From Florida A&M Sports Information:
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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | The Florida A&M University women’s basketball team has concluded non-conference action and will open Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play on Saturday.
FAMU SO FAR: The first half of the 2019-20 FAMU Women’s Basketball schedule is in the books, and the Rattlers emerged with a 2-9 record, similar to a year ago through 11 games….. FAMU has lost their last six games, a stretch which included games against Southeastern Conference foes LSU and Florida.
LAST TIME OUT: FAMU dropped a 73-45 road a decision at LSU on Saturday, to end the non-conference potion of their schedule…. Freshman guard Alaina Rice (Rockledge, Fla.) and sophomore forward Jasmine Ballew (Woodlawn, Ohio) tied for team high-scoring honors with 11 points each…. Graduate center Shalunda Burney Robinson (Palmdale, Calif.) led the Rattlers with eight (8) rebounds, followed by freshman forward Kayla Massop (Plantation, Fla.) with six (6) boards.
FAMU’S LEADING LADIES: This year’s club features five (5) returning veterans and nine (9) new players, and the effort and energy are trending up…
OTHER NEWS AND NOTES
> One of the leading candidates for MEAC Rookie of the Year has to be freshman guard Alaina Rice, the club leader in scoring (10.7), assists (27), steals (21) and three-point shooting (16 of 38, .421)., and ranks third in rebounding (4.0)….
> Sophomore forward Jasmine Ballew is tied with Rice in three-pointers made (16) and is second in scoring at 9.1, shooting 39.1 percent from distance (16 of 41), with 12 assists and eight steals.
> Graduate center Shalunda Burney Robinson, tops the club in shooting (42 of 84, .500) and rebounding (7.1). The 6-4 West Coast native ranks in in the top five in the MEAC in rebounding, overall, defensive and offensive.
> Transfers Kailya Jackson (Gainesville, Fla.) is averaging 7.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per game, with nine (9) three-pointers made, 14 assists and 12 steals, while graduate Corey Staples (Buford, Ga.) is off on a 5.2 scoring pace, having splashed nine (9) three-pointers, while recording seven steals and seven assists.
> Other newcomers making an early splash include sophomore guard Regan Anderson (Cincinnati, Ohio), who is averaging 4.4 points per game, with 11 three-pointers made; freshman Kailya Mossup (Plantation, Fla.), is second in rebounding at 4.9 per game to go with her 3.5 scoring touch, 13 steals, 10 assists and a team-high six (6) blocked shots…. Temple, Texas sophomore Dilworth twin sisters Keziah (3.7 ppg, 10 assists) and Jhaka (3.0 ppg) have contributed as spot starters and reserves; graduate guard/forward Asia Royster (Tampa, Fla.) is averaging 3.3 rebounds and 3,0 points per game.
> Sophomore guard Morgan Mitchell (Upper Marlboro, Md.) is scoring at a 2.2 per game clip, with 14 assists and 10 steals; freshman forward Staysha Allen (Dawson, Ga.), is averaging 2.8 points and 2.7 rebounds, with three blocked shots; Freshmen Mikyah Mack (Ocean Springs, Miss. – 1.8 ppg, 1.2 rbs, and Caylan Jones (Tallahassee, Fla.), is averaging 1.3 rebounds and 1.0 points, with five steals.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS – TRENDING UPWARD: Scanning the numbers from 2019-20 versus 2018-19, there are a number of notable upticks for first-year coach Kevin Lynum’s aggregation that may bode well as MEAC play looms:
SCORING, REBOUNDING UP: This year’s squad is scoring at a 63.3 points per game clip , up nearly 20 points from last year’s 48.4 norm, while rebounding is improved too, with this year’s group averaging 41.8 boards per game versus last year’s 36.2 per game average.
SHOOTING, ASSISTS AND STEALS UP: This year’s group is shooting better from the floor and from distance compared to a year ago, hitting 27.1 percent from beyond the arc to 24.2 last year, and from the floor overall, the current group is shooting 36.6 percent, versus 33.6 in the first 11 games…. Assists (121 to 84) and steals (103 to 83)…. Three-point goals are up too (68 versus 46).
MEAC’S GOT NEXT: The second half of the FAMU schedule begins with Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play this weekend, as the Rattlers head to North Carolina for a two-game weekender against North Carolina Central (Saturday, Jan. 4 -2:00 p.m.) in Durham, and against North Carolina A&T (Monday, Jan. 6 – 5:30 p.m.) in Greensboro.
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