Battle For First Place on the Line in Final Regular Season Matchup

HOLLY SPRINGS, Miss.– The January snowstorm in the south canceled some Gulf Coast Athletic Conference games. One of which was rescheduled for this Saturday to determine the regular season championship. The Fisk University Lady Bulldogs (18-7, 15-2 GCAC) will attempt to do what no team in the school has done. Win a regular season championship. It won't be easy as they will take on the GCAC's four-time champions, the Rust College Lady Bearcats (24-3, 16-1 GCAC).

"This is what we have prepared for all season, so we have to cease the moment," said Fisk Head Coach Victoria Crawford. "They are the standard and measuring stick for us. We need to go out there and have fun. It won't be easy, so we have to play sharp."

Both teams come into the game on winning streaks. Rust has won 11 in a row and is undefeated in 12 games at home. Their only conference loss came to Philander Smith. Fisk has won six in a row. They too suffered a loss to Philander Smith. They have won 12 of their last 13 games.

After a slump of not scoring over 20 points in three straight games, NAIA All-American Maya Buckhanon has played her best games in the last four. On February 10, she had a 29-point, 11-rebound performance against Talladega College. A week ago today, at Dillard, she scored a season-high 37 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. She topped those two games by scoring a GCAC and school-record 60 points. Her efforts earned her NAIA National Player of the Week honors. On Thursday, she scored 25 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. In the four games, she is averaging 37.8 points and 14.3 rebounds.

The WMG "Pick 2 Click" is Zipporah Davis. Look for Rust to sag in on Buckhanon. Davis' outside shooting has been much better lately. Her play will be vital to the team's performance.

Game 26:  Fisk University (18-7, 14-2 GCAC) at Rust College (24-3, 16-1 GCAC)

Date/Time: Saturday, February 24 | 2:00 p.m. (CST)

Watch:  HBCU Plus

Location: Rust College, Holly Springs, Mississippi

Crawford Charisma

Head coach Victoria Crawford has gained a lot of ground in the community after only being in Nashville for a little over a year. She put on a fundraising golf tournament this summer that was well attended. Crawford has crossed with some of the Who's Who of the Nashville scene, including Johari Matthews of the Tennessee Titans, politicians like Deputy Mayor Brenda Haywood, State Representative Dr. Harold Love, and Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry. When she arrived to play at the University of Memphis, she followed Nashville Judge Rachel Bell there.

Maya's Many Accolades

Maya Buckhanon returns this season after being named to the NAIA All-American Second Team. Buckhanon was the GCAC Most Valuable and Defensive Player of the Year. So far this season, she has been named the GCAC Player of the Week eight times, the TSWA Player of the Week three, and she was voted as the NAIA National Player of the Week twice.

Hanging With Coach Cooper

Last season, Anthony Cooper was named the GCAC Assistant Coach of the Year. Cooper is one of the hottest prospects around the country for a head coaching job.

Eliotti Excels

Junior Laila Eliotti has represented Fisk well on and off the court. The Computer Science major spent part of her last two summers in Seattle, Washington, interning with the Meta University Software Engineering Academy and Zillow.

Zip, Fast and in a Hurry

Senior Zipporah Davis is the lone returner named to the GCAC all-preseason team. She is ranked second in returner scorers on the team at 9.3 ppg. Her quickness on the defensive end will also be depended upon for the Lady Bulldog's success this season.

Old Faces, Same Spaces

Some old faces are back on the court for Fisk. After taking a year off, junior post player De'Lesia Scott and classmate power forward Mya Robinson are back in uniform. They, along with A'Niya Young and Eliotti, were part of the Notorious Nine recruiting class of 2021.

NEXT UP:

The GCAC Tournamnet in Touscaloosa, Alabama. Go to www.fiskathletics.com for more information.