JONESBORO, Ark. (10/16/23) – In advance of the 2023-24 women's basketball season, Arkansas State guard Izzy Higginbottom received praise from the Sun Belt Conference's coaches, earning Preseason First Team All-SBC honors Monday.
Higginbottom is entering her second season in the A-State backcourt and earned Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year billing last season after averaging 16.0 points, 3.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game. The Batesville, Ark., native shot a school-record 91.1 percent from the free-throw line (102-112), ranking eighth nationally, and finished the season with a streak of 46 consecutive free throws made – also a program record.
The junior was also the first A-State player since Aundrea Gamble in 2015-16 to exceed 450 points, 95 assists and 50 steals in a season. She scored in double figures in 25 of 29 games played, including a run of 12 straight to end the year, while scoring 20-plus six times.
A-State, which finished the 2022-23 season with wins in seven of its last 11 contests, was picked to finish eighth by the league's coaches. Head Coach Destinee Rogers' squad returns eight players from last season's squad, including all five starters.
The Red Wolves' season begins at 6 p.m. on Nov. 6 at Summit League favorite South Dakota State before returning home to host Northern Illinois (11 a.m., Nov. 9) in the MAC/SBC Challenge. A-State's 2023-24 slate includes a program-record 17 home games.
Season tickets are available for purchase at AStateRedWolves.com/tickets or by calling (870) 972-ASU1.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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2023-24 Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. James Madison (9) - 186
2. Troy (3) - 177
3. Southern Miss (1) - 159
4. Old Dominion - 149
5. Georgia Southern (1) - 131
6. Louisiana - 117
7. Texas State - 116
8. Arkansas State - 87
9. Marshall - 85
10. Coastal Carolina - 72
11. ULM - 71
12. App State - 54
13. Georgia State - 46
14. South Alabama - 20
2023-24 Women's Basketball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year
Domonique Davis, Southern Miss [SR | G | DeRidder, La.]
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
Domonique Davis, Southern Miss [SR | G | DeRidder, La.]
Terren Ward, Georgia Southern [SR | G | Jesup, Ga.]
Izzy Higginbottom, Arkansas State [JR | G | Batesville, Ark.]
Makayia Hallmon, Troy [SR | G | Coushatta, La.]
Roshala Scott, Marshall [SR | G | Earle, Ark.]
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team
Peyton McDaniel, James Madison [R-SO | G | Birdsboro, Pa.]
Ja'Mia Hollings, Troy [SR | F | West Point, Miss.]
Lanay Wheaton, Louisiana [JR | G | Hope, Ark.]
Kseniia Kozlova, James Madison [R-JR | C | Moscow, Russia]
Tai'Sheka Porchia, Troy [SR | F | Camden, Ark.]
Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team
Deja Richardson, Coastal Carolina [GR | G | Kernersville, N.C.]
Emily Carver, App State [JR | G | Asheville, N.C]
Daisha Bradford, ULM [SR | G | Mobile, Ala.]
Mikyla Tolivert, Georgia State [JR | G | Melbourne, Fla.]
Kelsey Thompson, South Alabama [SO | G | Mobile, Ala.]
