Lady Bulldogs Travel to Alabama to Take on UNA

December 5, 2023

FLORENCE, Ala. — After going 1-1 to start Gulf Coast Athletic Conference play, the Fisk University Lady Bulldogs (3-5) will step out of conference play to take on the University of North Alabama Lions in Florence, Alabama. The game against an NCAA opponent is yet another test for the Lady Bulldogs. Something that Fisk Head Coach Victoria Crawford planned for when she constructed her schedule.

"Our conference is tough, so we need to prepare for it with solid opponents," said Crawford. "UNA is well coached and will challenge us. This will get us ready for the rest of the season."

The Lions (2-5) come into the game looking to break a two-game losing streak. Last time out, they lost to Alabama A&M on the road. They are 2-2 at home with victories ironically against two teams from Tennessee, the UT Southern Firehawks and the UT Martin Skyhawks. UTS is a common opponent that Fisk and UNA share. Fisk lost to Southern 76-74.

The WMG "Pick 2 Click" is freshman Janiesse Armstrong. Armstrong had her best collegiate game last time out against Tougaloo when she scored 12 points off the bench.

Game 9: Fisk University (3-5) at University of North Alabama (2-5)

Date/Time: Tuesday, December 5 | 6:00 p.m. (CST)
Watch: https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/7e8e90fd-4ed8-42a0-bf2e-f871f89f2290

Live Stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=492016

Location: CB&S Bank Arena at Flowers Hall

Crawford Charisma

Head coach Victoria Crawford has gained a lot of ground in the community after only being in Nashville for a little over a year. She put on a fundraising golf tournament this summer that was well attended. Crawford has crossed with some of the Who's Who of the Nashville scene, including Johari Matthews of the Tennessee Titans, politicians like Deputy Mayor Brenda Haywood, State Representative Dr. Harold Love, and Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry. When she arrived to play at the University of Memphis, she followed Nashville Judge Rachel Bell there.

All American Assassin

Maya Buckhanon returns this season after being named to the NAIA All-American Second Team. Buckhanon was the GCAC Most Valuable and Defensive Player of the Year.

Hanging With Coach Cooper

Last season, Anthony Cooper was named the GCAC Assistant Coach of the Year. Cooper is one of the hottest prospects around the country for a head coaching job.

Eliotti Excels

Junior Laila Eliotti has represented Fisk well on and off the court. The Computer Science major spent part of her last two summers in Seattle, Washington, interning with the Meta University Software Engineering Academy and Zillow.

Bibbity Bobity Boo

Jayla Bibbs has been coming on as of late. The transfer from Buchanon, Michigan had her best game in a Bulldog uniform the last time out, scoring 20 points and grabbing 17 rebounds. The effort gave her two straight double-doubles.

Zip, Fast and in a Hurry

Senior Zipporah Davis is the lone returner named to the GCAC all-preseason team. She is ranked second in returner scorers on the team at 9.3 ppg. Her quickness on the defensive end will also be depended upon for the Lady Bulldog's success this season.

Old Faces, Same Spaces

Some old faces are back on the court for Fisk. After taking a year off, junior post player De'Lesia Scott and classmate power forward Mya Robinson are back in uniform. They, along with A'NIya Young and Eliotti, were part of the Notorious Nine recruiting class of 2021.

Something Borrowed

Crawford went to the transfer portal to grab Liz Gibbs from nearby NCAA Division I Austin Peay State University. The athletic senior is a combo guard who loves to play defense and a slasher who loves the transition game. Crawford has followed her since her high school days. JUCO transfers Jayla Gibbs and Kierra Fulton look to eat up a lot of minutes from the wing positions. Gibbs is a tenacious defender who can shoot the three and bring a spark. Fulton is a gym rat that will also bring aggressiveness on the defensive end. Aminata McClow is a 5'11 walk-on junior post player looking to spell Buckhanon and play crucial minutes.

SCOUTING THE UNA LIONS

Head Coach Missy Tiper is in her 11th season at UNA. She boasts a 157-134 record.
The University of North Alabama women's basketball team can put up points quickly, as they finished the 2022-23 season ranked in the top 10 in three-point attempts and three-pointers per game among all Division I schools.
Alexis Callins leads the Lions in scoring averaging 16.4 ppg.
Emily and Olivia Jones (Jackson), Katie Criswel (Lawrence County), and Callins (Martin) all hail from the Volunteer State.

NEXT UP:

The Lady Bulldogs will return home on Thursday and Saturday against Wiley University and Philander Smith College.