport, La. - LSUS' Valerie Huizar, Whitney Hollins and Janai Sells were all selected to the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference team and Head Coach Ronnie Howell was picked as the Coach of the Year, announced today (Mar. 2) by the league's office.
Huizar, a 5'9 point guard from San Antonio, was also honored as the Newcomer of the Year after helping the Lady Pilots to a record-breaking year in her first season at LSUS. She led the team in scoring at 12.5 PPG, while also leading the conference with a single-season school record 157 assists (5.4 APG).
Hollins did not disappoint in her sophomore campaigns after having one of the most successful freshman seasons in LSUS history last year. For the second straight season, she led the Lady Pilots in three-point field goals made (82) and percentage (.394), while finishing second on the team in scoring at 12.3 PPG. Hollins also broke two school records this season from behind the arc, as she currently holds the LSUS record for most three-pointers made in a game (8) and career (134).
Sells is the only senior to make the All-Conference team, as she finished the season averaging 10.7 points and a team- high 7.3 rebounds in her fourth and final season as a Lady Pilot. For her career, Sells is the LSUS all-time career leader in rebounds with 570. Despite missing nearly half the season with a stress fracture in her foot, Sells proved to be a dominating force in the paint for the Lady Pilots over the last half of the season. After winning 13 games in each of the previous four seasons, Lady Pilots' Head Coach Ronnie Howell was honored as the GCAC Coach of the Year after leading his team to a school-record 25 wins during the regular season and a second-place finish in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference standings.
Howell and his Lady Pilots will host a first-round GCAC Tournament game for the first time in school history on Wednesday night at 7:00 P.M. when they take on the winner of Monday's play-in game between SUNO and Spring Hill.
Lady Pilots Celebrate Senior Night With 25th Win
FEBRUARY 28, 2009
Shreveport, La. - The LSUS Lady Pilots picked up their 25th win of the season Saturday night, as they defeated SUNO 70-55 on Senior Night at The Dock.
Seniors Jamien Arvie, Quan Joseph and Janai Sells all had reason to celebrate on Saturday night, as thier Lady Pilots have cemented themselves as the best team in the program's short history by reaching the 25 win plateau.
However, it was sophomore Whitney Hollins who upstaged her senior counterparts with a career-high 24-point performance to lead all scorers. Hollins connected on 8-of-11 three-point field goals, setting a new mark for most made three pointers in a single game in the women's basketball program's history.
Joseph also made her final regular season home game a memorable one, recording a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. was the only only Lady Pilot to reach double figures, finishing the night with 10 points.
LSUS has secured the No. 2 seed in the upcoming GCAC Tournament and will host a first round game for the first time in school history on Wednesday night.
Lady Pilots Use Late Surge to Defeat Belhaven
FEBRUARY 27, 2009
Jackson, Miss. - The LSUS Lady Pilots put together a 21-6 run with 6:44 to play in the second half and defeated the Belhaven women’s basketball team 55-40 in Rugg Arena Thursday night.
After a field goal by Belhaven’s Jaelyn Stringer that gave the Lady Blazers a 36-34 lead, Whitney Hollins drilled a three pointer with 5:09 left and LSUS never trailed again for the rest of the game as they pulled away for the 55-40 win.
LSUS scored the first two points of the game on a pair of free throws by Quan Joseph to take an early 2-0 advantage. Brittany Skipper gave the Lady Blazers their first lead of the game at the 12:52 mark of the first half on a field goal to make the score 5-4. Belhaven then expanded their advantage to 11-6 with 9:31 until halftime on a bucket by Jira Williams. The Lady Pilots knotted the score at 15-15 with 3:30 to play in the opening period as both teams traded baskets for the rest of the half. LSUS’s Hollins tied the score for the fourth time in the first half at 19-19 on a field goal with 53 seconds left on the clock. The final seconds on the clock ticked away without another point being scored as the teams went into the locker room tied at 19-19.
The contest continued to be a back and forth battle for the first 13 minutes of the second half, which included four more ties on the scoreboard. With the score deadlocked at 34-34, that’s when the Lady Pilots made their final push.
LSUS finished the game with three players in double figures led by Hollins with 14 points followed by Jamien Arvie and Janai Sells with 13. The Lady Pilots converted on 43.8 percent of their shots from the field. Jira Williams led the Belhaven offense with a game high 19 points and a team best seven rebounds. Jaelyn Stringer finished the night with seven points and six boards.
A stifling LSUS defense limited the Blazers to just 24% shooting from the field in the contest, including a miserable 5% from the three-point line.
The Lady Pilots will return to The Dock on Saturday night to play SUNO in the final regular season home game.
Lady Pilots, Pilots Sweep Blazers
FEBRUARY 26, 2009
Please check back later tonight for complete recaps of both games.
Lady Pilots Win, Pilots Fall at Spring Hill
FEBRUARY 21, 2009
Mobile, Ala. - The LSUS Lady Pilots picked up a three-point win over Spring Hill, while the men's team fell to the Badgers by three on Saturday night in Mobile.
The Lady Pilots placed five players in double figures, with Quan Joseph, Whitney Hollins and Tish Flowers finishing the game with 11 points. Janai Sells and Ricosha Kindells added 10 points in the win.
On the men's side, Chris Gatlin scored a team-high 24 points, but Spring Hill's Jeremy Price poured in a game-high 33 points in the final home game of his collegiate career.
Both the men's and women's teams will travel to Jackson on Thursday night to face the Belhaven Blazers before returning home for "Senior Night" on Saturday.
Huizar's Three-Pointer Lifts LSUS to Victory
FEBRUARY 19, 2009
MOBILE, Ala-- LSUS' Valerie Huizar drilled a pair of late three balls, including one with six seconds remaining, to pull out an 81-80 victory over the Mobile Lady Rams.
Huizar finished with 19 points, tying teammate Quan Joseph for team-high honors. Joseph finished the game shooting 8- for-9 from the field.
The first half saw some hot shooting with the Lady Pilots hitting 61% of their shots and the Lady Rams firing at 50%. Gerica Johnson tallied 12 points in the opening half for Mobile, while Joseph put up 11 points for the visitors.
The Lady Rams started the first 20 minutes on fire, going up 16-9 in the first 6:33 on a three ball from Blair Stevens and 8 points from Goodly. The Lady Pilots rallied to cut the lead to 23-22 and then took their first lead of the half at 29-28 with 3:06 remaining when Jospeh hit a freebie.
LSUS led by as much as 4 points in the half before heading into the break with a two-point edge.
After LSUS carried the 35-33 advantage into intermission, the second half offered plenty of excitement for both sides with 8 lead changes. Mobile went ahead 63-62 with 7:27 left on a McIntosh bucket and held the lead until the very end.
With Mobile up 78-75, Huizar drained a three ball with 42 seconds left to tie it up, and after Mobile's Goodly put the Lady Rams ahead with a pair of free throws with 18 seconds left, Huizar struck again. She sank a three-pointer with 6 seconds on the clock for the decisive score.
Mobile (12-15, 5-10) got a tremendous effort from its leading trio of Johnson, Danielle Goodly and Sherri McIntosh, but it was not enough. Johnson scored a career-high 29 points with 5 assists, Goodly added 18 points and 7 assists, and McIntosh put up a double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds with 6 assists of her own.
LSUS (22-4, 12-3) will stay in Mobile for a Saturday contest versus Spring Hill. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 P.M.
