New Orleans- With two straight exciting wins coming in the final seconds, the University of New Orleans Privateers (10-12,6-8 Southland) embark on game two of a four-game road trip, Saturday, Feb. 23 versus McNeese in Lake Charles. Tipoff is set for 1 p. m.
The top eight teams in the Southland Conference standings qualify for the conference tournament in Katy, Texas. With 4 games to play, New Orleans sits eighth in the standings, one-and-one-half game ahead of the ninth place McNeese Cowgirls (4-9, 6-18).
The Privateers got 35 points from the bench in the win over Southeastern Louisiana, Wednesday in Hammond, a 61-58 decision over the Lady Lions thanks to a basket by center
Whitley Larry to tie the game at 58-58 with :53 seconds to go, and a second jumper by Larry 18 seconds later for the win. The junior from Rayne, Louisiana also hit the game winner in a 56-54 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Feb. 16.
More than half of the 35 points from the bench came courtesy of sophomore guard
Dionjhae Thomas, who had a career-high 18 points.
"She came off the bench with great energy," said head coach
Keeshawn Davenport. "All the things she did on the defensive end won't be seen in the stats but the defense sparked her confidence on the offensive end and she just drove with purpose against Southeastern."
Shania Woods continues her consistently good senior season. She is 9
th in the Southland in scoring (14.4), 2
nd in rebounds (8.7), 6
th in field goal percentage (.486).
The Houston, Texas native continues to work her way up the school-record book at UNO. She moved up to 3
rd all-time in rebounds (817). Earlier this season she cracked the top ten in scoring and is currently 18 points away from moving up to 9
th on the scoring list. She is 18 points shy of passing Sandy Lucht (1982-85) who finished her career with 1,188. Woods has 1,171.
With 72 career blocked shots,
Shania Woods is also 12 blocks shy of tenth place on the all-time blocks list passing Debbie Payne (1989-93).
Jada Duncantell, who had 8 rebounds from the point guard position in the Southeastern win, is the next highest scoring Privateer at 8 points a game.
Whitley Larry averages 5.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and is second in the league in blocked shots (72, equaling Woods) swatting away 2.0 a game. Right on her heels in 3
rd place is 6-5 center
Kayla Thomas with 34 blocks, 1.4 a game.
Freshman
Traya Bruce, from Cut Off, Louisiana, is the top long-range shooting threat with 35, 3-pointers, double the amount of the next best teammate,
Alyssa Quixley with 17.
In their last outing, McNeese was drubbed by Central Arkansas, 76-45, Wednesday night in Conway, Arkansas.
McNeese is led in scoring by Callie Maddox, 12
th in the SLC in scoring at 13.2 points a game. Regan Bolton is next hitting 12.6 a contest.
Damilola Balogun is the club's top rebounder pulling down 8.1 an outing.
"They are much improved since that game. They are a young ball club that plays hard for Coach Kacie (Cryer) and they play pretty well at home."
New Orleans defeated the Cowgirls in New Orleans back on Jan. 12, 88-76.
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