Game Notes

HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana women's basketball team will officially open the 2011-12 season on Friday, when it hosts Centenary at 7 p.m. in the University Center.
 
The game between the Lady Lions and the visiting Ladies will be broadcast live in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the Internet at www.LionSports.net, where live stats will also be available. The contest will also be the on-court debut for Centenary, however the game will count as an exhibition for the Ladies.
 
Friday will be Heroes Night in the University Center. The Lady Lions will be saluting all current and former police officers, fire fighters, military and medical personnel by offering the heroes and their families $2 admission and a free box of popcorn. In addition, the first 100 fans will receive a trading card featuring the Southeastern coaching staff courtesy of the Southeastern PRIDE.
 
The Lady Lions return six letterwinners from last season's team, which finished 13-16 overall and made its third straight trip to the Southland Conference Tournament. Senior guard Kelli Jenkins is the team's lone returning starter. The Plaquemine native shared the team lead with 10.4 points per game in 2010-11, while also leading the Lady Lions in assists for the third straight season with 3.6 dimes per game. With 317 career assists, Jenkins ranks sixth in school history in that category.
 
Jenkins' fellow senior guards Jessica Sommers (5.7 ppg in 2010-11), Latoria Holder (5.3 ppg) and Amber Crenshaw (2.6 ppg) will all see an expanded role this season. Southeastern head coach Lori Davis Jones and her staff also expect increased production from sophomore forward Aja Gibson, who will step in to a starting role after averaging 7.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per contest last season as a redshirt freshman.
 
Southeastern will also be eager to see a pair of junior college products – guard Cierra Morris and forward Brandi Simmons – make their Division I debuts on Friday. Morris was a junior college All-American at Rock Valley Community College last season and will be a key member of the backcourt rotation. Simmons, an All-Region performer at Copiah-Lincoln Community College, will team with Gibson to give the Lady Lions its most versatile starting post tandem in recent years.
 
Four other Lady Lions will make their debut in the green and gold on Friday, as a group that Jones has referred to as the most talented freshman class of her 10-year tenure will see their first collegiate action. Guards Symone Miller and Elizabeth Styles, along with forwards Hillary Shaffer and Summer Postell all are expected to see playing time as the season progresses.
 
Southeastern will be facing a Centenary team that opens the season in a similar situation as the Lady Lions. Like Southeastern, the Ladies return just one starter from last season's team that finished 1-24. Second year head coach Kristen Davis, who played collegiately at Northwestern State, has reloaded the roster with eight newcomers – including seven freshman.
 
Centenary will be replacing three players with double-digit scoring averages from last season's team. Senior guard Megan Daniel is the team's lone returning starter and averaged 7.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per contest a season ago. Junior guard Vashni Sharp-Moore had 7.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in limited action a season ago.  
 
The Lady Lions are 8-0 all-time versus Centenary and have picked up wins over the Ladies in each of the past five seasons. Last season in Shreveport, Southeastern forced Centenary into 23 turnovers on the way to a 65-55 victory. In that win, Jenkins and Gibson each had 10 points to pace the Lady Lions. Jenkins also added a team-high four steals and three assists.
 
Southeastern is 19-18 all-time in season openers. Last season's 81-53 opening win over Millsaps snapped a five-game losing streak in season openers for the Lady Lions. Southeastern has had better luck in its first home game of the season in recent years, as the Lady Lions have not lost their home opener since the 1998-99 season.
 
Following Friday's game, the Lady Lions will hit the road for the first time in 2011-12. Southeastern will be at Texas on Monday for an 8 p.m. contest with the Longhorns in Austin, Texas. Monday's game will be televised by the ESPN Longhorn Television Network and live stats will also be available at www.texassports.com.