*Story courtesy of the Mobile Sports Information Department
No. 21 LSUS Battles Back to Defeat William Carey
FEBRUARY 14, 2009
Shreveport, La. – No. 21 LSUS rallied back from a double-digit second half deficit to defeat the visiting William Carey Lady Crusaders, 69-60, on Saturday night at The Dock.
LSUS trailed 37-32 at the break and found themselves down 10 points early in the second half, but the Lady Pilots battled back and stepped it up on the defensive end to earn a big conference victory.
The win keeps LSUS one game out of first place in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference standings and puts them one step closer to hosting a GCAC Tournament game for the first time in the program’s history. Point guard Valerie Huizar led the Lady Pilots with 21 points and 6 assists, while making 4-of-10 three-point attempts on the night. Post players Janai Sells and Quan Joseph also finished in double figures with 13 and 12 points respectively, while Whitney Hollins added 10.
The big difference in the game was an LSUS defense that forced 17 turnovers compared to just 10 for the Lady Pilots.
LSUS also connected on 20-of-25 free throws in the game, while William Carey was just 6-for-10.
The Lady Pilots (21-4, 11-3) travel to Mobile on Thursday for two weekend games versus Spring Hill and the University of Mobile.
Loyola Takes First-Place Showdown Over No. 21 Lady Pilots
FEBRUARY 12, 2009
Shreveport, La. - The Loyola Wolfpack overtook the LSUS Lady Pilots in the race for first place in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference with a 69-52 victory on Thursday night at The Dock.
Loyola guard Trenese Smith torched the nets for a game-high 32 points in the win, including a 6-for-9 performance from behind the three-point line.
The No. 21 Lady Pilots looked as if they were going to run away with the game early, scoring the game's first 10 points before Loyola even made a basket. However, the Wolfpack finished the first half outscoring the Lady Pilots 27-11 to lead by six at the break.
Loyola began the second half on a 9-3 run to stretch their lead out to as many as 12, and the Lady Pilots would get no closer than six the rest of the way.
For the second straight contest, LSUS stuggled shooting the basketball especially from the three-point line. The Lady Pilots finished just 3-for-13 from behind the arc, while Loyola nailed 50% (8-for-16) of their three-point attemps.
Janai Sells scored a team-high 22 points for the Lady Pilots. Sells also finished with a double-double by adding 11 rebounds.
LSUS (20-4, 10-3) has lost two consecutive games for the first time this season and will look to snap their losing streak on Saturday night versus William Carey.
Lady Pilots Lose for Just Third Time This Season
FEBRUARY 10, 2009
NEW ORLEANS, La. – No. 21 LSUS lost for just the third time this season, dropping a 64-55 decision to the Dillard Lady Blue Devils on Monday night.
LSUS (20-3, 10-2) struggled shooting the ball early in the contest and fell behind 23-10 midway through the first half. However, the Lady Pilots closed out the first half on a 17-3 run to take a 27-26 lead at the break. But, in the second half, the Lady Pilots continued to have trouble putting the ball in the basket, as the home team pulled away late for the victory.
The big difference in tonight’s game was at the free-throw line, where the Lady Pilots made just 11-of-19 attempts. Dillard, however, connected on 21-of-30 free throws in the win.
Janai Sells and Whitney Hollins each scored 14 points to lead the Lady Pilots.
With the loss, LSUS is now tied for first place with Loyola in the GCAC standings. The Lady Pilots will take on the Lady Wolfpack on Thursday night at The Dock in a battle for sole possession of first place in the conference.
Flowers' Late Basket Lifts LSUS Over Xavier
FEBRUARY 07, 2009
New Orleans, La.- LSUS junior guard Tish Flowers connected on a layup with 14 seconds remaining to lift the No. 21 Lady Pilots to a 48-45 victory of the Xavier Gold Nuggets on Saturday night at The Barn.
After Flowers made basket gave the Lady Pilots a two-point lead, the LSUS defense picked up a huge defensive stop on Xavier's final possession to seal the win.
Flowers finished with a game-high 14 points and 8 rebounds, while Valerie Huizar and Whitney Hollins scored 13 and 12 points respectively. Flowers, Huizar and Hollins combined to make 14 of the Lady Pilots' 18 made field goals in the contest.
However, the LSUS defense once again propelled the Lady Pilots to another victory, holding the Gold Nuggets to just 38% from the field and just 20% from the three-point line.
With with win, LSUS snapped Xavier's 27-game home winning streak. Xavier had won 75 of their last 77 games at The Barn, while only losing a total of 8 games at The Barn since the 1996-97 season.
LSUS (20-2, 10-1) remains in sole possession of first place in the GCAC with tonight's win, and they will face Dillard University on Monday night in New Orleans.
No. 21 LSUS Cruises to 68-48 Win
FEBRUARY 05, 2009
SHREVEPORT, La. – No. 21 LSUS moved to 19-2 and 9-1 in Gulf Coast Athletic Conference play with a convincing 68- 48 win over the visiting Tougaloo College Lady Bulldogs.
The Lady Pilots broke open a 9-9 ballgame at the 15:00 mark with a 13-2 run sparked by two Whitney Hollins’ three-point baskets. Tougaloo answered with a quick 5-0 run of their own, but the Lady Pilots would outscore them 13-6 over the final five minutes of the first half. Leading 35-22 at the break, the Lady Pilots finished the Lady Bulldogs off with a 13-2 run to begin the second half. Tougaloo was held to just one made field goal in the first 10:23 of the second half, as the Lady Pilots cruised to an easy victory.
Senior post players Quan Joseph and Janai Sells paced the Lady Pilots with 13 points apiece, while Hollins and Ricosha Kindells also finished in double figures with 11 and 10 points respectively.
Tougaloo’s Kim Kern led all scorers with 19.
LSUS (19-2, 9-1) is in sole possession of first place in the GCAC, and they will face Xavier University of New Orleans on Saturday night at The Barn in New Orleans.
Lady Pilots Move up to No. 21, Pilots Fall in Latest Rankings
FEBRUARY 02, 2009
LSUS Women’s Basketball
The LSUS Lady Pilots (18-2, 8-1) jumped up one spot to No. 21 in the latest NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. LSUS has been ranked No. 22 for the past three weeks and finally moved up in the rankings after winning six of seven games since entering the Top 25.
The No. 21 ranking is the highest in the history of the women’s basketball program.
Please visit the link below to view the entire Top 25:
NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Top 25 Poll (http://naia.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/020209aac.html)
LSUS Men’s Basketball
The LSUS men’s team fell three spots to No. 23 in this week’s NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. LSUS posted a 2-1 record last week in conference play, falling on the road versus Loyola and winning at home versus Dillard and Mobile.
The Pilots (14-7, 7-2) are currently in first place in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference standings, holding a one-game lead over Tougaloo, Xavier and Loyola.
Please click the link below to view the entire Top 25 Poll:
NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Top 25 Poll (http://naia.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/020209aaf.html)
Lady Pilots Run Away From Mobile
JANUARY 31, 2009
Shreveport, La. – The No. 22 LSUS Lady Pilots didn’t need a whole lot of defense on Saturday night, as they offense put 85 points on the board in an 85-58 victory over the Mobile Lady Rams.
LSUS (18-2, 8-1) shot 53% from the field for the game, including going 11-for-25 (44%) from the three-point line. Sophomore Whitney Hollins nailed five three-point baskets, finishing with a game-high 19 points.
