The Hawkeye

The ULM women's basketball team started their 2009-2010 season off right with an 89-67 win in an exhibition against the University of Arkansas at Monticello Cotton Blossoms.

Despite Arkansas-Monticello's hot shooting from the three-point line in the first half, it was ULM's domination inside the paint that won out. The Warhawks were able to grab 23 offensive rebounds to the Cotton Blossoms' six, leading to 25 second chance points. ULM also was unstoppable from inside the paint where they outscored UAM 40-18.
The Warhawks' top three post players in Sannisha Williams, Shannon Davis and Larrie Williams all had big games. Sannisha Williams recorded 15 points and eight rebounds, while Larrie Williams posted 12 points and six boards. Davis also put up good numbers with eight points and nine rebounds.

The Warhawks started off slowly in the contest, trailing 10-4 at the 16:40 mark in the first half, but after they seized the lead at 5:18 into the game, they did not relinquish the lead anymore in the duration of the game.

Priscilla Mbiandja turned in a great game in her unofficial Warhawk debut with a double-double of 18 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Mbiandja, who hails from Yaoundé, Cameroon, has plenty of big game experience in her repertoire due to her stint with the Cameroon National Team, and she is drawing comparisons to ULM's lone key departure of last season, Lottie Moore.

"I feel like [Mbiandja] is going to step in where Lottie was," said ULM head women's basketball coach Mona Martin. "Lottie was tremendous for us last year, and Priscilla brings a lot of things that Lottie did for us. Her defense is tremendous, her talking on the floor, she has a nice jumper and she can get to the rim. She is going to really step up and help us, but I think she is that link of what Lottie was last year."

Jesse Carrier was another player who turned in a good game with 15 points and seven assists, while she went three-for-six from three-point range.

Carrier enters her senior year as one of the best shooters in ULM history with 131 three-points made at a 37 percent clip, both good enough for fourth all-time. Carrier also has a realistic chance to break the school career record of 177 three-pointers made, currently held by Mykayla Alewine, who played during 1998 to 2002. The Sulphur native is projected to break the record in the latter part of the season.

"Jesse's just a special young lady," Martin said. "She wants to be a coach, and she knows the game very well and understands it. She is a threat no matter what. I think this summer, she has done a better job of working on her penetrating and not just being a threat on her shooting from the three-point line. She spreads the floor out well because you have to guard her. Now, if they overplay her, she is smart enough to cut on them and make moves, and I think she is going to be huge this year for us."

Three players did not suit up for the exhibition game against the Cotton Blossoms. Sumar Leslie is expected to be good for the Warhawks season opener, but Ashley Wallis and Kassie Courtney will miss considerable amounts of time of the season. Wallis is not expected back until the Warhawks begin conference play in January, while Courtney is out for the season after tearing her Achilles' tendon.

ULM begins the season on Nov. 13, in New Orleans when they take on the University of Tulane Green Wave and opens up at home against the Centenary College Ladies on Nov. 24.

Men's

The ULM men's basketball team held a home exhibition game against the University of Texas-Tyler in the Fant-Ewing Coliseum on Nov. 5 and won convincingly, 82-39.

The Warhawks ran full throttle on UT-Tyler, befuddling them on defense with heavy pressure. As a result, the Warhawks looked very impressive against the Division III opponent forcing 27 turnovers in the match and forcing them to shoot 25.5 percent from the field.

ULM brought out many new surprises. The Warhawks had junior forward Rudy Turner taking 12-15 foot jump shots, and they have an impressive substitute rotation that allows them to push the floor, making it a fast-paced game. Ten out of the 11 men played, each scoring in the contest.

"Rudy has been working on his game so that he can be more effective and an all-around player," said ULM head basketball coach Orlando Early.

The Warhawks were led by the scoring of senior guard Dynile Forbes, who racked up 17 points; the hot shooting of junior Lawrence Gilbert, who finished with 15 points going four-for-five from behind the arc; and the inside dominance of Turner with 14 points, nine rebounds and two blocks. From the bench, redshirt freshman Rory Burt sparked the team with six points and eight rebounds, and junior Warren Fuselier recorded four points, four rebounds and four steals for the Warhawks.

"Dynile is looking like a real leader on the floor. He's playing very well," Early said.
Early admitted that he has not decided upon a starting line-up as of yet, but due to the depth of the roster it should be an effective line-up from top to bottom.

Senior guard Kenneth Averette did not play in the game, nor will he play for the remainder of the semester, due to academic problems, but once he returns, it will add another spark for this rejuvenated Warhawk team.

To go along with having all five starters and 88 percent of the team's overall scoring returning, ULM also has two players recognized as Preseason All-Sun Belt Team in Tony Hooper and Malcolm Thomas.

Hooper was granted a fifth year of eligibility after missing most of last season's campaign, making him a three-time recipient of the award, while Thomas led the team last year in scoring with 12.3 points per game.

Also looking to have an impressive season is Forbes and Gilbert. Forbes brought a big spark to the team last season in conference play and is still on his rampage. Gilbert led the team in three-point percentages last season finishing the year shooting more than 48 percent from behind the arc.

The Warhawks will open up regular season play in Baton Rouge, taking on the LSU Tigers on Friday, Nov. 13, but they will be back in Fant-Ewing on Sunday, Nov. 15, to match up against Alcorn State University at 2 p.m. in their official home debut.

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