SE WBB Set to Open Season vs UCO, NSU

Women's Basketball | 11/13/2014 12:03:00 PM

DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern opens the 2014-15 season when it heads north to face former conference rivals Central Oklahoma and Northeastern State in the2014 Stuteville Auto Group MIAA/GAC Basketball Challenge in Tahlequah, Okla., on Nov. 14-15.
 
The Savage Storm open with UCO at noon on Nov. 14, and will play host NSU at 6:30 pm on Nov. 15.
 
Southeastern heads into the season picked fourth in the Great American Conference Preseason Poll after a 13-14 season in which they posted a 10-10 conference record and fell to Arkansas Tech in the first round of the conference tournament.
 
SE returns five of its top six scorers, including leading scorer and first team All-GAC selection Emily Williams who posted 15.9 ppg.
 
The team also returns Taylor Richards who turned in 6.0 ppg and led the team in assists, Cheree Kiser who also added 6.0 ppg and Kaylie Baxter who averaged 5.2.
 
Williams is also the team's top returning rebounder after pulling down 7.4 rpg a season ago, while Schaefer added 6.4.
 
The Storm also welcome four newcomers in guards Kaylen Sweat, Sa'Liesha Hunter and Kaitlan Standridge, and center Emem David, as well as the addition of Miranda Schaefer who redshirted last season.
 
The Storm faced Oklahoma in its one exhibition outing, falling 106-59 in that contest.
 
Williams turned in 16 points in the effort, while Shelby Hill added nine.
 
The Bronchos have seven players, including three starters, back from last year's 12-16 team in addition to gaining two former part-time starters.
 
Juniors Julia Mason and Haley Weathers and sophomore Olivia Mason are the returning starters.
 
Julia averaged 11.3 points and 5.2 rebounds a game last season, while Olivia netted 8.5 points and a team-high 6.9 rebounds.  Weathers added 6.4 points and 2.1 rebounds.
 
The RiverHawks come into the weekend picked eighth in the MIAA preseason poll after an 11-17 record last season.
 
NSU returns its top two scorers from a season ago in Fontana ate at 11.2 ppg and Chelsey Beathard.
 
The RiverHawks fell in their lone exhibition against Arkansas by a 65-32 score, with Courtney Cowan leading the team in scoring with nine.