Although the Lady Pilots didn’t need much defense, they still used a tough, aggressive defense to cause the Lady Rams trouble throughout the game. LSUS forced 22 Mobile turnovers and made the Lady Rams earn every basket that they got. In turn, Mobile made just 3-of-14 free throws in the contest, mostly because of an LSUS defense that continually wore them down.
Tish Flowers shot a perfect 6-for-6 from the field for the Lady Pilots to finish with 15 points, while three other Lady Pilots also ended in double-figures. Valerie Huizar scored 12 points, while Callie Davis and Quan Joseph each added 11 points from off the bench.
LSUS is off to the best start in school history and is currently alone in first place in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference standings. The Lady Pilots will face Tougaloo College on Thursday night at The Dock.
Lady Pilots Rebound With 80-61 Win
JANUARY 29, 2009
Shreveport, La. - The No. 22 LSUS Lady Pilots bounced back with an 80-61 win over the Dillard Lady Blue Devils to regain first place in the Gulf Coast Ahtletic Conference standings.
LSUS jumped out to 19-0 lead to begin the game before Dillard finally scored at the 13 minute mark. The Lady Pilots shot 71% in the first half, including 6-for-10 from the three-point line and led 46-21 at the half.
Tish Flowers scored 14 points to lead four Lady Pilots in double figures. Janai Sells and Valerie Huizar each scored 13 points, while Callie Davis added 12 points from off the bench.
With the win, LSUS moves to 17-2 on the season and 7-1 in conference play. With a Loyola loss to Xavier on Thursday night, the Lady Pilots are back in sole possession of first place in the GCAC standings.
LSUS will be back in action on Saturday when Mobile comes to The Dock to face the Lady Pilots.
Loyola Hands No. 22 LSUS First Conference Loss
JANUARY 27, 2009
New Orleans, La.- The Loyola women’s basketball team made 20 out of 26 free throw attempts while LSU-Shreveport converted only four out of 11 from the charity stripe as the Wolfpack defeated the 22nd-ranked Lady Pilots 69-61 Monday night at The Den.
Loyola led by as many as six points early in the second half, but LSUS rallied to take a 49-48 lead on a Callie Davis basket with ten minutes to play.
Trenese Smith scored on the Wolfpack’s ensuing possession to give Loyola the lead for good.
Three point shooting kept the Lady Pilots in the contest, but the Wolfpack held off the visitors down the stretch. Garkeiva Council converted a pair of free throws with 15 seconds remaining to seal the 69-61 victory.
Trenese Smith led the way for Loyola with 16 points. Lauren Pryer added 13 points with Trenell Smith and Garkeiva Council each scoring 11. Rachael Nolan rounded out Loyola’s leading scorers with ten points.
The Wolfpack finished the game shooting 43.4% from the field (23 of 53). The Wolfpack (10-5, 6-1 GCAC) made a living at the line, outscoring the Lady Pilots from the charity stripe 20-4. With the win, the Wolfpack grabbed a share of first place in the GCAC.
LSU-Shreveport’s Janai Sells scored a game high 18 points. Whitney Hollins added 14 as the only other Lady Pilot to score in double figures. The Lady Pilots hit 43.6% from field (24 of 55), including 40.9% from above the three point arc (9 of 22).
A back and forth first half saw six ties and six lead changes. The Wolfpack took the largest lead of the period as a Lauren Pryer lay-in made the score 19-11 Loyola with 8:04 left.
The Lady Pilots came back to tie it twice more in the half, but the Wolfpack ended up with a 32-30 lead at the break.
*Story Courtesy of the Loyola Sports Information Department
Lady Pilots Win Again
JANUARY 25, 2009
New Orleans, La. - No. 22 LSUS continued their recent success on Saturday night, as they knocked off the Southern-New Orleans Lady Knights, 57-51.
Defense has been the theme for this year's version of the Lady Pilots women's basketball team, and tonight their defense propelled them to another victory. The Lady Pilots came up with two big stops down the stretch to earn their 14th straight win and 16th overall. LSUS limited SUNO to just 34% shooting from the field, including a dismal 13% from the three-point stripe. The Lady Pilots didn't fare much better from the field, but once again found a way to earn another victory.
Janai Sells came off the bench to lead the Lady Pilots with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Whitney Hollins also finished in double figures with 11.
LSUS connected on 22-of-32 free throws, which was ultimately the difference in the contest, as the Lady Knights missed on 12 of their 21 attempts from the stripe.
LSUS (16-1, 6-0) is alone atop the GCAC standings and will take on second-place Loyola-NO on Monday night in New Orleans.
No. 22 Lady Pilots Defeat Tougaloo
JANUARY 23, 2009
JACKSON, Miss. – No. 22 LSUS improved to 15-1 and 5-0 in Gulf Coast Athletic Conference play with a 53-48 win over Tougaloo College on Thursday night.
The Lady Pilots managed to pick up their 13th straight victory despite putting forth one of the worst outings of the year. LSUS trailed by two points at the break and had to stave off a last second three-point attempt by Tougaloo’s Stephanie Jackson to maintain their hold on the top spot of the GCAC standings.
Tish Flowers came up huge for the Lady Pilots on the offensive end, as LSUS’ two leading scorers combined to go just 4- for-17 from the field. Flowers poured in a game-high 20 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field, while also connecting on 8-of-10 free throws.
LSUS outrebounded the home team 34-33 for the game, while also limiting the Lady Bulldogs to just 31% shooting for the contest.
LSUS (15-1, 5-0) will next face Southern University-New Orleans on Saturday night in New Orleans.
Lady Pilots Remain at No. 22
JANUARY 19, 2009
SHREVEPORT, La. – For the second straight week, the LSUS Lady Pilots are ranked as the No. 22 team in the latest NAIA Division 1 Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll.
Despite picking up two victories last week, including their single-season record 14th win on the year, the Lady Pilots stayed put at the No. 22 spot. LSUS (14-1, 4-0) has won 12 games in-a-row, which is also a school-record, and currently sits atop the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference standings.
Union (Tenn.) received all first place votes to stay No. 1 in the country. The Lady Bulldogs earned 312 total points and were a unanimous pick for the fourth time this season. The next three spots also remained the same for second consecutive week. No. 2 Vanguard (Calif.) held its spot with 300 points while Oklahoma City remained at No. 3 with 294 points and Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) stayed at No. 4 with 283 points. Lambuth (Tenn.) climbed three spots to No. 5 with 263 points after knocking off then-No. 5 Lee (Tenn.) last week while Lee dropped to No. 8 with 246 points.
No. 6 Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) remained in its spot with 256 points. Saint Xavier (Ill.) moved up two spots from last week to No. 7 with 250 points and Oklahoma Baptist jumped to No. 9 from No. 13 with 235 points. Columbia (Mo.) rounded out the top-10 after moving up a spot with 220 points.
No. 24 Shorter (Ga.) and No. 25 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) both made their debut in the top-25 this week.
The sixth regular season poll will be released on Monday, January 26.
