Women's Basketball resumes GCAC play at Dillard Pod
The Wiley College women's basketball team will play its first games in 2023 as it travels to Dillard University for a three-game Gulf Coast Athletic Conference pod Friday through Sunday at Dent Hall.
On Friday, it will play GCAC newcomer Oakwood University for the first time in program history at noon The Lady Wildcats will face Rust College, which rose to No. 25 in the most recent National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Top 25 poll, at noon Saturday. They will close the pod by facing the host Dillard University at 5 p.m. on Sunday.
All three games will be streamed on HBCU League Pass Plus Channel 107. The app can be downloaded on cell phones, tablets and smart TVs. Live statistics will also be available for Sunday's game.
The Lady Wildcats (9-3, 0-1 GCAC) are seeking their first conference victory after dropping the opener to Philander Smith College on December 14. Several players are ranked in the top 10 of the conference. Kaitlyn Davis is fourth in points per game (12.8), fifth in 3-point field percentage (32.7), seventh in 3-pointers made per game (1.5), and tied for eighth with teammate Tamia Dolls in assists per game (2.2). Alaeh Pressley leads the conference with an 83 free throw percentage. She is also fifth in field goal percentage (50.0), ninth in points per game (11.1) and ninth in total rebounds per game (5.9). Kayja Jackson is sixth with 11.8 points per game, sixth in free throw percentage (73.8) and tenth in blocks per game (0.5).
Minnie Miller is sixth with seven rebounds per game and 2.6 offensive rebounds per game. She is seventh in defensive rebounds per game (4.4) and eighth with 0.6 blocks per game. Diamond Hawthorne is seventh with 2.5 offensive rebounds per game, eighth with 6.2 total rebounds per game, eighth with 0.6 blocks per game and ninth with 3.7 defensive rebounds per game.
Wiley College leads the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference and ranks fourth in the NAIA with an opponent's 3-point field goal percentage of 21.9. It also leads the conference and ranks in the top 40 nationwide with 14.3 offensive rebounds per game. Finally, the Lady Wildcats lead the conference with a 69.7 free throw percentage.
Oakwood (3-10, 1-0 GCAC) has won three of its last five games – including a 78-77 win over Fisk University in the conference opener on Sunday. The Ambassadors lead the conference with 82 three-pointers and a 31.7 three-point shooting percentage. They rank in the top three in field goals made (276). Oakwood ranks near the bottom of the conference in free throw percentage (63.6) and steals per game (5.8).
Nekya Williams leads the team with 15.1 points, 2.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game. She scored 23 points, including the game-winning free throw against Fisk. Chnya Brown is the top rebounder with 5.8 per game. She had 16 against Crowley's Ridge on December 10.
Rust (7-3, 1-0 GCAC) is on a two-game winning streak after defeating Tougaloo College in the GCAC opener on January 7. It has held its opponents to 55.9 points per game – which leads the conference and ranks 19th in the NAIA. The Lady Bearcats are averaging 8.3 rebounds more than its opponent – which ranks 25th nationally. They also rank in the top three of the conference in field goal percentage (39.9) and 3-pointers (52).
Katie Blackmon is averaging 9.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. She has four double-digit rebounding games and three double-doubles. Amelya Hatch leads the team with 2.3 assists per game.
Dillard (4-8, 0-0 GCAC) opens conference play against Rust College on Friday. It has lost five of six with its most recent action on December 12 at Mobile University. The Bleu Devils are second in the conference with 14.0 assists and 11.8 steals per game.
Taylor DeWitt leads the Bleu Devils with 10.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Jordyn Rowe and Erika Diaz are both averaging 1.7 assists per game. Ariana Hart is second in the conference with 2.9 steals per game.
For more coverage on the Lady Wildcats visit https://wileyathletics.com/sports/wbkb/index
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