The Clark Atlanta University Lady Panthers will step out of Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play this weekend when they host the University of Montevallo at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25 in L.S. Epps Gymnasium.
The Lady Panthers (5-12, 4-5 SIAC) fell to Montevallo (13-3, 7-2 Gulf South Conference) 83-64 in early November when CAU suffered through one of their worst shooting performances of the season. But CAU has played well since then. Though the Lady Panthers have lost three of their last five games, they have two wins and three very close defeats – an overtime loss to Fort Valley State, a five-point defeat against LeMoyne-Owen, and a three-point loss to Savannah State.
While Saturday's game is a non-conference game, Clark Atlanta head coach
Tony Bailey says it is still an important game for the Lady Panthers who are still in the thick of the SIAC East race are gearing up for the stretch drive towards next month's SIAC Tournament.
"It's important for our psyche," Bailey said. "We played them earlier this season. We didn't shoot particularly well from the free throw line or the 3-point line. From a coaching standpoint, it's still a measuring stick for me and for the rest of the season. I feel like if we can get this win, it will be big for our confidence in conference play."
Montevallo is coming off a 64-59 victory over Auburn-Montgomery last Saturday, a team that defeated the Falcons 69-50 in early January. They are led by the Gulf South Conference's sixth-best scorer, Shyan Flack who averages nearly 16 points per game. Shack is also fifth in rebounding at nine boards per game. She had 17 points and ten rebounds against CAU in November.
CAU counters guards
Reyana Miller and
Reagan Jackson, both who have averaged double figures in scoring this season at 11.9 and 13.4 points per game.
Autum Morings has averaged 9.4 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per game, which is fifth best in the SIAC.
Bailey is looking for a great effort Saturday, which can provide a boost for the Lady Panthers when they get back into SIAC play Monday when they visit Albany State (3-14, 1-8 SIAC).
"You don't look too far ahead, but we know we're still battling for something in conference play being 4-5," he said. "We want to focus in and get prepared for Montevallo, but it's kind of hard not to be trying to get ready for Albany State, literally a day later in my eyes. It's important because Albany State teams always play hard. I know their record doesn't reflect it, and they are last in the conference. But we're right next to them right now. But, it's always difficult playing Coach Robert Skinner's team because they play hard and you have to bring your best, no matter what their record is.
"I still believe this team can win this conference and do some big things by the time we get to the conference tournament," Bailey added. "It's just about instilling that confidence in them because I still think we're right there."