2008-09 NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball Top 25 Poll – Jan. 19
RANK LAST WEEK SCHOOL 1ST PLACE VOTES WON LOST TOTAL POINTS
1 1 Union (Tenn.) 12 17 1 312
2 2 Vanguard (Calif.) 14 2 300
3 3 Oklahoma City 16 1 294
4 4 Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) 15 1 283
5 8 Lambuth (Tenn.) 13 4 263
6 6 Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) 14 5 256
7 9 Saint Xavier (Ill.) 14 3 250
8 5 Lee (Tenn.) 14 4 246
9 13 Oklahoma Baptist 15 2 235
10 11 Columbia (Mo.) 17 1 220
11 12 Cumberlands (Ky.) 17 2 219
12 7 Lubbock Christian (Texas) 14 3 205
13 21 Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) 12 4 177
13 15 Campbellsville (Ky.) 16 3 177
15 10 Westmont (Calif.) 13 2 176
16 17 Southern Nazarene (Okla.) 14 3 165 17 16 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 13 4 158
18 18 Biola (Calif.) 11 4 141
19 19 Bethel (Tenn.) 11 6 119
20 25 The Master's (Calif.) 10 6 115
21 20 Westminster (Utah) 14 5 113
22 22 Louisiana State-Shreveport 14 1 97
23 14 Azusa Pacific (Calif.) 12 5 93
24 RV Shorter (Ga.) 12 5 81
T25 23 Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 13 4 72
T25 RV Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 15 4 72
Others receiving votes: Benedictine (Kan.) 37; Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 28; Carroll (Mont.) 19; Xavier (La.) 17; Rogers State (Okla.) 10; William Carey (Miss.) 8; Avila (Mo.) 8; William Woods (Mo.) 5; Montana State-Northern 4; Evangel (Mo.) 3; Science and Arts of Oklahoma 1; Pikeville (Ky.) 1; Missouri Baptist 1; Oklahoma Christian 1.
Lady Pilots Win No. 14, Set School Record For Victories in a Season
JANUARY 17, 2009
SHREVEPORT, La. - The No. 22 LSUS Lady Pilots made their mark on the record books Saturday night, defeating Belhaven 75-49 and picking up their school-record 14th win of the season.
Senior Quan Joseph dominated the paint from start-to-finish, scoring a game-high 19 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field. Fellow senior Jamien Arvie chipped in a double-double in the win, finishing the night with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
LSUS held Belhaven to just 31% shooting for the game, while forcing the Lady Blazers into 23 turnovers. The Lady Pilots capitalized several times on those turnovers, turning them into easy baskets.
LSUS never trailed in the contest, improving to 14-1 on the season and winning their 12th consecutive game.
Valerie Huizar and Whitney Hollins each added 11 points for the Lady Pilots.
LSUS (14-1, 4-0) will next face Tougaloo College on Thursday night in Jackson.
Lady Pilots Tie School Record With 13th Win
JANUARY 16, 2009
HATTIESBURG, Miss.- The No. 22 LSUS Lady Pilots used a late 14 to 5 run to defeat the William Carey Lady Crusaders 67-58, tying a single-season school record with their 13th win of the season.
William Carey controlled things early, as the Lady Pilots found themselves down 22-17 with 6:49 left to play in the first half following Alisha Mason's third three pointer of the half. However, the Lady Pilots answered Carey's three-point barrage with one of their own, connecting on three three-point baskets that capped off a 19-7 run to end the half.
With LSUS leading 36-29 at the break, Carey slowly chipped at the LSUS lead and Fallon Hartfield's bucket with 6:18 to play evened the score at 53. But, the Lady Pilots responded with a Callie Davis three pointer and a left-handed runner by Tish Flowers as the shot clock expired, giving them a lead their defense would not relinquish on this night.
LSUS held the Lady Crusaders to just two field goals and one free throw over the final six minutes, as they pulled away for a nine-point win.
Valerie Huizar led the Lady Pilots with 19 points, while Whitney Hollins added 15 and Flowers 11.
Fallon Hartfield led the Lady Crusaders with a game high 21 points and 10 rebounds, but a stingy LSUS defense held Carey's second-leading scorer to zero points on the night.
LSUS will be back at The Dock on Saturday night versus Belhaven College. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 P.M.
Lady Pilots Ranked Nationally for First Time in Program History
JANUARY 12, 2009
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The LSUS Lady Pilots achieved their first-ever national ranking on Monday, entering the NAIA Division 1 Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 poll at No. 22.
LSUS is off to the best start in the program's short history, winning 12 out of their first 13 games, including a current school-record ten game winning streak.
"Although it is still early in the season and rankings don't mean very much right now, this is a special day for the LSUS women's basketball program," said Head Coach Ronnie Howell. "Our girls have worked real hard this season, and they are very deserving of this ranking."
Union (Tenn.) received all 11 first place votes to remain No. 1 in the poll, earning 281 total points.
Vanguard (Calif.) moved back to No. 2 after winning both games last week. The Lions received 269 total points. No. 3 Oklahoma City and No. 4 Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) both dropped a spot after going 1-1 last week. OCU earned 264 points while Trevecca Nazarene received 255 points. Lee (Tenn.) moved up a spot from last week to No. 5 with 241 points while Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) climbed two spots to No. 6 with 229 points.
Lubbock Christian (Texas) knocked off then-No. 2 Oklahoma City on Monday but fell to then-No. 19 Southern Nazarene (Okla.) on Thursday and dropped a spot in the poll to No. 7. The Lady Chaps compiled 222 total points. No. 8 Lambuth (Tenn.) (220 points) moved up two spots after winnings against Trevecca Nazarene last week. Saint Xavier (Ill.) held its spot at No. 9 with 215 points.
Westmont (Calif.) knocked off two top-25 teams last week and moved into the top-10. The Warriors moved up five spots from last week and earned 197 points.
No. 18 Biola (Calif.), No. 21 Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.), No. 22 LSUS and No. 23 Martin Methodist (Tenn.) all moved into the top-25 this week.
The fifth regular season poll will be released on Monday, January 19.
2008-09 NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball Top 25 Poll – Jan. 12
RANK LAST WEEK SCHOOL 1ST PLACE VOTES WON LOST TOTAL POINTS
1 1 Union (Tenn.) 11 15 1 281
2 4 Vanguard (Calif.) 12 2 269
3 2 Oklahoma City 14 1 264
4 3 Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) 14 1 255
5 6 Lee (Tenn.) 13 3 241
6 8 Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) 13 4 229
7 6 Lubbock Christian (Texas) 13 2 222
8 10 Lambuth (Tenn.) 12 4 220
9 9 Saint Xavier (Ill.) 12 3 215
10 15 Westmont (Calif.) 12 1 197
11 13 Columbia (Mo.) 15 1 190
12 12 Cumberlands (Ky.) 15 2 185
13 14 Oklahoma Baptist 13 2 174
14 5 Azusa Pacific (Calif.) 11 4 163
15 16 Campbellsville (Ky.) 14 3 150
16 11 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 11 4 145
17 19 Southern Nazarene (Okla.) 12 3 144 18 RV Biola (Calif.) 10 3 120
19 20 Bethel (Tenn.) 11 5 116
20 21 Westminster (Utah) 12 5 105
21 RV Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) 10 4 88
22 RV Louisiana State-Shreveport 12 1 65
23 RV Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 12 2 61
24 24 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 10 5 54
25 23 The Master's (Calif.) 8 6 48
Others receiving votes: Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 45; Xavier (La.) 40; William Woods (Mo.) 37; Carroll (Mont.) 34; Rogers State (Okla.) 31; Concordia (Calif.) 25; Shorter (Ga.) 18; Oklahoma Christian 16; Benedictine (Kan.) 15; Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) 6; Montana State-Northern 3; William Jewell (Mo.) 1; Mobile (Ala.) 1; Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas) 1; Missouri Baptist 1; MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 1; William Carey (Miss.) 1.
