Storylines – vs Lees-McRae College
Former East Tennessee State University star Keith "Mister" Jennings is in his first season at the helm of the women's basketball program at Lees-McRae College. Jennings ranks fourth in ETSU history in points (1,988) while being the school's all-time leader in assists with 983. A former member of the Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets, Jennings previously served as an assistant on the men's coaching staff and as the head junior varsity coach at Lees-McRae. As the women's coach, the Bobcats dropped their first two games of the season before Jennings claimed his first coaching win on Nov. 21 against Puerto Rico - Bayamon; a week later, Lees-McRae knocked off Conference Carolinas foe Southern Wesleyan to give the coach his first league win. The Bobcats have been snake bit of late, having lost at Converse in overtime before dropping a two point decision at Limestone last Saturday. The team is led by junior guard Markia Stacey who is averaging a team-high 13.8 points per game on 40.5 percent shooting. An area UVa-Wise may be able to exploit is the glass, Lees-McRae is -5.1 in rebounding margin per game this season while the Cavaliers are +3.0 per contest.
About UVa-Wise
Playing away from home has been an issue for a UVa-Wise team that has zero seniors on its active roster. The Cavs are 0-6 away from the Prior Center and the team's average margin of defeat is 17.2 points per game. In its 107-77 loss at Glenville State, junior Dakotah Turner came off the bench to score 12 points on 6-of-6 shooting; the point total was a career-high for the forward. Freshman Hanna Oliver continues to be the team's leading scorer; the Woodbridge, Va. product is averaging three made 3-pointers per game through her first nine collegiate games to score a team-high 11.1 points per game. Most recently, Oliver drained a season-high five 3-pointers en route to 17 points against the Pioneers. Sophomore forward Cynita Webb is flirting with averaging a double-double. The 5-foot-11 forward is averaging 9.3 points and 10.1 rebounds per game; so far, Webb has tallied a trio of double-doubles while posting double-digit rebound totals in six contests. Following the game, UVa-Wise will play King University at home on Dec. 19 before taking an 11-day break before returning to play against Radford University in an exhibition on Dec. 30.
