DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A big weekend opportunity awaits Bethune-Cookman Women's Basketball as the Wildcats have a chance to move into the top six of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) standings when Grambling State and Southern University visit Richard V. Moore Gymnasium for a pair of key contests.
 

What: Game Twenty-Eight
Who: Bethune-Cookman (9-18, 6-9) vs. Grambling State (11-14, 8-6)
When: Thursday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m.
Where: Daytona Beach, Fla. – Richard V. Moore Gymnasium (1,000)
 
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What: Game Twenty-Nine
Who: Bethune-Cookman vs. Southern (La.)
When: Saturday, March 1, at 3 p.m.
Where: Daytona Beach, Fla. – Richard V. Moore Gymnasium (1,000)
 
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Attend: Online Ticket Sales
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IN THE RANKINGS
▪ Bethune-Cookman is not ranked in this week's Associated Press Top 25
▪ Grambling State is not ranked in this week's Associated Press Top 25
▪ Southern (La.) is not ranked in this week's Associated Press Top 25
 

SOCIAL MEDIA
Keep up with everything Bethune-Cookman Women's Basketball this season by following the Wildcats social media platforms. You can follow @BCU_WBB on Instagram and @BCUWBB on X/Twitter.
 
FAN INFORMATION/PROMOTIONS
▪ Doors open one hour prior to tip-off at the South entrance of Richard V. Moore Gymnasium.
▪ The clear bag policy is in effect for all Bethune-Cookman Athletics events.
▪ Theme: Maroon Out & Pink Night | Autism Awareness
▪ All Bethune-Cookman fans are encouraged to wear MAROON (vs. Grambling) while B-CU wears PINK in its support for Breast Cancer Awareness for the game.
▪ Bethune-Cookman will be promoting awareness and support for autism (vs. Southern).
 


▪ Junior forward Asianae Nicholson is currently second nationally in double-doubles (18).
▪ If Bethune-Cookman can defeat both Grambling State and Southern, while other results go the Wildcats way, then then they can move up to as high as fifth in the SWAC standings upon the conclusion of the weekend.
▪ The Wildcats are 6-3 in the friendly confines of Moore Gymnasium this season, sporting a SWAC record of 4-2 at home.
▪ B-CU has the league's third-best scoring defense, allowing opponents just an average of 62.3 points per game. The Cats have the best opponents field goal percentage (38.2%).
▪ Nicholson leads the SWAC in rebounding (11.1 rpg), while senior center Kayla Clark is sixth in that league category (7.0 rpg).
▪ Clark also sits sixth in the league with a team-best 26 blocked shots on the campaign.
▪ Nicholson is the team's leader in points (339), while the second-highest is owned by freshman guard Janessa Kelley (210), having hit a team-high 41 three-pointers.
▪ After missing over a month with injury, senior guard Kayla White returned to action with limited minutes last weekend in Alabama.
 

RECAPPING B-CU'S LAST GAME (at Alabama A&M)
A late Bethune-Cookman rally fell just short Saturday afternoon as the Wildcats stumbled 70-62 away to Alabama A&M in a SWAC game played inside the AAMU Event Center.
 
Bethune-Cookman took control early and maintained its advantage throughout the opening quarter, leading Alabama A&M 21-15 after the first 10 minutes of play. The Wildcats established their presence immediately as freshman guard Janessa Kelley knocked down a three-pointer and subsequent free throw to give BCU a quick 4-0 lead with a rare four-point play. Chanelle McDonald proved to be a force early, scoring six points in the first period while dominating the glass with five rebounds, including three on the offensive end. Alabama A&M answered with the help of Kaila Walker when she registered a three-pointer of her own to keep the Bulldogs within striking distance. However, the B-CU offense shot 53.8 percent from the field in the quarter, despite the homestanding Bulldogs hitting two (2) three-pointers in the period.
 
The visitors would close the quarter strong, culminating in Kayla White's three-pointer off an assist from Kelley with 49 seconds left that gave the Wildcats their largest lead at 20-12. The Dogs' Darian Burgin would score the final points of the quarter, converting a traditional three-point play to settle the margin at six points.
 
Alabama A&M flipped a six-point deficit into a two-point halftime advantage in a pivotal second quarter, outscoring Bethune-Cookman 20-12 to take a 35-33 lead into the locker room at the break. The Bulldogs' comeback saw the hosts connect on 50 percent shooting from the field (7-14) and a perfect 3-for-3 clip from the free-throw line. Kaila Walker provided the spark from beyond the arc, draining a pair of three-pointers as part of her team-high six points in the quarter. Bethune-Cookman started strong, with the Wildcats building their lead to 25-17 at the 7:43 mark following Kelley's floating jumper and freshman center Mya Johnson's layup up and off the glass. However, AAMU responded with an 8-0 run, highlighted by Jaiyah Harris-Smith's game-tying three-pointer with 5:34 remaining.
 
Kayla Clark powered the Cats with six points in a 3 of 4 shooting touch from the floor, but AAMU's bench proved decisive, outscoring B-CU's reserves, 9-2. Aniya Palmer came off the bench to score five points for the Bulldogs, including a three-point play in the final minute that gave AAMU its final margin.
 