Lady Pilots Defeat Spring Hill, 62-58
JANUARY 11, 2009
SHREVEPORT, La. – The LSUS Lady Pilots picked up a hard-fought 62-58 win over the Spring Hill Lady Badgers in Gulf Coast Athletic Conference action on Saturday night at The Dock.
With LSUS entering tonight’s game on a school-record nine-game winning streak, it looked on paper as though the Lady Pilots would easily handle a Lady Badger team that had won just three times in eleven tries so far this season. However, a scrappy Lady Badger team gave the Lady Pilots all they wanted in their bid for an upset.
A Tish Flowers three-point basket broke open a 55-55 tie at the 1:38 mark in the second half, giving LSUS a three-point lead, but the Lady Badgers tied the game at 58 on a three of their own by Sharidan Hollis with just 48 seconds remaining.
With the game tied at 58, Whitney Hollins knocked down a pair of free throws to give the Lady Pilots a two-point advantage with 19 seconds left. On Spring Hill’s next possession, Flowers came up with a huge steal and then Janai Sells sealed the game at the free-throw line, connecting on two with four seconds on the clock.
Sells finished with 12 points from off the bench to lead the Lady Pilots, while Valerie Huizar was the only other Lady Pilot in double figures with 10.
After knocking off No. 22 Xavier on Thursday and winning tonight to move to 2-0 in conference play, the Lady Pilots could very well find themselves nationally ranked for the first time in school history in next week’s rankings. LSUS (12-1) has now won ten consecutive games and is just one win away from tying the school record for most wins in a season. The Lady Pilots will have the opportunity to tie the record next Thursday when they take on conference foe William Carey in Hattiesburg.
Lady Pilots Knock Off No. 22 Xavier-NO
JANUARY 09, 2009
Shreveport, La. – The LSUS Lady Pilots improved on the school-record start Thursday night, defeating No. 22 Xavier University-New Orleans 60-55 and extending their winning streak to nine games.
LSUS trailed 55-54 with two minutes left to play after a made field goal by Xavier’s Brittany Powell, but a made field goal by Whitney Hollins gave LSUS the lead back for good, as the Lady Pilots’ defense would hold the Gold Nuggets scoreless over the final two minutes of play.
Xavier had a chance to tie the game on its’ final possession, but a huge defensive stand and two made free throws by Tish Flowers in the final seconds helped lift the Lady Pilots to a victory in the conference opener.
LSUS point guard Valerie Huizar scored a game-high 20 points in the win, while also dishing out a game-high seven assists. Callie Davis finished with nine points and five rebounds, including two big offensive rebounds in the final minute.
LSUS (11-1) is now just two wins shy of tying a school record for most victories in a season, and they will look to move closer to that total on Saturday night when they face Spring Hill College at 5:00 p.m. at The Dock.
Lady Pilots Off to School-Record Start, Begin GCAC Play Thursday
JANUARY 07, 2009
The 2008-09 LSUS Lady Pilots, led by point guard Valerie Huizar, are off to a school-record 10-1 start, and will enter Gulf Coast Athletic Conference play on Thursday night with a school-record eight game winning streak.
“This is fun,” said LSUS Head Coach Ronnie Howell. “Coming in to the season, I really thought we had a chance to win some games and have a pretty good year, but I never anticipated this.”
According to Coach Howell, several factors have played a key part in the team’s early season success, including junior college transfer Valerie Huizar. Huizar, who came to LSUS after spending the previous two years at Lon Morris College, currently leads the Lady Pilots in scoring (14.7 PPG) and assists (5.4 APG).
“To be honest, I can’t really believe that we are 10-1 right now,” commented Huizar. “However, we have worked really hard over the past four months to be where we are, and it’s nice to see the hard work pay off.”
LSUS will begin GCAC play on Thursday night when they take on the always-tough Xavier University Gold Nuggets at The Dock. In order for the Lady Pilots to continue their quest for a conference title and stay in the hunt, they cannot afford to take one night off, beginning tomorrow night. The Lady Pilots have never won more than 13 games in any season during the program’s short history. However, if the first eleven games are any indication of what’s to come, this season looks to be like one for the record books.
Lady Pilots Win Tenth Game
JANUARY 03, 2009
JACKSON, Miss. – Valerie Huizar’s 19 points lifted the LSUS Lady Pilots to their eighth consecutive win, as they defeated East Texas Baptist University 61-47 on Saturday afternoon at the Belhaven Classic.
Although the Lady Pilots struggled shooting the ball in the contest, especially from the three-point line (3-for-15), the LSUS defense turned in another solid performance for the second straight game. LSUS limited the Lady Tigers to just 25% shooting from the field and forced 17 turnovers in the win.
LSUS fell behind 3-2 just one minute into the contest, but after a made field goal by Jamien Arvie gave the Lady Pilots a 5-3 lead, they would never trail again in the game. LSUS extended their lead to as many as 11 points late in the first half, before entering the break with a 29-20 lead.
Arvie finished the game in double-figures for the second game in-a-row with 10 points, while adding a game-high 10 rebounds for a double-double. Tish Flowers ended the afternoon with 13 points.
LSUS (10-1) finished non-conference play with a school-best start to begin the season and will enter Gulf Coast Athletic Conference play on Thursday night when they face the Xavier Gold Nuggets at The Dock.
Lady Pilots Cruise Past Wesley College
JANUARY 02, 2009
JACKSON, Miss. – The LSUS Lady Pilots opened up the new year in the same fashion they closed out the last one, winning their school-record seventh consecutive game and easily defeating Wesley College 73-26 on Friday night.
Eleven Lady Pilots logged double-digit minutes in the victory with nine players reaching the scoring column. Jamien Arvie and Tish Flowers each had 12 points to lead the Lady Pilots, while Whitney Hollins also finished in double figures with 11.
LSUS dominated the contest from start-to-finish, as the Lady Pilots defense put forth one of the best defensive efforts in the program’s history. The Lady Pilots forced 20 turnovers and held Wesley to just 22% shooting from the field for the game, while allowing a school record-low 26 points.
The Lady Pilots finished the game shooting just over 47% from the field. LSUS connected on 40% of their three-point attempts, while making 87% of their free throws in the game.
LSUS (9-1) is off to the best start in school history and will look to extend their winning streak tomorrow afternoon versus East Texas Baptist University.
Lady Pilots Continue School-Record Start
DECEMBER 16, 2008
DALLAS, Texas - LSUS used a strong second-half performance and a big night from senior post Janai Sells to defeat Paul Quinn on 70-48 on Monday night. LSUS trailed 28-27 at the half, but the Lady Pilots outscored Paul Quinn 43-20 in the final 20 minutes to pick up their eight win of the season, increasing their school-record start to 8-1.
"We came out and played well in the second half, which ultimately led to the victory tonight" LSUS coach Ronnie Howell said. "We had 16 turnovers in the first half, but only six in the second half."
LSUS' Sells scored 17 points and had 16 rebounds to lead the Lady Pilots. The Lady Pilots also got 16 from Whitney Hollins and 14 from Valerie Huizar. Tish Flowers rounded out the double-digit scorers for LSUS with 11.
Lady Pilots Smash Lady Rams
DECEMBER 06, 2008
Shreveport, La. - The LSUS Lady Pilots moved to 7-1 on the season with a 94-63 victory over Texas Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon at The Dock.
