WHEN: Friday–Saturday, Nov. 24-25, 2017 • 10 p.m. CST (both games)
WHERE: South Point Arena • Las Vegas, Nevada
RECORDS: SLU 2-3; Cleveland State 2-1; LSU 2-2
SLU-CLEVELAND STATE SERIES: SLU leads 1-0
SLU-CLEVELAND STATE LAST MEETING: SLU 76, Cleveland State 65 (12/20/15) RECAP
SLU-LSU SERIES: First meeting
BILLIKENS’ LAST GAME: at SIUE 79, SLU 72 (Nov. 21) RECAP
VIKINGS’ LAST GAME: at Cleveland State 85, Marshall 76 (Nov. 19) RECAP
TIGERS’ LAST GAME: at LSU 65, Nicholls State 50 (Nov. 21) RECAP
UP NEXT FOR THE BILLIKENS: Vanderbilt • Wednesday, Nov. 29 • 7 p.m. CST • Chaifetz Arena
GAME NOTES: Saint Louis
GAME NOTES: Cleveland State
GAME NOTES: LSU
LIVE AUDIO: A-10 Digital Network (Email [email protected] if you encounter difficulty.)
LIVE VIDEO: South Point Livestream (fee)
LIVE STATS (CLEVELAND STATE): Presto
LIVE STATS (LSU): Presto
A LOOK AT THE BILLIKENS
• Saint Louis plays in its second tournament in as many weeks as the Billikens take on Cleveland State (Friday, Nov. 24) and LSU (Saturday, Nov. 25) in the South Point Shootout.
• SLU will look to snap a two-game losing streak in its tournament opener vs. Cleveland State. Saint Louis has not suffered a three-game skid since January 2015.
• This weekend’s contests conclude a five-game stretch away from home for Saint Louis. Beginning next Wednesdayvs. Vanderbilt, the Billikens play four of their final six non-conference games on their home floor at Chaifetz Arena.
• Jackie Kemph leads Saint Louis in scoring (15.6 ppg), assists (6.8 apg), free throws made (28), free throw attempts (37) and minutes (38.8 mpg). Kemph has 16 assists and just two turnovers over the last two games.
• Maddison Gits averages a double-double of 11.2 points and a team-high 11.0 rebounds. Gits also leads the team in offensive rebounding (2.8 orpg).
• Jordyn Frantz (9.6 ppg) has enjoyed a hot start from beyond the arc, leading the Billikens in 3-pointers (10) and 3-point percentage (.526). Frantz also owns a team-best 2.80 assist-turnover ratio.
• Aaliyah Covington has tallied 28 points (15 at SIUE, 13 at DePaul) in her last two outings to improve her scoring average to 9.4 ppg. Covington is 9-of-10 from the free throw line.
• Tara Dusharm has risen to second in the Atlantic 10 Conference in field goal percentage. Dusharm is shooting 69.6 percent (16-of-23) from the floor.
• Kemph is on the Nancy Lieberman Award (top Division I point guard) Watch List for a second consecutive season. Kemph has earned A-10 Player of the Year accolades the past two seasons.
• Kemph owns the Saint Louis career assists record (695) and is fourth on the Bills’ career points list (1,458). She needs 128 points to pass Sadie Stipanovich (2013-17) for the record.
• Sixth-year head coach Lisa Stone takes a 92-73 record at Saint Louis into this weekend’s action. Now in her 32nd season overall as a collegiate head coach, Stone owns a 595-310 career mark.
A LOOK AT THE VIKINGS
• Cleveland State has four starters and five additional players back from last year’s 14-16 team that finished sixth (9-9) in the Horizon League.
• Redshirt-junior forward Ashanti Abshaw is tied for sixth in the nation in scoring (24.7 ppg). Redshirt-senior guard Khayla Livingston (13.3 ppg) and redshirt-senior forward Olivia Voskuhl (12.0 ppg) also carry double-digit scoring averages.
• Sophomore guard Mariah Miller (8.7 rpg), Voskuhl (7.3 rpg) and senior forward Shadae Bosley (6.0 rpg) lead the Vikings on the boards.
• Livingston leads Cleveland State in 3-pointers (11-of-20) and assists (6.0 apg).
A LOOK AT THE TIGERS
• Seven letter winners returned from LSU’s 2016-17 team that posted a 20-12 overall record, finished seventh (8-8) in the Southeastern Conference and earned an NCAA Tournament berth.
• The Tigers’ top returning player is senior guard Raigyne Louis, the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year and a second-team All-Conference selection. Louis leads the team in scoring (16.3 ppg) and assists (4.8 apg) and is tied for the team lead in rebounding (7.0 rpg).
• Junior guard Chloe Jackson averages 13.8 points, while sophomore forward Ayana Mitchell contributes 10.3 points per game. Mitchell is tied with Louis as the Tigers’ top rebounder (7.0 rpg).
