WBB Game Preview: WBU vs Stephens (Feb. 1 | 2:00 PM

WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. (1/31/25) – The Williams Baptist University women's basketball team is set to face Stephens in an American Midwest Conference matchup on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 2 p.m. inside the Southerland-Mabee Center.

GAME INFORMATION

(RV) WILLIAMS BAPTIST EAGLES (17-3, 13-1 AMC) vs STEPHENS STARS (13-7, 10-4 AMC)
Game info - Saturday, Feb. 1 - 2:00 p.m. CST - Southerland-Mabee Center (Walnut Ridge, Ark.)
Live stats - https://wbueagles.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/boxscores/20250201_wuss.xml
Live video - https://wbueagles.com/watch 

MATCHUP FACTS

Last Meeting: Dec. 4, 2024 (WBU 86-62)
Current Streak: WBU W3

WBU QUICK FACTS

2024-25 Record: 17-3 (13-1 AMC)
Current Streak: W12
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: 140-81 (101-55 AMC)
HC Record at WBU: Same
Assistant Coach: Kala Tyus (6th)

ABOUT STEPHENS

2024-25 Record: 13-7 (10-4 AMC)
Current Streak: W6
2023-24 Record: 23-8 (16-2 AMC)
2023-24 Postseason: Defeated Pikeville (Ky.) in the NAIA Tournament Opening round 84-69, fell to Marian (Ind.) 63-49 in the second round.
Head Coach: Andre Bell (4th)
Assistant Coach: Daryl Betts, Kayel Newland, Misty Ransdell, LaDaja Whitt

STEPHENS NOTABLES

• Stephens won its last game 68-39 over Crowley's Ridge on Friday night.

• The Stars went 26-for-58 (44.8 percent) from the field and 9-for-31 (29.0 percent) from three-point range in the contest

• The Stephens defense held Crowley's Ridge to just 23.7 percent shooting on the night

• Aushara Hostetler led Stephens in scoring with 17 points off the bench with five three-pointers

• Chu Crockett put up 15 on 5-for-10 shooting

• Crockett also led the team on the glass with eight rebounds

• Stephens is averaging 68.9 points per game (4th AMC) while letting up an average of 59.0 points per game (3rd AMC)

• LaiJanique Perry-Ellis leads the Stars in scoring average with 17.5 points per game (3rd AMC)

• Syderah Farmer leads on the glass for Stephens with 6.4 rebounds per game (17th AMC)

• Stephens is 68.1 percent from the free throw line as a team this season (9th AMC)

• The Stars average 37.6 rebounds per game as a team (10th AMC)

• The Cougars have won six straight and eight of their last 10

• Stephens sits at 5th in the AMC standings with a conference record of 13-7, one game behind Cottey

• The Stars were picked to finish second in the AMC Preseason Coaches Poll

LAST TIME OUT

• Williams won its last matchup 67-62 over Columbia to take sole possession of first place in the AMC standings

• Charmen Taylor posted her first double-double on the season with a team-high 19 points and 10 rebounds while dishing out four assists

• Carmen Taylor also put up 19 points on 7-for-16 from the field with five three-pointers

• The Eagles went 24-for-62 (38.7 percent) from the floor as a team in the contest

• WBU knocked down 15-of-16 free throws 

• The Lady Eagles held the Cougars to 29.0 percent shooting from the field and an oppressive 18.2 percent clip from beyond the arc

• Columbia won the rebound battle 50-38

• The Lady Eagles led 46-30 at halftime, but Columbia rallied all the way back to take the lead in the fourth quarter

• A Monica Horne jumper put WBU back up by two and Taylor Hooten extended the lead with two free throws after a takeaway on defense

• Chelsea Hamilton iced the game with two free throws with 16 seconds left to secure the win

WBU NOTABLES

• Kaylee Isaacs (Clark) sits at second in the all-time scoring list at WBU with 1,859 points.  Isaacs trails Angela Adams (1,892 points) by 33 points for the all-time scoring crown.

• Carmen Taylor has the opportunity to join the 1,000 point club at WBU as she currently stands with 941 as an Eagle

• 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 16.7 points per game and a season-high of 31 against Harris-Stowe (Jan. 23)

• Monica Horne leads the charge on the boards with 6.7 rebounds per game (11th AMC) and a season-high of 14 against Edgewood (Dec. 16)

• Charmen Taylor leads the AMC in FG% with a 55.3 percent mark.  She is also third in the AMC in 3PT% at 38.8 percent.

• Monica Horne is second in the AMC in FG% with a 52.6 percent clip 

• Williams is third in the nation in scoring with an average of 91.0 points per game

• WBU stands at first place in the AMC standings with a conference record of 13-1

• Williams is 9-1 inside the Southerland-Mabee Center this season, with nine straight home wins

• 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, Williams will travel to Paragould, Ark. to take on Crowley's Ridge on Thursday, Feb. 6.  Tip-off against the Pioneers is set for 5:30 p.m. inside the Carter Activities Center.

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