Junior Valerie Huizar scored a career-high 26 points, including seven made three-point baskets in the contest. Whitney Hollins and Tish Flowers each scored 11 points in the game, as the Lady Pilots scored a season-high 94 points, while shooting a season-high 54% (32-for-59) from the field.
LSUS trailed by two points early in the contest, but a 14-2 run over a three-minute span midway through the first half helped the Lady Pilots open up a 23-13 lead. The Lady Rams then went on a 7-0 run of their own to cut the lead back to just three points, but a 22-10 run by the Lady Pilots to end the half gave them a 45-30 lead at the break.
The Lady Pilots continued to shoot the ball well in the second, extending their lead to 23 points halfway through the final 20 minutes and eventually pulling away for a 31-point win.
LSUS dominated the Lady Rams in almost every facet of the game, outshooting, outrebounding and outhustling the visitors for the entire game. The Lady Pilots finished the contest with a 43-31 rebounding advantage, while forward Jamien Arvie pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds.
With today’s win, the Lady Pilots have now won five games in-a-row and are off to a school-best 7-1 start. LSUS will be back in action versus Paul Quinn on December 15 in Dallas.
Lady Pilots Drop Exhibition Contest to Lamar
DECEMBER 03, 2008 BEAUMONT – Lamar's Darika Hill recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds to lead Lamar University to a 69-56 win over LSUS Wednesday night in non-conference women’s basketball action at the Montagne Center.
The first half featured two ties and two lead changes. After a Brittney Williams free throw gave Lamar a 1-0 lead, Whitney Hollins nailed a three-pointer to put the Lady Pilots up 3-1. A Hill jumper tied the game at 3-3.
A pair of free throws by Janai Sells put LSUS up 5-3. Another Hill jumper tied the game at 5-5 and Trashanna Smith’s jumper at 14:26 gave Lamar the lead for good at 7-5. That started a 6-0 run for the Lady Cards. Lamar went on to take a 29-21 halftime lead.
After shooting just 32.1 percent from the field in the first half, the Lady Cardinals heated up in the second half, connecting on 16-of-29 shots (55.2%). Lamar built as much as a 12-point lead, 45-33, with 11:21 remaining in the contest on a Smith jumper.
The Lady Pilots used a 5-0 run to trim the lead to five points, 51-46, on an Amanda Perkins three-pointer and a Sells jumper at 7:13. That’s as close as LSUS would get the rest of the way.
Lamar responded with an 8-1 run to push the lead to 12, 59-47, on a Williams three point play. Emily Spickler drained a 3- pointer and a jumper during the run that put the game away.
Hill went 7-of-14 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free throw line in recording her first career double-double at Lamar. Williams added 13 points, including scoring her 900th career point at Lamar. Nikki Williams chipped in 10 points and dished out four assists.
Lamar ended up shooting 43.9 percent (25-of-57) from the field, 25 percent (4-of-16) from 3-point range and 62.5 percent (15-of-24) from the free throw line. The Lady Cardinals forced 16 turnovers which led to a 16-9 advantage in points off turnovers.
Sells led LSUS with 19 points and nine rebounds. Tish Flowers added 11 points. Amanda Perkins chipped in nine points and eight rebounds.
LSUS shot 32.7 percent from the field (17-of-52), 25 percent (3-of-12) from 3-point range and 76 percent (19-of-25) from free throw line for the game. The Lady Pilots outrebounded Lamar 40 to 36.
* Story courtesy of the Lamar Sports Information Department
Lady Pilots Cruise to 75-44 Victory
DECEMBER 01, 2008
HAWKINS, Texas - The LSUS Lady Pilots continued their winning ways on Monday night, turning a solid shooting performance and dominating defensive effort into an easy 75-44 victory over the Jarvis Christian Lady Bulldogs.
LSUS shot a season high 57% from the field for the game and held the home team to just 24% shooting for the contest.
"We shot the ball extremely well tonight, which was a result of our patience versus their full-court pressure," said LSUS Head Coach Ronnie Howell. "We made the right decisions for most of the game against their press and got a lot of easy baskets." LSUS took advantage of those easy baskets to jump out to an early 10-1 lead to begin them game, and eventually took a 41-23 lead into the break.
In the second half, the Lady Pilots put it on cruise control and recorded their sixth victory in seven tries, extending their best start in school history to 6-1.
Jamien Arvie paced the Lady Pilots with 13 points and 8 rebounds, while Tish Flowers, Valerie Huizar and Janai Sells each had 12 points. Sells also pulled down 8 boards in her 2008-09 debut after missing the first six games due to injury.
LSUS outrebounded the home team 40-25 for the game, while holding Jarvis Christian's leading scorer to 7 points and 9 rebounds below her season average.
The Lady Pilots will play again on Wednesday night when they face NCAA Division 1 opponent Lamar University in an exhibition contest.
Lady Pilots Pull Away in Second Half Versus ETBU
NOVEMBER 22, 2008
MARSHALL, Texas - For the second consecutive night, the LSUS Lady Pilots dominated the last 20 minutes of play to break open a close game and defeat the ETBU Lady Tigers 80-66 in Ornelas Gymnasium.
LSUS' Valerie Huizar led a host of Lady Pilots in double figures on Saturday with 19 points and 7 assists. Whitney Hollins poured in 17 points in the win and Quan Joseph added 10. Freshman Ricosha Kindells scored a career-high 16 points, as the Lady Pilots won for the fifth time in six tries and are off to the best start in school history.
The Lady Pilots led by just three points at the half and found themselves tied at 55-55 with 10:24 remaining in the contest. However, LSUS went on an 17-1 run over the next seven minutes to take control of the contest and put the Lady Tigers away.
LSUS made 19-of-25 free throws on the night, while forcing 22 ETBU turnovers to their 11.
LSUS (5-1) will be off until Dec. 1 when they will take on Jarvis Christian in Hawkins, Texas.
Big Second Half Lifts Lady Pilots to Victory
NOVEMBER 21, 2008
MARSHALL, Texas - LSUS' Whitney Hollins hit 16 points in the second half going 6-6 from the field, including 4-4 from the 3-point line to give the Lady Pilots their second consecutive win, 74-52.
LSUS jumped out to a 14-5 lead after the first six minutes of action, but LeTourneau closed the gap to within two at 21-19 at the nine minute mark of the first half and took a two-point lead over the Lady Pilots just one minute later. LSUS, however, went on to score 10 more points in comparison to LETU’s 7 to take a one point lead of 31-30 at the half. The Lady Pilots opened up the second half scoring 10 consecutive points including 8 from Hollins before LETU was able to finally make a basket. The Jackets crept within 41-37, but continued to struggle offensively through out the second half hitting just 7-27 shots from the floor, as LSUS caught fire in the second half and cruised to an easy win.
Hollins finished with 18 points to lead LSUS, while Quan Joseph posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Valerie Huizar scored 12 points and Callie Davis added 11 for the Lady Pilots.
LSUS will have little time to celebrate, as they turn around to face ETBU tomorrow afternoon at 4:00 p.m.
Lady Pilots Move to 3-1 With Win
NOVEMBER 16, 2008
Waxahachie, Texas - The LSUS Lady Pilots improved to 3-1 on Saturday night with a 71-60 win over Central Baptist at the SAGU Classic.
