For the eighth consecutive year, Tars women's basketball will
usher in the holiday season on the hardwood, hosting the 2013
Rollins Thanksgivinig Tournament. The 17th-ranked Tars
will face Stillman College to open play on the first day with New
Haven and Davis & Elkins filling out the other half of the
bracket. The consolation game is set for 1 p.m. Saturday with the
championship to follow at 3 p.m. Fans who can't make it to the game
can watch and listen live on the Tars Sports Network at
RollinsSports.com.
NO. 17 ROLLINS AT A GLANCE (5-1): Rollins has
made a steady climb up the national rankings, leaping five spots to
a tie for 17th in the latest poll. The Tars were
25th in the preseason poll and, despite a loss to No. 8
Central Missouri, landed at No. 22 in the first regular season
release. After two 20-plus point wins, The Tars now head into their
own Thanksgiving Tournament riding positive momentum.
The Tars are winning by an average of 10.2 points a game,
yielding 64.8 points of offense and surrendering just 54.7 on the
other end of the court. Only twice this season, Rollins has allowed
more than 60 points in a game. The Tars have been dominate on the
glass, outrebounding teams by 11 an outing. Rollins defense leads
the conference and is ninth in the nation in blocks, rejecting
nearly six a game (5.8). The Tars also lead the league in steals
with 9.6 a night.
Rollins boasts three scorers averaging double figures, led by Ashley
Losch with 12.2 points. The junior jump shooter is also pulling
in six rebounds a game and has totaled six blocks and six steals.
Sarah
Blackburn adds 11.2 points and a SSC-best 9.8 rebounds a game.
She has four double-doubles on the season and also is second on the
team with 13 assists. Sarah
Taylor chips in 10.5 points and 7.3 rebounds a game. She is one
of 26 players nationally perfect from the free throw line, hitting
her first 18 attempts this season.
Glenn Wilkes
Jr. (Stetson '81) is in his 28th year leading the Tars and owns
a career record of 608-199. He has the fifth-most victories among
active Division II coaches and has racked up the 10th most
all-time. Wilkes' winning percentage is the 13th-best in the
history of Division II. Rollins coaching staff of Wilkes, Eddie
Cole, Tami
Stark and Amber
Heistan have a combined 69 years experience on the Tars' bench.
Stark and Heistan were standout players for Wilkes as
collegians
STILLMAN COLLEGE AT A GLANCE (1-3): The Tigers
and Tars will meet to start the Thanksgiving Tournament in a key
South Region match-up. Stillman is coming off a 70-49 home loss to
Delta State on Nov. 23.
The Tigers have been getting outscored by 15 a game on the
season, putting up 58.8 points of offense and surrendering 73.8.
They are also minus-12.5 rebounds a game and are plus 1.8 turnovers
a night.
Angel Mitchell is Stillman's top scorer, lighting up the
scoreboard for 16.5 points a night. She is also second on the team
with six rebounds a game and is nationally ranked with 15 total
steals. Samantha Thomas adds eight points and a team-best 7.3
rebounds a game.
THE SERIES: Rollins women's basketball has
never played Stillman or New Haven. The Tars are 1-1 all-time
against Senators. The last met in the 2011 Rollins Thanksgiving
Classic with the Tars posting a 57-50 victory. Tera
McDaniel led the way for Rollins with 14 points while Page
Turner put up 15 for D&E.
NEXT UP FOR ROLLINS: After playing the two
weekend games, Rollins will face Warner on Tuesday, Dec. 3 (7 p.m.)
before opening up Sunshine State Conference play on Saturday, Dec.
7 at home against Saint Leo (2 p.m.)
