Date: 11/22
Position: Centers

Returning letterwinners (key stats): Antoinette Lewis (32 games played-32 games started, 13.2 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 35 asts, 61 blks, 44 stls)

Letterwinners lost (key stats): none

Returning redshirts/Squad members (Yr., Hometown, Previous school): Jadona Davis (Jr., Buckatunna, Miss., Middle Tennessee); Ashanti Lavergne (R-Fr., Baton Rouge [La.] Scotlandville Magnet HS)

Newcomers (Yr., Hometown, Previous school): none

Miscellaneous Notes
-A preseason all-Sun Belt Conference selection, Lewis is one of 20 candidates on the Watch List for the Lisa Leslie Award at the start of the season.
-She enters the campaign with 32 career double-doubles after posting 16 a year ago, while she has paced the Jags in rebounding 57 times and in blocks on 50 occasions since joining the program.
-Davis sat out last season after transferring from Middle Tennessee, where she appeared in 19 contests over two years with the Blue Raiders.
-A McDonald's All-American nominee at Wayne County High, she averaged a double-double as a senior with 20 points and 11 rebounds per outing to be named all-state and all-district.
-Lavergne was injured in the preseason last fall and was not able to participate in a game her first year at South.
-She had an average of 15.3 points per contest — including scoring 16 to go along with 14 boards in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs — her senior season at Scottlandville Magnet HS.

Head Coach Terry Fowler
-On expectations for the position group this season: "Jadona sat out last season as a transfer and Ashanti reshirted due to an injury, they both just have to get out on the floor and show people the ability that they have.  They give us great length, Jadona is a really good defender who can guard out on the perimeter and in the paint where she can block shots.  They need to bring us a physical presence on both ends of the floor and let their skill set take over."
-On Antoinette Lewis being named the Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year: "Antoinette is a two-time Preseason Player of the Year, last year she was double teamed a lot but you would look up and see her stats and see that she had 16 double-doubles throughout the season while battling through a slight injury.  I expect the same thing, that our opponents are going to key on her an awful lot, but our focus is to get the ball inside so we can play off of that; if they double her we can find some of our outside shooters and if they leave her alone one-on-one it's her job to try and go in and score and get fouled."
-On Jadona Davis: "With her versatility she can play inside and out, she can face the basket or play with her back to it.  She does some things that make you say, 'Wow!'  Hopefully she can get through some injuries and get out on the floor and help us."
-On Ashanti Lavergne: "One of the biggest things I hear is from Antoinette telling us that Ashanti is going to be ok because that's who she has been going against in practice when she has been out there, she would know because she is playing against the best in our league night in and night out.  Ashanti has a couple of good moves where she can give you a little hit with the shoulder and then score.  The main thing for her is she has to get on the floor and do it at a consistent level."

Antoinette Lewis
-On preparation for the upcoming season: "We've been getting after it each day in practice, and in conditioning and weights.  I've personally changed my eating habits and developed a better sleep routine."
-On her goals for the year: "We would like to finish first in the conference — we feel that we are very much capable of doing that — and win the Sun Belt Tournament.  I'd like to reach the standards that are the reason why I've received preseason accolades."
-On being named the preseason Sun Belt Player of the Year: "It's always very surprising for me personally because we have a very competitive conference, I know there are other people in the league who are deserving of receiving the award; I think there are other people on this team who could earn that honor.  Whenever I hear that it is me it's always shocking, but I am honored and humbled.  It makes me feel better about myself, because I am very hard on myself so a lot of times I don't think what I am doing is good enough."

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