Women’s Basketball preview: SCAC Championship Tournament

Texas Lutheran (20-5, 13-3 SCAC) vs. Colorado College (18-7, 12-4) OR Dallas (13-12, 7-9 SCAC)

Game 26

SCAC Championship Semifinals

Saturday, February 24, 2024 – 7 p.m. Central

Shreveport, LA – Gold Dome

GameDay Quick Facts 

LIVE STREAM: The game will be streamed on Centenary College's YouTube Channel.

SERIES: Texas Lutheran leads the all-time series against Colorado College 16-6 and leads against Dallas 21-3.

Notables

SCAC: The Bulldogs finished 13-3 in conference play to finish as the regular season SCAC runner-up for the second time in three seasons. The 13-3 mark matches the 2021-22 season for the best conference mark under head coach Troy Patterson.

20 WINS: After starting the season with the best start in program history, Texas Lutheran finished the regular season with 20 wins - a mark reached for just the fourth time in program history and for the first time since 2016-17.

DEFENSE GETTING IT DONE: Texas Lutheran is 16-1 on the season when they hold an opponent to 59 points or less. 21 times this season Texas Lutheran has held an opponent to single digits for a quarter. The Bulldogs have held opponents under their scoring average in 19 of their 25 games this season. Texas Lutheran ranks 41st in the NCAA and fifth in the West Region in turnovers forced per game.

BATTLING ADVERSITY: The Bulldogs have faced adversity with multiple players suffering injuries this season. This season the Bulldogs have had 36 missed games by rotational players.

ON THE GLASS: The Bulldogs are 16-4 this season when they out rebound their opponent. Texas Lutheran has been effective on the offensive glass as they lead the SCAC and rank 42nd in the NCAA in offensive rebounds per game at 15.8. Guard Kailee Mulkey ranks second in the SCAC in offensive rebounds - averaging 2.6 per game. Texas Lutheran has won the offensive glass in 19 games this season. Texas Lutheran has grabbed 20+ offensive rebounds seven times including a season-high 25 offensive boards against Dallas. Against Centenary, the Bulldogs grabbed 23 offensive rebounds and only gave up two offensive boards to the Ladies. 

ROCK STAR LIKE PRESLEY: Guard Kayla Presley earned the final SCAC Player of the Week honors following a career night that saw the junior guard finish with a career-high 23 points along with seven rebounds. After heating up in the third, Kayla Presley took over in the fourth. Presley would score ten of her 17 second half points in the fourth quarter, including six in the final five minutes. Presley was an efficient 7-of-8 from the field including making both of her three point attempts in addition to going 7-of-9 at the charity stripe. Presley has finished in double figures eight times this season.

FULL TEAM EFFORT: Every active player has played in a game for the Bulldogs 12 times this season and have led games from wire-to-wire ten times this season.

MULKEY MADNESS: Junior Kailee Mulkey continues to be an impact player for the Bulldogs. Mulkey has scored in double-figures in 15 games this season. Mulkey, who leads the Bulldogs in scoring at 11.4 points per game, has been one of the SCAC's best rebounders ranking seventh in the conference and first among SCAC guards at 5.7 per game. The New Braunfels product matched her 2022-23 output by recording three double-doubles so far this season. Mulkey also ranks fifth in the SCAC in steals averaging 2.0 per game.

LU'S LAYUPS: After a freshman season that saw her named to the All-Freshman Team and All-SCAC Third Team, sophomore guard Lauren Sansano has become one of the SCAC's most efficient scorers. While Sansano may average 10.2 points per game - matching her freshman total - all other numbers are up for the San Antonio native. Sansano ranks second in the SCAC in field goal percentage (48.7%) and fourth in three-point percentage (40.3%) - and has been the SCAC's best three-point shooter in conference play, shooting 46.5% from deep. Sansano has also increased her averages in rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, and assist-to-turnover ratio. Sansano ranks seventh in the SCAC in assists (2.7) and tenth in steals (1.8). For her efforts, Sansano earned D3hoops.com National Team of the Week honors earlier this season following a 22 point effort against Colorado College.