LSUS jumped out to an early lead in the first half, and took an 11-point (36-25) advantage into the break.
The second half saw each team battle back-and-forth throughout the final 20 minutes, but Central Baptist was unable to cut into the Lady Pilots lead, as LSUS held on for the win.
Whitney Hollins led a host of four Lady Pilots in double figures with 14 points, while Valerie Huizar and Tish Flowers each had 13 and Amanda Perkins added 12.
The Lady Pilots shot a scorching 53% from the three-point line in the contest, while holding Central Baptist to just 36% from beyond the arc.
LSUS also won the rebounding battle 39-36, which included 12 offensive rebounds for the Lady Pilots. Quan Joseph once again recorded double-digit rebounds, finishing with a game-high 10 boards.
The Lady Pilots will be off until next Friday when they take on LeTourneau University in Marshall.
Lady Pilots Fall 64-59 to No. 22 Southern Nazarene
NOVEMBER 14, 2008
WAXAHACHIE, TEXAS - The LSUS Lady Pilots dropped their first game of the year, as the 22nd-ranked Crimson Storm women's basketball team improved to 5-0 on the year with a 64-59 win over LSUS on Friday night in the first game of the Southwestern Assemblies of God University Classic.
It was all square going into the half, but SNU outscored the Lady Pilots by five to take the win.
For the game, Lana Keith led the way with the Storm with 16 points and eight rebounds. Logan Martin also picked up 16 points on the night with four rebounds. Abbey Marra had eight rebounds and eight points while Ashley Mantooth had seven points and four rebounds. SNU held LSUS to only 34% shooting from the floor and 36% from three, while SNU was 46% from the field and 35% from three for the night.
Whitney Hollins led the Lady Pilots with 17 points on 5-for-8 shooting from the the three-point line, while Quan Joseph added 8 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.
The women will play again tomorrow afternoon versus Central Baptist.
Lady Pilots Improve to 2-0
NOVEMBER 12, 2008
The LSUS Lady Pilots blew open a tight game with a barrage of 3-pointers midway through the first half, allowing them to roll over Jarvis Christian College 79-64 on Tuesday night at The Dock.
The Lady Bulldogs led 15-14 seven minutes into the contest before a pair of 3-pointers by Whitney Hollins, along with single 3s by Valerie Huizar and Jamien Arvie (11 points), staked the home team to a 28-17 advantage four minutes later.
Back-to-back 3-pointers from Huizar allowed the Lady Pilots (2-0) to stretch their lead to 19 points with a minute to play in the first half.
"We got in a tad bit of foul trouble in the first half and they hit a couple of easy shots on us," LSUS coach Ronnie Howell said. "But I was proud that we never let the game get under 10. Overall, we finished the game well, which is something we've had trouble doing in the past.
LSUS didn't get away totally clean, however. The Lady Bulldogs (1-1) fought back from a 20-point deficit moments into the second half to get within 50-38 five minutes into the half. But the Lady Pilots answered with four different players scoring five straight buckets to go back in front 60-40 midway through the second half. That run included four points off a technical foul on Jarvis Christian coach Elissia Burwell.
Huizar was one of three Lady Pilots with 14 points in the contest. Hollins and Callie Davis also had 14.
"Paul Quinn ran a similar defense with a lot of traps last week, so we were better prepared for Jarvis to do the same," Huizar said. "Even though they got back in the game, we didn't let it rattle us. We just settled down and ran our offense. We weathered the storm."
The Lady Pilots won the game on the boards where they outrebounded the visitors 49-38, snagging 10 more offensive boards. Dominique Mathis topped Jarvis with 13 points while Vashunta Johnston added 12 and Veronica Hendrix 10.
*Story courtesy of the Shreveport Times' Jimmy Watson
Lady Pilots Victorious in Home Opener
NOVEMBER 06, 2008 Shreveport, La. - There was reason to celebrate on Thursday night at The Dock, as the Lady Pilots picked up a 79-76 victory over Paul Quinn to open the season.
Senior Quan Joseph pumped in a game-high 20 points and 15 rebounds, while four other Lady Pilots scored in doubles figures with Valerie Huizar (16), Tish Flowers (14), Whitney Hollins (13) and Jamien Arvie (10) each topping the double- digit mark.
Despite committing 31 turnovers in the contest, the Lady Pilots found a way to pull out the victory versus a scrappy Lady Tigers team.
The Lady Pilots led 40-36 at the half, but Paul Quinn took a one-point lead with ten minutes left in the contest on a basket by Shaniqua Days. However, the Lady Pilots went on a 9-4 run over the next four minutes to take a five-point lead, one they would not relinquish for the rest of the game.
The Lady Tigers cut the Lady Pilots lead down to one with 30 seconds remaining, but Huizar connected on two free- throws and the Lady Pilots defense forced a wild shot by Paul Quinn as time expired.
The Lady Pilots outrebounded the visitors 55-37 for the game, while shooting 16-for-18 in the second half from the free- throw line.
LSUS (1-0) will host Jarvis Christian next Tuesday at The Dock.
Lady Pilots Upset Bid Over UL-Lafayette Falls Just Short
NOVEMBER 04, 2008
Lafayette, La. - The LSUS Lady Pilots fell just short of making school history with their first-ever win over an NCAA Division 1 opponent, as Louisiana-Lafayette rallied for a 53-52 exhibition victory on Tuesday night.
LSUS led by five points with 3:47 remaining in the contest, but they were held scoreless for rest of the contest. Three Lady Pilot turnovers on consecutive possessions led to a late 6-0 Ragin' Cajun run, and the Lady Pilots missed on two opportunities in the final minute to take the lead, as the home team held on for the victory.
Junior college transfer Valerie Huizar had a successful debut in a Lady Pilots uniform with a game-high 24 points, including six made three-point baskets. Huizar was the lone Lady Pilot in double figures, as Tish Flowers finished the game with eight points and seven rebounds and Jamien Arvie scored seven points.
The Lady Pilots out-rebounded (46-36) and out-played the Ragin' Cajuns in almost every facet of the game, but the late turnovers and poor free-throw shooting were eventually the difference in the game. LSUS committed 18 turnovers in the contest and shot just 3-for-11 from the charity stripe.
LSUS will open up the regular season at home Thursday night versus Paul Quinn College. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
Lady Pilots Set to Tip-off 2008-09 Season
NOVEMBER 03, 2008
Following four consecutive 13-win seasons, the LSUS women’s basketball program enters the 2008-09 season with high hopes of surpassing that win total and making school history in the process.
The Lady Pilots return three starters this season, including senior post players Janai Sells and Quan Joseph. Sells, a preseason All-GCAC selection, is the team’s leading returner in both scoring (9.3 PPG) and rebounds (5.8 RPG). Joseph was a key contributor last season, averaging 7.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, while shooting a team-high 52% from the field. Sophomore Whitney Hollins also returns after one of the most successful freshman campaigns in school history. Hollins led the Lady Pilots in three-point shooting last year, connecting on 52 three pointers and scoring 7.7 points per game.
The return of several key players has LSUS Head Coach Ronnie Howell very optimistic for the upcoming season.
“We should be pretty solid with two seniors returning in the post, along with several other players who played a lot of minutes and gained valuable experience last season,” said Howell. “We lost our leading scorer from last year (Edie Leonards), but we are looking for Whitney Hollins to fill that void and have more of a scoring role this year.”
