Storylines – vs coker University
Four Cobras will play their final collegiate game Saturday when Coker entertains UVA Wise in the season finale for both schools. Senior forward Erin Houser is the team's leading scorer as she pumps in 12 points per game on 46.9 percent shooting. The Cobras will be looking to end the season a high note as the team has dropped three in a row and six of its last seven games. Most recently, Coker fell 57-55 at Newberry despite a solid defensive effort. In the loss, the Cobras limited the Wolves to 33.9 percent shooting while not allowing Newberry to score more than 17 points in any quarter. Coker was led by Houser and Emily Davis. The duo scored 11 points each while Shay Jackson came off the bench to chip in 10 points. The Cobras are coached by 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist and four-time WNBA All-Star Shannon Johnson. Johnson also played internationally in Spain, Italy, Turkey, Poland and Russia in addition to her 10-year WNBA career. An All-American at the University of South Carolina, Johnson holds the Gamecock points per game record as she scorched the nets to the tune of 24.7 points per game en route to becoming the school's second all-time leading scorer at 2,230 points.
UVA Wise will wrap up its first season South Atlantic Conference season with a game at Coker Saturday. The season has been injury plagued for the Cavaliers who have seen a pair of freshman guards step up down the stretch. Caitlyn Ross is the only player in NCAA Division II with at least 350 points, 150 assists, 130 rebounds and 60 steals. Fellow guard Nia Vanzant has become the team's leading scorer as she is averaging 14.4 points per game. Vanzant has scored in double figures in 18 games this winter and enters the season finale 11 points shy of reaching 400 points during her freshman season. The Cavs will be going for a season-series sweep of the Cobras. Jamie Cluesman's team claimed a 73-59 win over Coker on Jan. 18 behind a 21-point, 10-rebound outburst from Vanaznt. Kalee Johnson chipped in 13 points while Ross went 10-of-12 from the charity stripe as she tallied 12 points while dishing out seven assists. Neither UVA Wise or Coker will be playing postseason basketball. The Cavs saw their postseason hopes go away on Wednesday when the team dropped an 83-70 home decision to Carson-Newman University. A win by Coker would allow the Cobras to double their win total from last season (5).