Lamar Picked for Top Spot in Southland Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll
HOUSTON – Lamar received the maximum 24 votes from the Southland Conference’s head coaches and sports information directors to earn the top spot in the league’s 2018-19 women’s basketball preseason poll. Stephen F. Austin is expected to finish second. Central Arkansas received two first-place votes and is expected to finish third.
The announcement was made this morning as Southland Conference Basketball Social Media Day commenced at the Toyota Center in downtown Houston. The home of the Houston Rockets is where all 26 head coaches from the league’s men’s and women’s programs are previewing the upcoming season today. Coaches are participating in Q&A sessions, media interviews, social media activities and one-on-one segments. The season is bookended in the Houston area, starting with today’s preview event and ending nearby at the Merrell Center in Katy, Texas, with the Southland Conference tournament on March 13-17.
Social Media Day can be followed on the Southland’s Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts, with a preview show streaming on ESPN3 tonight at 6 p.m. The ESPN3 preview show, available via
https://sland.social/ESPN3MD and ESPN apps, will be archived immediately following its initial airing.
Robin Harmony, last season’s Southland Coach of the Year, and her Cardinals are the overwhelming favorite to repeat as regular-season champions. Last season, Lamar went 22-8 and 17-1 in league play to claim the conference title. They are seeking consecutive women’s basketball championships for the first time in program history. Lamar’s leaders include a preseason All-Southland first team backcourt of Chastadie Barrs and Moe Kinard. Both are seniors and Barrs is the three-time reigning Southland Defensive Player of the Year.
Stephen F. Austin, who finished second last year after finishing 25-8 and 16-2 in conference, figures to push the Cardinals after letting a lead slip away in the Southland Conference title game. Mark Kellogg’s Ladyjacks return three starters in seniors Kennedy Harris, Chanell Hayes and Imani Johnson. Hayes is a second team preseason all-conference selection. SFA is seeking a third-straight 25-win season and a return to postseason play for a third consecutive year after a berth in the WNIT in 2018.
Central Arkansas, the only team other than Lamar to receive first-place votes (2), is slated to finish in third place – the same spot they ended the regular-season last year. Sandra Rushing’s Sugar Bears are seeking a fourth-straight 25-win season after advancing to the WBI championship last spring.
Nicholls is tabbed for fourth after winning its first Southland Conference tournament and making its first foray into the NCAA tournament in 2017-18. Senior Cassidy Barrios will lead the way after earning player of the year honors last season. The 5-foot-10-inch guard finished the season third in the conference for points per game (17.3) and rebounds (9.1) and second in steals per game (2.9), blocked shots (1.5) and three-point field goal percentage (.400).
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, coming off a 19-12 campaign, is the No. 5 team. Meanwhile, Abilene Christian, New Orleans, McNeese, Southeastern Louisiana and Houston Baptist round out the top 10. They are followed by Northwestern State, Incarnate Word, and Sam Houston State.
The preseason poll is voted upon by the head coach and sports information director from each Southland school. Each individual ranks the other 12 teams in their predicted order of regular season finish. Ranking one’s own school is not permitted.
2018-19 Southland Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll
|
School (First-place votes) |
Total |
| 1. |
Lamar (24) |
288 |
| 2. |
Stephen F. Austin |
248 |
| 3. |
Central Arkansas (2) |
231 |
| 4. |
Nicholls |
226 |
| 5. |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
209 |
| 6. |
Abilene Christian |
178 |
| 7. |
New Orleans |
153 |
| 8. |
McNeese |
128 |
| 9. |
Southeastern Louisiana |
102 |
| 10. |
Houston Baptist |
86 |
| 11. |
Northwestern State |
76 |
| 12. |
Incarnate Word |
71 |
| 13. |
Sam Houston State |
32 |