Six other letter-winners are back this season, led by senior Jamien Arvie. Arvie started in 18 contests last season and has worked hard this offseason to improve her game. Junior Tish Flowers is back for her third season in a Lady Pilots uniform, and will look to fill an expanded role this season. Sophomores Callie Davis, Amanda Perkins and Fawn Huttoalso return following their freshman seasons in which they all contributed, and they will provide much needed depth to the Lady Pilots roster this season.
Three newcomers join the Lady Pilots roster this season, headlined by junior college transfer Valerie Huizar. Huizar comes to LSUS after playing the last two seasons at Lon Morris College, where she averaged 10 points and 4 assists per game her sophomore year. Two high school standouts, Ricosha Kindells and Nene Warren, will begin their college careers at LSUS this season. Kindells, a graduate of Southwood High School, averaged 11 points per game her senior season, while winning three state championships as a member of the Lady Cowboys. Warren prepped at Shongaloo High School where she was the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,710 career points. The Class B All-State player and District MVP averaged 30 points and 19.5 rebounds per game during her senior year.
Coach Howell and his staff have put together a team that they feel can win a lot of games this season and potentially make their mark on the program’s history.
“I like our size and athleticism in the post, and I think our guards will be able to open things up inside with their ability to shoot the basketball,” added Howell. “We are very excited about our returning players, as well as the newcomers. We lost three very good players from last year’s team, but we feel like we will be competitive night in and night out this year.”
LSUS will tip-off the 2008-09 season on Tuesday night in an exhibition contest versus UL-Lafayette. Tuesday’s game is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. and will be played at the Cajundome on the ULL campus.
Sells Picks Up Preseason Honor
OCTOBER 23, 2008
Hattiesburg, Miss. - LSUS senior Janai Sells was named to the 2008-09 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team, as announced today by the league's office.
Sells, a native of Beaumont, Texas, is a two-year starter for the Lady Pilots and is the team's leading returner in both scoring (9.3 PPG) and rebounding (5.8 RPG).
Sells will be heavily relied on this season, and is expected to be a difference maker for the Lady Pilots as they look to build on their school record 13-win season in 2007-08.
"Janai is very deserving of this honor because of all the hard work she has put in during her career here at LSUS," commented LSUS Head Coach Ronnie Howell. "She will be a major part of our success this year, and we are looking for her to have a great senior year."
The Lady Pilots open up the 2008-09 season with an exhibition contest versus UL-Lafayette on Nov. 4. The regular season will begin on Nov. 6 when they take on Paul Quinn in their home opener at The Dock.
* The team was selected by a vote of the league's coaches.
Name Height Class Position Team Keisha Forbes 5'10" Senior Forward Spring Hill Danielle Goodley 5'7" Senior Guard Mobile Fallon Hartfield 5'11" Junior Forward William Carey Shonte Kennedy 5'5" Senior Guard William Carey Meaquell Lewis 5'9" Junior Guard Dillard Sherri McIntosh 6'1" Senior Center Mobile Janai Sells 6'0" Senior Center LSUS Trenell Smith 5'7" Junior Guard Loyola Trenese Smith 5'8" Junior Guard Loyola Jira Williams 5'10" Junior Forward Belhaven
Pilots Picked to Repeat as GCAC Champions, Lady Pilots selected Fifth in GCAC Pre-season Coaches Poll
OCTOBER 01, 2008
Hattiesburg, Miss. - The Gulf Coast Athletic Conference announced today the results of the 2008-2009 Men's and Women’s Basketball Pre-Season Poll as selected by the league's coaches.
Coming off of their best season in school history, the LSUS men’s basketball team has been picked again to repeat as Gulf Coast Athletic Conference champions, receiving nine of the ten possible first-place votes. LSUS finished the 2007- 08 season with a 31-3 overall record, and their third GCAC regular season title in five years. The Pilots also captured their third straight GCAC tournament championship in 2008, while advancing to the NAIA National Tournament for the fourth consecutive year.
LSUS returns just one starter off of last year’s team, but several other players who logged significant minutes from off the bench also return, in addition to a six-man recruiting class headlined by Centenary College transfer Tyrone Hamilton.
The LSUS Lady Pilots have been selected to finish fifth in the ten-team league, following their fourth-straight season with 13 wins. The Lady Pilots finished the 2007-2008 season tied for fifth place in the GCAC standings with a 9-9 overall conference mark.
The Lady Pilots return eight letter winners off of last year’s squad, including senior posts Janai Sells and Quan Joseph. Sells was the team’s second leading scorer and rebounder last season with 9.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, while Joseph averaged 7.2 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Lady Pilots. Sophomore Whitney Hollins, who led the Lady Pilots in three-point shooting last season, also returns for her second season in a Lady Pilots uniform.
The Pilots and Lady Pilots will both open the regular season at home on November 6 versus Paul Quinn College.
Men's Basketball Pre-season Poll Results
1. LSUS (9) 81 2. Xavier University (1) 71 3. Tougaloo College 54 4. University of Mobile 52 5. Spring Hill College 46 6. William Carey University 41 7. Loyola University 33 8. Belhaven College 30 9. Dillard University 27 10. SUNO 15 Women's Basketball Pre-season Poll Results
1. Xavier University (8) 80 2. Loyola University 69 3. William Carey University (2) 66 4. University of Mobile 48 5. LSUS 41 6. SUNO 40 7. Dillard University 37 8. Belhaven College 32 9. Spring Hill College 23 10. Tougaloo College 14 First place votes in parenthesis.
Former Lady Pilot Returns to LSUS
SEPTEMBER 05, 2008
Shreveport, La. – Louisiana State University in Shreveport has hired Marcia Spyhalski as its new assistant women’s basketball coach, according to athletics director Doug Robinson.
Spyhalski, a LSUS graduate and former letter winner, comes to LSUS after spending the last two years as a manager of a Nike Factory store in Texas. She replaces Toni Martinez who recently accepted the head girl’s coaching position at C.E. Byrd High School.
“I am very excited to have Marcia back in the program in a coaching capacity,” said LSUS head coach Ronnie Howell. “She has played in this league and knows what it will take for us to compete for championships in the GCAC.”
During her playing career at LSUS (2003-2006), Spyhalski posted career averages of five points and five rebounds. Spyhalski, known on the court for her toughness and leadership abilities, was named the Lady Pilots team captain during her final two seasons.
“Marcia was an extremely hard worker as a player, and I am sure she will be the same type coach,” added Howell. “Our current players should benefit tremendously from her in a positive way.”
Spyhalski received a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree in General Studies from LSUS in May 2006.
Lady Pilots Sign Shongaloo Standout
JULY 15, 2008
Shreveport, La. - LSUS head women’s coach Ronnie Howell announced today the signing of Tynekqua Warren from Shongaloo High School to a letter-of-intent.
Warren, a 5’8 forward, finished her career at Shongaloo as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,710 points. She averaged 30 points and 19.5 rebounds per game during her senior year, while leading the Tigers to the Class B State playoffs. Warren posted four 40-point games last season on her way to earning district MVP honors.
In addition to being an outstanding athlete in high school, Warren also excelled in the classroom. She graduated high school with a 3.8 GPA, while finishing ranked third in her senior class. Warren was named to the Academic All-State Team for her accomplishments both on the court and in the classroom.
Warren is the second signee in the Lady Pilots 2008-09 recruiting class, joining junior college transfer Valerie Huizar who signed in early May.