Women’s Basketball Opens 2019-20 Season Against Jackson State

Tuesday, November 5

New Orleans

7 p.m.

Tulane University

Jackson State

Women’s Basketball Opens 2019-20 Season Against Jackson State

Nov 4, 2019 | Women's Basketball

By: Pierce Feltner

When:	Tuesday, Nov. 5 \| 7 p.m. CST
Where:	New Orleans \| Avron B. Fogelman Arena in Devlin Fieldhouse
Watch:	Tulane All-Access
Radio:	WRBH 88.3 FM \| Listen Online
Live Scoring:	Statbroadcast
Notes:	Tulane (PDF)
Social:	@GreenWaveWBB

NEW ORLEANS – The Tulane University women's basketball team will begin the 2019-20 regular season Tuesday night in Avron B. Fogelman Arena in Devlin Fieldhouse against Jackson State at 7 p.m.

This will tip-off head coach Lisa Stockton's 26^th season as the head coach of the Green Wave. Stockton has compiled 508 wins, 11 NCAA tournaments and seven WNITs in her 25 years in Uptown.

The 2019-20 season features two seniors ready for their final run with the team: Kayla Manuirirangi and Maddison Wells. Manuirirangi was second on the team in 3-pointers made last season going 44-136 (.324) from behind the arc.

"This is Kayla Manuirirangi's last year," Stockton said. "I think she will really lead not just vocally, but by example."

The junior class includes forward Krystal Freeman and guards Kaila Anderson, Arsula Clark and Sierra Cheatham. Freeman returns as the Green Wave's leading scorer and rebounder at 14.4 and 7.5, respectively. She was the first Tulane player to be named Preseason First Team All-American Athletic Conference after earning the Most Improved Player and second team honors last season.

"Krystal [Freeman] is playing with such confidence and she had such a great summer," Stockton said. "I think she is playing with such confidence now that she has added to her game to be a lot more of a face up player too."

Cheatham returns as the team's leader from three shooting 34.2 percent from behind the line. She also was the second leading scorer with 8.4 points per game last season. Anderson comes back as the teams starting point guard averaging 4.3 assists per game last season. Clark is a transfer from Louisiana Monroe where she was named Third Team All-Sun Belt as a sophomore.

"You look at Kaila Anderson, who was voted the captain last year as a sophomore, as a leader," Stockton said. "I think that really says a lot about what the team thinks of her and her energy. I think she is a tremendous competitor."

Sophomores on this year's team include Erin Gutierrez, Mia Heide and Dynah Jones. Last season, Jones earned All-Freshman Team honors. She also was the second leading scorer for the Olive and Blue in conference play in the 2018-19 season. Gutierrez was named AAC Freshman of the Week on two occasions and recorded 99 assists last season. Heide ended the 2018-19 season third on the team in blocks (22) and fourth in rebounds (84).

"Looking back to the summer, I think our most improved player of the summer was Mia Heide," Stockton said. "She is just stronger, more agile and has so much confidence. Coming out of the summer, I was probably most impressed with her and with her improvement from the end of last season until now."

Freshmen for the Green Wave include Salma Bates, Aijah Grant, Dene' Mimms and Irina Parau.

Jackson State comes into the 2019-20 season after finishing with an 18-14 overall record and making a run to the SWAC Tournament Championship game last season. The Tigers were picked to finish second in the SWAC this preseason. Marneisha Hamer and Kaisah Lucky earned Preseason All-SWAC awards with Hamer taking first team honors. Tomekia Reed is entering her second season as head coach at Jackson State.

The Green Wave holds an all-time record of 3-0 over Jackson State. The last time the two teams met Tulane beat the Tigers, 92-49, in the 2015-16 season.

Up next, the Green Wave will travel to Seattle to play Washington on Nov. 10. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. in Alaska Airlines Arena at HEC Edmundson Pavilion.

TICKETS
Tickets for the 2019-20 season can be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283), logging on to TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.

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