MURFREESBORO, N.C. – The Chowan Men's and Women's Basketball teams had their schedule altered for the weekend with the rising cases of COVID-19 across the country. The Hawks will take on Converse on Friday with their contest against Belmont Abbey to be postponed until a later date.
WHEN Friday, January 7 | 5:00pm / 7:00pm
WHERE Spartanburg, S.C. (Hannah Gym)
Live Stats and Video links below
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NOTES
Chowan, winners of their last three contests and five of their last six moved to 6-4 on the season with a 6-2 record in league play after their win against UNC Pembroke on Tuesday.
Destiny Robinson paces the team with 15.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. Demetria Bland tallied 14 points in the win against the Braves to move her average to 8.7 points a night. Tyaysia Sharpe is coming off a career-high 16 point outing against UNCP.
The Hawks lead the Conference Carolinas in rebounds per game and second in the country with 47.0 grabbing 17.4 offensive boards per game. The Chowan defense ranks eighth in the country in blocked shots per game (5.7), field goal defense (32.2%), and sixth in the country in three-point field goal defense (21.1%).
Chowan is 4-1 all-time against Converse with the lone loss coming on December 15, 2007 (55-53).
COUNTERING THE VALKYRIES
Converse comes into the contest with a 3-7 overall record and 2-5 mark in league play. Converse has not played since December 15 with several games being postponed/canceled.
The Valkyries average 58.2 points per game as Sydney Wilson leads the team with 13.6 points per game. Lindsey Hardin (10.6) and Keyshuna Fair (10.2) are in double-figures.
MEN'S BASKETBALL HIGHLIGHTS
Chowan enters the contest with a 1-9 overall record and a 1-7 record in league play. Chowan is averaging 70.6 points per game while shooting 41.5% from the floor, both towards the bottom of the league stats.
Jay Estime leads the team averaging 12.8 points per game. Christian Koonce collected a career-high 26 points against UNCP on Tuesday to up his average to 11.5 points a game. Cheick Traore registers 1.8 blocks per game to pace the Hawks' second-ranked shot blocking squad in the league.
Chowan will make their first trip to Spartanburg against Converse.
THE RISE OF THE VALKYRIES
Converse is on a four-game slide to post a 4-7 overall record and a 3-4 clip in league play. The Valkyries are in their inaugural season after adding men's programs for the 2021-22 season.
Sigurd Lorange, reigning Conference Carolinas Defensive Player of the Week, leads the team averaging 14.3 points and 1.8 steals per game. Jimmie Sanders (14.0) and Elijah Pitts (10.0) are in double-figures for the Valkyries.
Converse's defense allows 42.7% shooting, third best in the league, while shooting 39.5% offensively, 12th in the league.
