HARTSVILLE, S.C. – The Coker College women's basketball team will bring in the new year when they host the visiting Newberry College Wolves on Wednesday (Jan. 3) in South Atlantic Conference action. Opening tip is set for 6 p.m. in the DeLoach Center. Live stats and video will be available at www.cokercobras.com.
Most recently, the Cobras put together a dominant second half for an 82-56 victory over the visiting Queens University Royals on Dec. 18 in South Atlantic Conference action. Coker outscored Queens 21-11 in the third quarter and 29-11 in the final frame of play for the comfortable victory. Hayley Kropp led the way for the Navy and Gold with 22 points that included a 5-9 mark from beyond the three-point arch. Kropp also made an impact on the defensive end of the court with a team-best four steals. Erin Houser continued her recent success with her second double-double (13 points, 14 rebounds) in the past two games. Shay Jackson provided an offensive spark for the Cobras from the bench, knocking down 11 points off 4-5 shooting from the field and a perfect 2-2 mark from three-point range. As a team, the Navy and Gold finished 53.8 percent from three-point range, their best mark of the season.
The Navy and Gold head into tomorrow's game with a balanced offensive attack that includes four players averaging nine or more points per game. Kropp leads Coker averaging 12.5 points per game. Houser trails Kropp with 9.3 points per game and Cooper is third on the team putting up 9.0 points per game. In addition, Cooper is shooting 62.7 percent from the field, good for second in the SAC. Williams is the final Cobra averaging nine or more points with 9.0 points per game.
On the defensive end, Williams has been a force for the Navy and Gold with a team-leading 8.8 rebounds per game and 1.9 blocks per game. Her season mark in rebounds per game is fourth best in the SAC, while her blocks per game are good for second in the conference. Kropp has also made significant contributions on the defensive end, averaging a team-high 1.2 steals per game.
Newberry enters tomorrow's contest with a 7-5 overall record that includes a 2-3 mark in conference play. Shelby Britten leads the Wolves offensively, averaging 17 points per game.
As mentioned, opening tip is set for 6 p.m. Tickets for the game are $5 for adults, $3 for students, and free to all Coker faculty, staff, and students.