GAME PREVIEW: Dallas vs. Austin College (2/20)
(Photo Graphic courtesy of Hannah Miller)
MULTIMEDIA COVERAGE
College TV Ticket (Video)
OPENING TIP
The University of Dallas women's basketball team (13-11, 6-7 SCAC) wraps up the 2014-15 campaign with a 2 p.m. contest against Austin College (10-13, 5-8 SCAC) at the Maher Athletic Center. UD is looking to end a three-game slide and go 2-0 versus the Roos' on the season-series.
With the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Tournament looming, the Lady Crusaders are looking to secure the fifth seed in the rankings. Saturday's opponent is behind the Navy and White and could force a deadlock if AC prevails.
Dallas would still hold the tiebreaker unless Texas Lutheran University defeats Southwestern University and Schreiner University knocks off Trinity University that same day.
LAST TIME ON COURT
On Thursday night, the Lady Crusaders fell 78-73 versus Arlington Baptist College in a non-conference affair. Dallas moved to 7-4 against opponents outside of the league.
In a game that featured 14 lead changes in the first half, the Patriots would claim momentum and never allowed the home squad to lead after a 36-34 score with 1:23 remaining before intermission.
A quartet of players for Dallas scored double figures led by sophomore Seana Stoia (Tulsa, Okla.) with a double-double 18 points and 10 rebounds. Also joining the unit were seniors Brooke Hagemann (Oklahoma City, Okla.) and Marleyna Bustamante (Donna, Texas) with 16 and 15, respectively. Sophomore Sammi Tso (Las Vegas, Nev.) chipped in 12.
QUICK NOTES
- Bustamante boasts the most points on the squad with 282 total and 11.8 per game. Right behind her at 273 and an 11.4 clip is Hagemann. Freshman Michelle DeCoud (Monument, Colo.) rounds out the trio with 11 a contest.
- Bustamante and Hagemann rank atop the team-leaderboard with 51 and 45 steals, respectively. Bustamante is third in the SCAC. The duo help lift Dallas to the top of league rankings with 277 overall and an 11.5 average.
- DeCoud remains at the top of the team and third in the league with 189 rebounds and is grabbing 7.9 a game.
- Tso leads UD with 64 assists and has swiped 32 steals, while pouring in the highest amount of trifectas with 39.
- As a team, the Lady Crusaders own the second highest scoring offense in the conference with 71.3 points-per-game (ppg).
- Dallas will celebrate its "Play4Kay" game on Saturday against Austin College.
SCOUTING AUSTIN COLLEGE
The Roos' fell in two games last weekend and have gone 2-5 over the past seven. Austin dropped a 74-68 matchup at Trinity and narrowly were nipped 68-64 the next day versus Schreiner.
The Maroon and Gold are in the midst of a three-game road swing to close the season out and have gone 5-7 away from Hughey Gym.
Pacing an offense averaging 65.6 ppg are Christina Kime, Erin Riley, and Brianna Harvey with 12.6, 11.0, and 10.7 clips, respectively. Kime is third in assists with 104.
These programs have met on the hardwood once already this season, opening league action on Jan. 3, 2015. It's fitting these squads will conclude the regular season, especially after the first meeting came down to a final possession.
UD led at three at the break and would rattle off a run to open an advantage by as many as 14 with nearly nine minutes of regulation. The Roos' cut the deficit to 69-68, but a pair of big stops in the last 19 seconds propelled the Navy and White to its first SCAC triumph, and ended a three-game skid against AC.
In the contest, Bustamante notched her season-high at the time 19 points. Hagemann and Stoia tossed in 15 and 12, while the forward tandem pulled down seven boards apiece.
Jenna Longo led Austin with 13 points, while Kime and Kali Vittallo each added 12.
SENIOR DAY
Prior to tip-off on Saturday, the Dallas women's basketball team will recognize four seniors: Briana Bircher (Gilbert, Ariz.), Chelsea Cole (Mission, Texas), Bustamante, and Hagemann.
UP NEXT
With the regular season finished, Dallas will turn its attention to the SCAC Tournament hosted at the Maher Athletic Center Feb. 27-March 1.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Dallas Twitter: UDallas Athletics (@UDallasSports)
Women's Basketball Twitter: udallaswbb (@UDallasWBB)
Facebook: University of Dallas Athletics
