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LONGVIEW – LeTourneau University women's basketball team will host Mary Hardin-Baylor in the home opener 5 p.m. Friday.
The YellowJackets (1-0) meet the Crusaders (3-1) in the first regular season game at Solheim Arena. Both teams scheduled two games against North Texas at Dallas, LETU's home game being canceled on Dec. 3. The Crusaders beat UNT Dallas twice, while the YellowJackets took care of business in the season opener on the road before Thanksgiving.
LETU is coming off a pair of exhibition games against North American at home and Houston Baptist on the road. UMHB beat UNT Dallas at home after falling to Abilene Christian on the road last week.
Four Jackets scored in double figures in the win at UNT Dallas 23 days ago. Four scored in twin figures in the exhibition with North American, and three reached double digits at HBU. Taylor Kollmorgen is leading the Cru in scoring (10.0) and rebounding (8.3). Olivia Champion is averaging 9.3 points and 4.5 boards per game.
Keauna Whitfield was named the American Southwest Conference East Division Player of the Week after the Jackets season-opening road win at UNT Dallas, after scoring 27 points, grabbing seven rebounds and coming away with three steals.
Malacia Guy,
Scruffy Hopkins and
Flora Akingbade each had double doubles in the win.
Friday's game will be limited to 100 fans, with priority given to parents of both teams. Wearing masks is mandatory, and proper social distancing in the designated seating area is required.
PRESEASON PICK
LETU was picked to finish third in the American Southwest Conference East Division … The YellowJackets finished third in the East last season with a 14-12 overall, 10-6 league record … It was LeTourneau's first winning season since going 17-10 in 2015-16.
EXHIBITIONS ON EXHIBIT
LeTourneau has played a pair of exhibitions since the season-opening win over UNT Dallas on Nov. 24 … The Jackets also had a pair of exhibitions at NCAA Division I Northwestern State and Incarnate Word, and another at NAIA power Louisiana State University at Shreveport canceled.
KUDOS 4 KJ
Sr. G
Keauna Whitfield, an ASC preseason player to watch, is the leading returning scorer … She eclipsed 1,000 career points, and now ranks seventh on the school's all-time scoring list … Whitfield needs nine points to move into sixth place … Whitfield did not play in Monday's exhibition at Houston Baptist.
MULLING OVER MALACIA
Soph. G
Malacia Guy has scored in double figures in all three LETU games this season, two of them the exhibitions … She averaged 12. 6 ppg and 4.0 apg in those three games.
GO WITH THE FLO
Sr. F
Flora Akingbade grabbed a career-high 15 boards in the season opener in Dallas … She 13 points and seven rebounds in the exhibition with North American … Akingbade ranked tied for fifth in the ASC last season … She had 10 or more rebounds in eight games last year … Akingbade was an Honorable Mention All-ASC East pick in 2019-20.
MISSING MICAYLA
The YellowJackets have been without the services of Jr. G
Micayla Weber this season … She was an Honorable Mention All-ASC East pick a year ago after averaging 11.8 ppg and 5.2 reb, while shooting 82 percent from the free throw line.
WHATTA YA SAY AJ?
Newcomer
AJ Thomas had 13 points, seven boards, three steals and a block at Houston Baptist Monday … She had nine points, seven boards and three blocks … A junior transfer from Kentucky Wesleyan, Thomas started her career at Indiana State.
SCRAPPY SCRUFFY
Sr. G
Scruffy Hopkins had eight points, seven rebounds and two steals in the exhibition with North American … She had 10 points, 11 boards and three steals in the season opener in Dallas.
BANKING ON BRIONA
Newcomer
Briona Andrews, a senior transfer from Paine College, has scored in double figures in both of the exhibitions … Andrews had 12 points at HBU, and 10 points vs. North American … Her career-high 13 points came in multiple games, while playing at Paine.
CoVID CANCELLATIONS
LETU has had four games canceled due to coronavirus concerns with the opposition … The Jackets had two Division I games wiped out at Northwestern State and Incarnate Word.
HOLIDAY HOOPS
Following Friday's home opener, the YellowJackets will play three games at the Dallas Christian College Christmas Classic Dec. 29-31 … LETU is scheduled to play Texas A&M-Texarkana, Sul Ross State and Dallas Christian in the holiday tournament.
