Story Links
• The Texas Southern women's basketball team is back in action Thursday afternoon at Cal Baptist in Riverside, Calif.
• This marks the third season for TSU head coach Vernette Skeete. This season also marks the first time the roster will be upperclassman heavy after fielding underclassmen-heavy rosters the past two years. Five newcomers were added via the transfer portal and two via the JUCO ranks.
• TSU returns three starters and six letterwinners as the Tigers also underwent a change in their coaching staff as they added a pair of assistant coaches and an operations director in the offseason.
• This marks the second straight year both teams will play as CBU defeated TSU 83-62 last season in the first meeting between both programs. CBU is the first of two consecutive teams from the WAC TSU will face as they'll face Tarleton State next week.
• CBU was picked second in the WAC after winning the league in 2023-24 and the WAC Tournament en route to a NCAA Tournament appearance.
• Junior forward Jaida Belton was named to the 2024 Southwestern Athletic Conference Preseason All-SWAC Second Team. A native of Baltimore, Md., Belton was TSU's top rebounder with seven boards per game while also averaging 8.2 points per contest. She has emerged as one of the top shot blockers in the SWAC with 48 blocks last season.
• TSU ranks second nationally in offensive rebounds (19.9) and 38th in rebounds (42.1). They rank 25th in steals per game (12.4). Aaliyah Henderson leads the team and is 16th nationally with 3.1 steals per game. Courtlyn Loudermill ranks 30th nationally in three-point attempts per game while Jaida Belton has four double-doubles and ranks 34th in the NCAA.
• TSU leads the SWAC in blocked shots (37) and is second in steals (112).
• TSU was picked to finish ninth in the SWAC's Preseason Poll.
• TSU will square off against five NCAA D-1 conferences this year as they'll face teams from the Big 12 (3), American (2), WAC (2), SEC (1), Southland (2).
• TSU head coach Vernette Skeete has yet to win a game in the month of December.
Print Friendly Version
Source: https://tsusports.com/news/2024/12/18/west-coast-trip-to-cal-baptist-awaits-womens-basketball.aspx