CARROLLTON, Ga. - With the start of Gulf South Conference play still a month away, two of the league's perennial powers will square off Thursday night, as the Wolves and Lady Wolves of the University of West Georgia host the Statesmen and Lady Statesmen of Delta State in a key in-region doubleheader.
The No. 4 ranked Lady Statesmen (5-0) face the Lady Wolves (2-4) at 5:30 p.m. followed by the Statesmen (3-2) and the Wolves (2-4) at 7:30 p.m. inside the UWG Coliseum.
The women's game features two of the nation's top power forwards in
Veronica Walker of DSU and Kim Jones of UWG. Walker, a 6-foot-1 sophomore from Indianola, leads the Lady Statesmen and ranks second in the GSC in scoring at 19.4 points per game, while Jones, a former two-time All-Sun Belt Conference selection at Florida Gulf Coast, averages 12.5 points to lead the Lady Wolves.
Aneila Murray, an explosive small forward transfer from UT-Chattanooga, will also be a major concern for the Lady Statesmen defense. The 5-foot-11 junior averages 11.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
"West Georgia is as talented a team as any in this league," stated Lady Statesmen head coach Sandra Rushing. "Coach Rhoden does an excellent job of putting his team in a position to win and they have the players to do it. Kim Jones is very skilled around the basket and Murray provides a tough match for us."
The four-time defending conference champion Lady Statesmen will counter with the nation's reigning leader in assists
Bug Cooper, who enters the game averaging 8.8 assists per game, and
Shameka Russell, a junior small forward from Waynesboro, who has stepped up for the green-and-white in the last two games, including a career-high 18 points in a 68-48 win over North Alabama.
DSU has won five straight entering Thursday's game, including three wins over GSC opponents in non-conference action. The Lady Statesmen are 3-0 against East Division teams with victories over West Alabama (75-38), Alabama-Huntsville (78-52) and North Alabama (68-48).
For the Statesmen, the game means just as much, if not more. After a sluggish start to the season, coach Jason Conner's club found an extra gear Monday night, pulling off a 74-70 victory over North Alabama to move to 3-2 on the season. With a majority of the men's schedule featuring in-region opponents, Thursday night's clash with the Wolves is paramount.
"We're walking into one tough place to play," stated Conner. "West Georgia is always tough and our guys will have to fight it for 40 minutes. They're well coached and have a roster of very talented players. I think we're finally getting into our groove and I would like to see us continue to attack the basket. Having Chad (Akins) back certainly helps."
Chad Akins, a senior All-American candidate from Madison, missed the first two games of the season and the first three weeks of preparation due to injury. Since returning to the lineup on Nov. 11 against West Alabama, the 6-foot point guard has averaged 8.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and a whopping 10 assists per game.
Seniors
Roderick Ollie and
Joe McCray give the Statesmen a much needed one-two punch in teh scoring column, as Ollie averages 17.2 points to rank third in the GSC and McCray chips in 13.0 a night to rank second on the team.
Dmitry Pirshin, a 6-foot-7 senior power forward from Moscow, Russia, has also stepped up for the green-and-white, scoring a career-high 13 points and grabbing eight boards versus UNA.
Sophomore dunk sensation
Marqueys Brown, a 6-foot-9 transfer from Crichton, has not disappointed either, averaging 10 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.
West Georgia will counter with four players averaging in double figures, led by 2008 All-GSC performer John Pringle. The 6-foot-7 power forward enters the game averaging 12.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
Both games will be broadcast on the UWG Network with Mitch Gray handling the play-by-play. A listen live link and link to live stats will be available on the calendar section of www.GoStatesmen.com.
The Lady Statesmen will return to action Saturday, Dec. 5 versus Tougaloo College. Game time is set for 1 p.m. at Walter Sillers Coliseum.
The Statesmen will be off until Dec. 13 when they travel to Pensacola, Fla. to take on the Argonauts of West Florida. Game time is set for 4 p.m. at the UWF Fieldhouse.
