TOURNAMENT: 2015 Stetson Hatters Classic
DATES: Sunday, Dec. 20 – Monday, Dec. 21
TEAMS: Bethune-Cookman, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Stetson
LOCATION: The J. Ollie Edmunds Center • DeLand, Florida
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Bethune-Cookman women's basketball team stays local as the Wildcats (5-5, 1-0 MEAC) wrap-up the 2015 calendar year at the Stetson Hatters Classic in DeLand, Florida, taking place Dec. 20-21.
B-CU returns to the Stetson Hatters Classic for a seventh season (fifth consecutive), as Stetson hosts Georgia State, Georgia Southern and the Wildcats heading into the holiday break.
The Maroon and Gold open tournament action with Georgia State on Sunday (Dec. 20) at 3 p.m., followed by a match-up with Georgia Southern on Monday (Dec. 21) at 3 p.m.
Wildcats Facts
Last time out, Bethune-Cookman took down Warner, 100-28 on Tuesday, Dec. 15, inside Moore Gymnasium. The 100 points scored by the Wildcats was the first time the program hit the century mark since 1991-92, when the Wildcats took down Edward Waters by a score of 106-65, then under the direction of head coach Alvin B. Wyatt, Sr. Tuesday night's victory also represented the largest margin of victory for women's basketball in B-CU history.
Kendra Cooper's (Spring, Texas) 15.0 points per game currently heads the Wildcat offense, as the junior guard scored a season-best 24 points against Warner. Trailing Cooper, fellow junior Kailyn Williams (New Orleans, Louisiana) pours in 11.1 points per contest, while leading the B-CU defense with 9.3 rebounds per game.
Williams, who was the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 30), was named to the Stetson Hatters Classic All-Tournament team a season ago.
Scouting the Panthers
Georgia State (3-4) has won two of its last three games, including a 76-63 victory on December 5, over a Wildcats common opponent in the form of North Florida. The Panthers return to the hardwood after a 15-day break.
Currently leading Georgia State, junior Makeba Ponder (Moultrie, Georgia) averages 11.0 points per contest, connecting on a team-best 13 three balls. Trailing Ponder, sophomore Alaysia Mitchell (Marietta, Georgia) puts up 9.1 points per contest, while pulling down a team-high 6.6 rebounds per game.
Georgia State and Bethune-Cookman have played just twice before, with Georgia State winning both games in 2010-11 and 2011-12, in that home-and-home match-up. GSU won 70-49 at Bethune-Cookman, and 66-50 in Atlanta.
Scouting the Eagles
After suffering a 64-49 setback at home on Thursday (Dec. 17) to Robert Morris, the Eagles of Georgia Southern enter the Stetson Hatters Classic with a 3-4 overall mark.
Although Georgia Southern and Bethune-Cookman have not faced common opponents this season, the Eagles took on MEAC foe and defending league champion Savannah State during a 64-48 victory in Savannah, Georgia on Dec. 2, at Tiger Arena.
Leading the Eagles this season, junior Angel McGowan (Greenville, South Carolina) has been good for 15.2 ppg. Classmate Patrice Butler (Norcross, Georgia) also puts up a double-digit average with 12.4 ppg, while leading the Eagles on the board with 5.9 rpg.
Coverage
Live stats during the Hatters Classic can be found on GoHatters.com, while live tweets can be found by following Bethune-Cookman women's basketball on twitter at @BCUWBB
For the latest information on Bethune-Cookman Wildcats Athletics, follow us on Twitter (@BCUathletics), Instagram (BCUathletics), Facebook (facebook.com/BCUathletics), or visit us at www.bcuathletics.com.
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