Courtesy: Alcorn State Sports Information
The 2013-14 women’s basketball season ended in Houston, Texas at the SWAC Tournament with the Lady Braves falling to Alabama A&M 64-62. Head Coach Tonya Edwards has high expectations for the 2014-15 season but she has to replace last year’s leading scorer and All-SWAC 2nd team select, Tierro Frost. The Lady Braves were predicted to finish ninth overall.
This season the Lady Braves return several players with experience and Coach Edwards signed a few JUCO players during the off-season to add some depth to her roster. Senior Ashtin McNichols is expected to be the Lady Braves top scorer going into this season after averaging 8.6 points per game a year ago. McNichols only played in 24 of the Lady Braves 30 games last season after battling an injury at the beginning of the 2013-14 season.
The frontcourt has three familiar faces returning from last season led by 6-0 sophomore Angelica Wilson-Reid. Wilson-Reid averaged 6.7 points per game and 6.1 rebounds last season and has gotten stronger over the off-season. Alongside of her will be 6-4 senior Misha Jones (3.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg.) and 6-2 sophomore Henrietta Wells (2.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg.) Jones and Wells each have great rebounding and blocking ability. Wells also move’s well on fast break which can create havoc for opposing teams.
Coach Edwards welcomed six new faces to join the Lady Braves 2014-15 roster. Shaqueria Dubose (G, 5-4, Fr.), Lauren Turner (G, 5-9, Fr.) and Zhane Stigler (5-8, G, Fr.) round out the freshman class. With the signing of three freshman guards, Coach Edwards and her staff also added some depth in the frontcourt from the JUCO ranks. Jazmin Strane (G/F, 6-0, Jr.) and Dayshanay Russell (F, 6-1, Jr.) both enter the “Reservation” ready to contribute in any way they can after successful junior college careers.
The Lady Braves open a nine-game non-conference schedule on the road in the State of Nebraska with two games on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, the Lady Braves take on Nebraska-Omaha (Nov. 15) before traveling to Lincoln, Nebraska to face the University of Nebraska (Nov. 16) on Sunday evening.
Heading into the Thanksgiving break, the Lady Braves will travel to Birmingham, Ala. to take on UAB (Nov.22 Seven days later, the Lady Braves head to Texas to play Rice University (Nov. 29).
The Lady Braves return to Lorman, Miss. for a pair of home games beginning with Central Arkansas (Dec. 2) followed by Louisiana-Monroe (Dec. 6) at the Whitney Complex. The Lady Braves take a 10-day break before making the trip to East Lansing, Mich. play the Michigan State Lady Spartans (Dec. 16).
A few days before the Christmas break, the Lady Braves will host Louisiana-Lafayette (Dec. 19). After returning from the Christmas break, the Lady Braves face Texas-El Paso (Dec. 28) in their final non-conference matchup in El Paso, Texas.