The quarter began with Kelley hitting a three-pointer to give the Wildcats their only lead of the period at 36-35. However, Alabama A&M quickly responded, as the Bulldogs gradually built their advantage throughout the frame. AAMU rode Kaila Walker, who scored six points in the quarter including a timely floating jumper with 51 seconds remaining that pushed the lead to 55-47. Walker finished the quarter with 13 points overall. The Bulldogs defense held B-CU to just 33.3 percent shooting (5-for-15) while converting 47.1 percent (8 of 17) of their own attempts. The Dogs controlled the tempo, maintaining the lead for over nine minutes of the quarter. Jaiyah Harris-Smith orchestrated the offense effectively for Alabama A&M, dishing out three assists. The Bulldogs also got valuable contributions from their bench, which outscored Bethune-Cookman's reserves 9-0 in the period. The Wildcats were also plagued by seven turnovers in the quarter, which Alabama A&M converted into points.
 
The Bulldogs opened the fourth quarter with momentum when Mailyn Wilkerson drained a three-pointer assisted by Walker, extending their lead to 58-47. B-CU's Clark answered with a basket of her own, before AAMU maintained control through the middle stages of the quarter, pushing its advantage to 62-51 on a Wilkerson layup with an even six minutes showing on the clock. Bethune-Cookman mounted a late rally in the final five minutes. Nicholson's impressive effort on the glass for B-CU saw the Ohio native secure six boards in the period alone. The Wildcats steadily chipped away at the deficit, with junior forward Asianae Nicholson converting both free throws to cut the lead to seven. A three-pointer from Janessa Kelley – her fourth of the contest, with 1:16 left brought B-CU within striking distance at 64-60.
 
However, the Dogs eventually sealed the win from the charity stripe. Lauryn Pendleton and Walker combined to sink six free throws in the final 26 seconds. Walker, who finished the quarter with 17 points, made all four of her attempts during this stretch.
 
Alabama A&M was led in scoring by Walker with 17, finishing the afternoon shooting 6 of 15 from the field (3-for-11 from three-point range), as well as adding four assists. Pendleton contributed 12 points, five boards and two assists. B-CU was anchored by the scoring of Kelley with 15, knocking down four (4) three-pointers overall. Clark turned in an all-around performance with 12 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots. McDonald had 10 points and six rebounds. And it was Nicholson with another double-double – her eighth consecutive of its kind, finishing with 10 points and 15 rebounds.
 

BCU VS. GRAMBLING SERIES
▪ Grambling State leads the all-time series against Bethune-Cookman by a count of 6-3, with all but two of those games occurring since the Wildcats joined the SWAC for the 2021-22 season.
▪ Bethune-Cookman ended a three-game losing skid to the Tigers earlier this year, courtesy a 70-52 victory on the road back on January 11.
▪ In the nine-game series, six of the contests have been decided by 10 points or less, including both games last season.
▪ B-CU's only win over Grambling in Daytona Beach was an 80-52 decision in the first-ever meeting back on Dec. 15, 2003.

BCU VS. SOUTHERN SERIES
▪ Southern University leads the series against Bethune-Cookman by a 10-3 advantage dating back to the first contest in 1983.
▪ The Jaguars have won the last seven meetings between the two programs, including a 73-56 decision in Baton Rouge earlier this season.0000000
▪ Bethune-Cookman's last win over the Jaguars came via a 68-56 score in Daytona Beach on December 13, 2017.
▪ The Cats have never defeated the Jaguars in a SWAC contest.
▪ B-CU's only win in Baton Rouge was an 80-68 decision on January 15, 1983 – the first-ever meeting between the teams.
 

SCOUTING GRAMBLING
▪ Grambling State arrives to Daytona Beach fifth in the latest SWAC standings, but lost its last matchup against rival Southern (La.) last weekend at home.
▪ The Tigers had won three-straight prior to the last to the Jaguars, including a sweep of the Texas schools, respectfully – with both wins coming by more than 20 points each.
▪ Former GSU legendary women's basketball head coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs is being inducted into the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Hall of Fame Class of 2025.
▪ The Tigers are both averaging and allowing 67.4 points per game across the season.
▪ GSU is outrebounding its opponents by 1.3 boards per contest.
▪ Both Kahia Warmsley and Halima Salat lead Grambling in three-point shooting, as each owns 27 under her belt on the year.
▪ Warmsley tops the team in scoring (12.8 ppg), while teammate Alyssa Phillip is the team's leading rebounder (6.7 rpg). Phillip also tops the squad in blocks (19).
▪ Lydia Freeman is shooting at a team-high 48.7 percent clip from the field, followed by Phillip (41.9 percent).
 
SCOUTING SOUTHERN
▪ Southern (La.) arrives to Florida sitting in sole possession of second place in the SWAC with a 12-2 league record (14-13 overall).
▪ The Jaguars have won their last five games on the trot, including a 70-47 decision from in-state rival Grambling State in their last matchup on February 22, in Grambling, Louisiana.
▪ The only SWAC losses for Southern have been by a combined eight points against Texas Southern and Alcorn State, respectfully.
▪ As a team, Southern is scoring an average of 60 points per contest, while shooting at a 37.9 percent clip from the floor. From three-point range, the Jaguars are shooting 29.5 percent.
▪ The Jaguars lead the league in defense, allowing just 59.2 points per game from their opposition.
▪ Senior guard Aniya Gourdine tops the Jaguars in scoring with an average of 12.3 points per game. She also shoots at a 39.5 percent clip from the field, adding a 28.9 percent touch from three-point range.
▪ Tionna Lidge is the team's leading rebounder with 114 (4.4 per game), while also leading the squad with 25 blocked shots.
▪ Former Bethune-Cookman guard D'Shantae Edwards is averaging 5.4 points per game to go along with 41 steals and 31 assists from her guard position on the court.
 


Bethune-Cookman hosts in-state foe Florida A&M to Moore Gymnasium for "Senior Appreciation Day" in the regular season finale for both teams on Saturday, March 8, at 3 p.m.