WBB Game Preview: WBU vs Columbia (Jan. 30 | 5:30 PM)

WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. (1/29/25) – The Williams Baptist University women's basketball team will take on Columbia on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 5:30 p.m. inside the Southerland-Mabee Center.

GAME INFORMATION

(RV) WILLIAMS BAPTIST EAGLES (16-3, 12-1 AMC) vs (RV) COLUMBIA COUGARS (18-1, 12-1 AMC)
Game info - Thursday, Jan. 30 - 5:30 p.m. CST - Southerland-Mabee Center (Walnut Ridge, Ark.)
Live stats - https://wbueagles.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/boxscores/20250130_fgkx.xml
Live video - https://wbueagles.com/watch 

MATCHUP FACTS

Last Meeting: Dec. 7, 2024 (CC 77-69)
Current Streak: CC W2

WBU QUICK FACTS

2024-25 Record: 16-3 (12-1 AMC)
Current Streak: W11
2023-24 Record: 24-7 (15-3 AMC)
2023-24 Postseason: Fell to William Carey 73-56 in the NAIA Tournament Opening Round
Head Coach: John Mayberry (8th)
HC Record: 139-81 (101-55 AMC)
HC Record at WBU: Same
Assistant Coach: Kala Tyus (6th)

ABOUT COLUMBIA

2024-25 Record: 18-1 (12-1 AMC)
Current Streak: L1
2023-24 Record: 27-5 (16-2 AMC)
2023-24 Postseason: Won the American Midwest Conference Tournament over WBU 79-66, fell to Wayland Baptist 66-62 in the NAIA Tournament Opening Round
Head Coach: Matt Moore (1st)
Assistant Coach: Jordan Chavis, Allison Helsel

CC NOTABLES

• Columbia suffered its first loss of the season to Mission on Saturday, Jan. 25 by the final score of 75-70, snapping an 18 game win streak

• The Cougars shot 34.7 percent from the field

• The Patriots held the Cougars to a season-low two three-pointers in 17 attempts

• Mallory Shetley and Mya Miller both led the scoring attack for the Cougars with 14 points on the night

• Tori Rubel led the team on the glass with 12 rebounds

• Woods is averaging 78.1 points per game (3rd AMC) this season, while opponents average 54.7 points against them (1st AMC)

• Lexi Miller leads the Cougars in scoring average with 14.7 PPG (T-10th AMC)

• Mallory Shetley follows close behind with 14.4 PPG (12th AMC)

• Mya Miller leads the charge on the glass with 7.5 rebounds per game (4th AMC)

• Columbia leads the AMC in three-pointers and 3PT % this season with 150 triples on 31.7 percent shooting

• The Cougars lead the AMC in rebounds per game (50.4), offensive rebounds per game (16.4), and defensive rebounds (34.0) per game as a team

• The Cougars have won 11 straight road games dating back to last season, the last road loss coming at the hands of Williams 89-68 in the Southerland-Mabee Center on Feb. 3, 2024

• Columbia sits tied with WBU at the top of the American Midwest Conference standings with a 12-1 conference record

• The Cougars were picked to win the league in the AMC Preseason Coaches Poll

• Columbia received votes in the NAIA Women's Basketball Top 25 Poll - No. 5 released on Wednesday, Jan. 29.

LAST TIME OUT

• Williams won its last matchup 88-70 over William Woods on Saturday, Jan. 25

• Kaylee Isaacs led the team in scoring and rebounds with a double-double performance on 31 points and 15 rebounds

• Carmen Taylor put up 23 points on a 9-for-16 clip from the field

• The Eagles went 35-for-75 (46.7 percent) from the field in the contest

• WBU knocked down 15-of-16 free throws 

• The Lady Eagles held the Hornets to just 33.8 percent shooting from the field and an oppressive 13.3 percent clip from three-point land

• WBU won the rebound battle 48-46

• The Lady Eagles scored 21 points on 17 Hornet turnovers

• The win matched the Lady Eagles longest streak under head coach John Mayberry set in the 2023-24 season

WBU NOTABLES

• Kaylee Isaacs (Clark) sits at second in the all-time scoring list at WBU with 1,850 points.  Isaacs trails Angela Adams (1,892 points) by 42 points for the all-time scoring crown.

• Kaylee Isaacs was named the American Midwest Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Monday

• Carmen Taylor leads the American Midwest Conference in scoring average at 19.8 points per game, with a season high of 36 against Central Baptist (Jan. 14)

• Kaylee Isaacs ranks fifth in the conference in scoring average with 17.1 points per game and a season-high of 31 against Harris-Stowe (Jan. 23)

• Monica Horne leads the charge on the boards with 6.9 rebounds per game (T-8th AMC) and a season-high of 14 against Edgewood (Dec. 16)

• Williams is tied for the national lead in team scoring average with 92.3 points per game, tied with Rio Grande and Olivet Nazarene

• WBU is currently tied for first place in the AMC standings with Columbia Columbia (18-1, 12-1 AMC)

• WBU received top 25 votes in the NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches Poll No. 5 released on Wednesday, Jan. 29.

• Williams is coming off its first NAIA Tournament appearance in program history in 2023-24

• The Eagles were picked to finish third in the AMC Preseason Coaches Poll

AMC PRESEASON COACHES POLL

1 Columbia (108)
2 Stephens (100)
3 Williams Baptist (95)
4 Cottey (73)
T5 William Woods (70)
T5 Missouri Baptist (70)
7 Mission (59)
8 Crowley's Ridge (47)
9 UHSP (36)
10 Central Baptist (35)
11 Harris-Stowe (20)
12 Hannibal-LaGrange (13)

SCHEDULE NOTES

• Up next, the Eagles will take on Stephens on Saturday, Feb. 1 inside the Southerland-Mabee Center.  Tip-off against the Stars is set for 1 p.m.

• Williams' 2024-25 schedule features 14 home games inside the Southerland-Mabee Center on the campus of Williams Baptist University