NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Privateers women's basketball team hits the road for a pair of in-state games this week. Thursday features a trip to Nicholls followed by a trip to the league leading McNeese on Saturday.
The Privateers lost their most recent outing 85-63 against Stephen F. Austin at home.
Shanihya Brown scored 14 points and
Aaliyah Ellis added 10 points. The Lady Jacks outscored the Privateers 31-18 in the third quarter.
In her third game since returning to the lineup, Ellis registered 21 minutes after playing in just 13 in the previous two contests. Ellis posted her third double-digit scoring effort of the season with 10 points. Ellis went 4-for-4 from the free throw line and has converted 22 of her 24 free throw attempts this season.
The minutes have been balanced out throughout the roster this season. Ten Privateers are averaging at least 15 minutes per game this season and an 11th in
Mikayla Johnson falls just underneath that threshold at 14.1 minutes. New Orleans is one of two teams in the Southland whose minutes leader does not rank in the top 20 in the Southland, joining HCU in that category.
New Orleans had eight blocks against Stephen F. Austin. The Privateers had 1.9 blocks per game after their contest against East Texas A&M on Jan. 3 and ranked 10th in the Southland in rejections. They are now sixth at 2.7 blocks per game after averaging 6.3 in their last four games.
Jayla Kimbrough and
Lauren Banks both rank inside the top 12 in free throw percentage since Southland play began. Kimbrough has made 84.6 percent of her free throw attempts in league games (fifth best) while Banks has connected on 79.3 percent of her free throw attempts in nine Southland games. The pair have combined for 55 free throw attempts since league play started.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS
Nicholls has lost both games to Stephen F. Austin and Lamar since their last victory against the Privateers on Jan. 10. The Colonels are currently seventh in the Southland standings at 4-5. Emani Burks ranks in the top ten in the league in both rebounds per game and blocked shots.
McNeese (14-4, 8-1) leads the conference by a game. The Cowgirls have the best scoring defense in the Southland this season, allowing just 52.5 points per game. That total ranks third nationally only behind UConn and Quinnipiac. Arianna Patton has made 42 three-pointers this year, third most in the Southland. Jalencia Pierre leads the conference and is 24
th nationally in turnover ratio (62 assists to 24 turnovers).
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