Women's Basketball | 3/8/2024 6:03:00 PM
SAVANNAH, Ga. – Kentucky State women's basketball will play Fort Valley State on Saturday, March 9 at 12:30 p.m. live on ESPN+ for the Semifinals of the 2024 SIAC Women's Basketball Championship inside Tiger Arena in Savannah, Georgia.
Quarterfinals Recap
In the quarterfinals, Kentucky State University topped Central State University with a score of 74-67. The Thorobreds saw three players hit double figures:
Gracen Kerr led the charge with 21 points,
Taleah Dilworth contributed 15, and
Erica Jones added 13. The game recap can be found by clicking
HERE.
Scouting the Wildcats
Fort Valley defeated Albany State 59-48 in their Quarterfinals matchup Friday afternoon. Aaniyah Allen was a force making eight free throws and seven shots from the field she led both teams with 24 points. Her teammate Shekinah Rachel earned a double double of 12 rebounds and 11 points.
On the season Shekinah leads the Wildcats averaging 13 points per game, 9.8 rebounds per game and has recorded 27 blocks this season. Allen is also one to watch averaging 11.9 points per game.
Last Meeting
On Dec. 16, 2023, Kentucky State secured a 68-61 victory over Fort Valley State, bolstered by a robust fourth quarter.
Amani Williams Named Coach of the Year
In her first year as a head coach Amani Williams was named SIAC Coach of the Year, where she finished the regular season 19-6 (.760) and 15-4 (.789) in SIAC play to be named Co-Champions of the West Division but also enter the tournament as the divisions No. 1 seed.
She led her team to consecutive weeks on the D2CSC Top-Ten South Region Poll peaking at fourth in the region. When meeting East Division opponents, she went 7-0 and remained in the top three of the SIAC all season.
Gracen Kerr Named Player of the Year and First Team
Senior
Gracen Kerr etched her name in the history books being named SIAC Player of the Year and SIAC First Team, she also racked up four SIAC Player of the Week awards during the regular season.
Kerr led the conference averaging 17.2 points per game and 4.9 assists per game. She acquired two double doubles against Allen with 16 points and 10 assists and with LeMoyne Owen tallying 11 points and 11 assists. Additionally, Kerr has surpassed the 1,000-career points milestone. Alongside her athletic achievements, Kerr has maintained a high academic standard with a GPA of 3.88.
Taleah Dilworth Earns Second Team All-Conference Honors
Taleah Dilworth was named to the SIAC Second Team as she holds the No. 4 spot in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) in points per game (PPG) with an average of 14.5. She also ranks No. 8 in the conference in steals per game (SPG) at 2.4, with a season-high of six steals against Lane College. Over the season, Dilworth has recorded 32 blocked shots.
Additionally, she is tied for the No. 8 spot in the SIAC in free throw percentage (FT%) at 78%, with a career-high of 11 made free throws in a single game against Benedict. Dilworth has also shown her efficiency on the court, shooting 47.4% from the field.
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