The Rams seek to end a four-game losing streak as they make their first trip to UST in Houston in seven years. UST was previously a member institution of the NAIA and the Red River Athletic Conference alongside HT before transitioning to the NCAA's Division III beginning in 2019.
HT is led by senior forward
Wilashia Burleson, who averages 18.9 points and 14.5 rebounds per contest; both of those averages lead the HBCU Athletic Conference. Burleson has been nominated for at least one of the conference's weekly awards (Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week) every week HT has submitted a nomination.
Fifth-year player
Destiny Stanford leads HT backcourt, averaging 13.5 points and 5.0 assists per game. She also averages 5.3 rebounds per game, and her 1.1 assist-to-turnover ratio leads the Rams.
Junior transfer
Xaria Culver averages 11.3 points for the Rams and has scored in double-figures in each of HT's last three official games. A Phoenix, Ariz., native and a transfer from Benedictine (Ariz.), Culver has shot 33 percent (6 of 18) from 3-point range in each of HT's last three contests. She has scored at least 10 points in six of HT's eight games this season.
The TRUTH:
HT has won 14 of the 19 games played between the two schools since UST added women's basketball in time for the 2011-12 season. The Rams are 5-3 against the Celts at UST's Jerabeck Center, having claimed a 77-75 win over the Celts on Dec. 8, 2018, the last time the teams clashed at UST's home arena.
This will be the first meeting between the Rams and Celts since UST began its NCAA Division III transition in 2019. HT was the last opponent the Celts played as an NAIA program, as the Rams secured a 66-62 win in the opening round of the 2019 RRAC Tournament at Texas A&M–Texarkana.
The Rams won all three conference tournament matchups with the Celts, and six of the eight games between the teams at HT's Branch Gymnasium.
HT head coach Kendall "K.J." DuCree is 6-1 in his career against the Celts. The lone setback was UST's 77-72 win in the Celts' last trip to Branch Gymnasium on Jan. 26, 2019. Current UST sports information director Zariah McInnis scored 12 points in that game; she averaged 6.0 points per game in five career contests against HT.
The ALTERNATE SIDE:
With a 3-1 record, the Celts are off to their best start to a season under third-year head coach Mansa El. UST is 3-0 against its own classification, which included a convincing 69-55 win at home over East Texas Baptist, then ranked No. 21 in the NCAA's Division III.
Though their lineup is small (6-foot-1 senior forward Nora Aigberadion is the only UST player listed taller than 5-foot-9), the Celts' fast-paced style and full-court defense helped UST jump out to a 47-22 halftime lead in the win over East Texas Baptist.
The Celts also gave a strong showing in their season-opening 95-85 loss at home to NCAA Division II program Texas A&M International. UST has also played two exhibitions against NCAA Division I teams – a 78-44 home loss to Penn from the Ivy League, and a competitive 86-72 setback at Incarnate Word in which the Celts stayed close thanks to shooting 52 percent (14 of 27) from 3-point range.
Senior forward Macie Whitfield leads the Celts with averages of 14.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Senior guard Laura Jones has averaged 12.5 points and shot 53 percent (8 of 15) from 3-point range in UST's four official contests this season. Two other players (Kenna Gibson and Amyia Bowie) average better than 8.0 points per game.
