Samford Women Return to Court on Friday :: Bulldogs face UAB at Lady Blazer Classic

Dec. 20, 2001

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-- - The Samford women's basketball team has had 13 days to think about the 2001 Lady Blazer Classic and on Friday the Bulldogs will get back in action against the tournament hosts.

Samford lost to Southeast Missouri State on Dec. 8, to drop to 1-5 on the season. The team had a light week of practice while the players were taking exams, but once exams ended it was back to practice. "We have had some really good practices this week," says Head Coach Janet Cone. "Having a break for exams was good for our team and now they are focused for this tournament."

The Bulldogs will face UAB (6-3) at 6 p.m. on Friday night at Bartow Arena. Samford and UAB are separated by three miles of interstate and one mountain. The two schools have met only once in women's basketball. UAB took a 75-52 victory in the 1999 Lady Blazer Classic before going on to beat Tennessee Tech for the tournament title. Samford won the consolation game 100-67 over Centenary.

Samford has been led the play of sophomore Giovanni Price who is the only Bulldog averaging in double-figures. Price is fifth in the Atlantic Sun in scoring averaging 14 points per game. She has reached double-figures in points in five of the Bulldogs six games. Sophomore Natalie McLendon has had back-to-back solid performances. She leads the Bulldogs in field-goal percentage making 56 percent of her shots.

UAB is led by the duo of All-American Deanna Jackson and Chantell Thomas. Jackson and Thomas both average double-doubles and account for 62 percent of the Lady Blazers points. Jackson leads the nation in scoring at 28.1 points per game and grabs 13.7 rebounds. Thomas is scoring 19.7 points and 11.6 rebounds per contest. The other 13 players average a combined 29.6 points and 22 rebounds per game.

The second half of the tournament will match Birmingham-Southern (5-4) and Austin Peay (4-3) at 8 p.m. Birmingham-Southern is coming of a 50-35 win over Centenary on Monday. Lindsay Boyett leads the Panthers averaging 16.4 points per game. Boyett has made 33-straight free throws this season. She made her last 24 free throws last season giving her a sting of 57 consecutive made free throws which is nine shy of the NCAA record of 66 by Ginny Doyle of the University of Richmond in 1991-92. The Panthers play a stingy defense which is holding opponents to just 56 points per game.

Austin Peay has three starters averaging in double-figures led by Brooke Armistead's 21.4 points per game. Gerlonda Hardin and Paige Smith are scoring 12.1 and 10.3 points a game. Ohio Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week, Shatika Hutcherson scored 18 points in her last outing against Evansville.

Samford has will face either Birmingham-Southern or Austin Peay at either 3 p.m. of 5 p.m. on Saturday. The Bulldogs have not faced either team in the past.