Lyon Tabbed Second Team, A-10 Releases Preseason Picks
10/22/2017 10:18:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Gavin McFarlin - Associate SID
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RICHMOND, Va. — The annual Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball media day took place Monday, Oct. 23, and Davidson's junior Justine Lyon earned preseason honors, while first-year head coach Gayle Coats Fulks met with local and national media at the Richmond Marriott.
The day consisted of a luncheon and then breakout sessions for Coats Fulks with all the media as well as the conference.
In addition, the league released its preseason rankings and all-conference teams along with an all-defensive squad. For the second year in a row, the Wildcats placed a player on the preseason team as Lyon was named to the preseason second team after Mackenzie Latt earned a spot on the third team a year ago. Davidson, picked 14th in the standings, returns eight letterwinners and four starters from last year's team.
A native of Durham, N.C., Lyon had a breakout sophomore year a season ago capped off by being named the league's Most Improved Player. She paced the team with a 15.7 points-per-game average, which was an increase of 10 points per game from her freshman season. She was even better in A-10 games, averaging 19.5, as both her season average and league average ranked third overall in the conference. In addition, the sophomore averaged just under five rebounds a game, dished out 44 assists (third-best on team) and tied Latt for team high honors with 48 steals.
Lyon scored in double figures a personal-best 20 of Davidson's 29 games and reached the 20-point mark a career-high nine times, which was the most in a single season since Laura Murray had 16 during the 2013-14 season. In addition, the second-year guard reached 30 points twice, including a career-high 34-point outing at UMass, Feb. 4. She was one point away from tying the single game record, as she became the first player dating back to 1992-93 to register two 30-point games in a season.
The sophomore turned it up the final 10 games of the season, averaging 21.1 points and shooting 46.7 percent. She recorded six 20-point games during the stretch and paced the Wildcats in scoring in nine of those 10 games.
Davidson begins its season with a four-game road trip, starting at Western Carolina, Nov. 10.
Dayton was selected to repeat as A-10 champions, garnering eight first-place votes for a total of 182 points. Led by senior Jenna Burdette, a member of the preseason first team all-conference team and the 2017 A-10 Championship Most Outstanding Player, the Flyers finished 22-10 overall last year and 13-3 in the A-10. She is joined on the preseason squad by teammate redshirt senior Alex Harris, who was named to the preseason all-defensive team. The Flyers represented the A-10 in the NCAA Tournament, losing to Tennessee in the first round.
Saint Louis was picked second in the 2017-18 poll with three first-place votes and 174 points. Led by two-time A-10 Player of the Year and preseason first team all-conference selection senior Jackie Kemph, the Billikens reached the postseason for the second consecutive season last year. The Billikens advanced to second round of the WNIT.
With two preseason all-conference selections, seniors Chelsea Woods and Adashia Franklyn, Saint Joseph's was selected to finish third in the poll with three first-place votes and 170 points.
The 2017-18 women's basketball season tips off on Friday, Nov. 10. with conference play beginning on Sunday, Dec. 31. The 2018 Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Championship will begin with six first-round games being played on campus sites, Feb. 27, before heading to Richmond, March 2-4 for the quarterfinals, semifinals and championship final.
