Answering Five Questions
Coach Beadles' responds to a Take 5
Lady Lions welcome Jarvis for a 5:30pm game
WAXAHACHIE, Texas -- The restructuring program of the women’s basketball team at Southwestern Assemblies of God University continues to pay dividends.
Anchored by a veteran frontline, it’s been an entirely new backcourt that has been maturing against constant pressure by opponents that has described the team to this point. A ten-game losing skid more than illustrated the areas that required growth.
SAGU is now 5-11 counting all games and are 2-8 against the Red River Athletic Conference. That mark includes four games they lost leads in the final two minutes.
Under the tutelage of veteran Head Coach Arlon Beadles they have been reestablishing their M.O. and look to continue to crest in the second half of the season.
But the young Simbas are not quite being ready to be held atop Pride Rock by Rafiki. But they can see it from where they're at!
This evening they welcome Jarvis Christian College to the Sheaffer Center for a 5:30pm game. The Lady Bulldogs have long been a nemesis to SAGU and lead the all-time series, 11-3. Southwestern is 2-5 at home against the hoopsters from Hawkins, Texas.
Follow tonight's game by HD livestream or Live Stats
The game will be broadcast by SAGU SPORTS Live and can be accessed at www.sagu.edu by clicking on the Watch SAGU TV button. Live Stats, a textual, play-by-play of the game, can be viewed by going to the RRAC’s website at www.redriverconference.com. Locate the game under Scoreboard in the right column and click on Live Stats.
SAGU has nine freshmen and sophomores on their active roster while Jarvis (6-4, 6-4 in RRAC) has seven. The Purple Pride will return Andrea Lugo (San Antonio, Tx / Somerset HS), a sophomore guard, to the starting line-up tonight.
She will join point guard Nia Winston (Garland, Tx / Panola JuCo, Lakeview Centennial HS), shooting guard Jirah Rodriguez (Georgetown, Tx / Georgetown HS), forward Gabby Bruner (Peaster, Tx / Peaster HS) and center Shaquita Roberts (San Antonio, Tx / Byron Steele HS). This is the unit that began the regular season with a 3-0 start.
The Lady Bulldogs are powered by 5’10 senior forward Marsharae Brown. She pours in 16.3 points per game while ripping down 11.6 rebounds. Dinilesizwe Love, a junior guard, and Ivory Russell, a 6’2 sophomore center, add 15 and 11 ppg, with Russell reeling in 9.8 boards per contest.
Both teams fell at LSU-Shreveport this week. SAGU dropped a 63-37 decision, while Jarvis was also routed, 68-35.
Take 5 with Arlon Beadles
Coach Beadles took a few minutes this week to answer five questions in his regular installment of Take 5.
Q1) Langston University (17-0, 11-0 in RRAC) remains the team to beat in the league. Which teams do you think stand the best chance to knock them off?
AB: LSU-Shreveport could do it, and I believe that Texas Wesleyan University and Our Lady of the Lake University could challenge them as well.
Q2) By collecting two wins last week, the Lady Lions still could earn a berth in the RRAC post-season tournament. What will it take to get there?
AB: We will need to win another six or seven games.
Q3) The ‘green’ backcourt has begun to reduce turnovers and protect both the ball and the lead as they’re improving. What do you hope to see from them in Round Two of games in the Red River?
AB: We hope to win the close games that we lost in the first round.
Q4) The team continues to play a brand of defense that many teams find difficult to attack. With so much focus on the offense, how has the Lady Lions’ defense fared?
AB: We do need more work on defense, though it’s still good. Our traps are not as good as they have been in the past. Our rebounding is clearly better.
Q5) Shaquita Roberts is having an outstanding season; increased scoring, rebounding and she continues to lead the NAIA in blocked shots. It must be her new golden hair. How would you summarize her play?
AB: Shaquita is a tireless rebounder. She NEVER quits on plays. That’s the key to her success. The hair will be gone soon, and so will the blonde jokes! Ha!
BONUS Q) Who will you be rooting for on Sunday? Who do you think will advance to the Super Bowl?
AB: The New York Giants knocked out my team, the *Atlanta Falcons. I have to pull for them.
Next Game in Houston
SAGU will take to the road on Monday, January 23, when they travel to take on the University of St. Thomas in Houston. The game is set for a 5:30pm (CST) opening tip.
Contact: Mark “Link” Warde, Sports Information Director, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at 469-658-2847.
*S.I.D.'s Note: One of Coach Beadles' sons is the Vice President of the Atlanta Falcons.
