San Marcos, Texas. Jan. 20, 2024. Arkansas State is visiting Texas State in ladies’s basketball. Simply moments earlier than tipoff, the beginning lineups are being launched with the Crimson Wolves going first.
Cue Halloween Theme.
The synthesized track related to Michael Myers blares on the sound system to intimidate opponents coming into Strahan Area on the College Occasions Heart.
But it surely has the other impact for one Arkansas State participant: Izzy Higginbottom, the Solar Belt’s main scorer.
The Batesville, Ark., native listens to “Halloween Theme” earlier than each recreation.
“For me, it’s simply form of like moving into that killer mindset,” she stated. “It’s only a completely different zone for the sport.”
Higginbottom’s pregame ritual got here from Kobe Bryant, who stated he listened to the track earlier than video games to assist him get within the mindset of a stone-cold killer, who’s void of emotion on the courtroom.
However the similarities between Higginbottom and Bryant go a lot deeper than affinity for the track.
The junior guard is averaging 22.9 factors per recreation, which ranks prime within the convention and seventh nationally.
“As a coach, you at all times need the perfect for [your players],” Arkansas State affiliate head coach Lizzie Nessling stated. “You need them to see success. So, Izzy seeing this degree of success is superior as a result of she places the work in. In fact, everybody loves the product that she’s placing on the ground … However individuals don’t see behind closed doorways the quantity of labor that she places in. You at all times need your hardest staff to search out essentially the most success.”
Higginbottom has scored in double figures in all however one recreation this season (when she scored eight factors). She has scored 30+ factors seven instances and has reached the 20-point plateau on 15 events in 24 contests.
In a stretch from late January by early February, she reeled off three straight video games with 30 factors, together with a career-high 35 towards South Alabama on Jan. 31.
“It’s enjoyable to observe,” Arkansas State junior guard/ahead Anna Griffin stated. “Once I’m on the ground, I at all times get hyped for her. She’s at all times calm and brings us collectively.”
Higginbottom credit her scoring prowess to priding herself on her consistency and effectivity. The guard is taking pictures 48% from the sphere, 40% from deep and 91% from the free-throw line.
She leads the Solar Belt in scoring (22.9) and minutes per recreation (37.4). She ranks second in free-throw share (91%) and assists-to-turnover ratio (1.8). She can also be top-10 in subject aim share and assists. He minutes and free-throw taking pictures each rank top-10 within the nation.
“I might anticipate Izzy to be a little bit coach or one thing after faculty,” Griffin stated. “I do know she can be very, superb at it as a result of her IQ is thru the roof and he or she’s a kind-hearted particular person.”
The 5-foot-7 junior was named one in all 10 semifinalists for the Becky Hammon Mid-Main Participant of the 12 months Award earlier this week.
Past the non-public accolades, Higginbottom focuses on workforce success. After serving because the main scorer on a workforce that went 13-19 general and 6-12 within the convention final season, she has guided the Crimson Wolves to a 13-11 general mark and 6-7 convention file up to now this yr.
“It’s at all times been concerning the work for me and about profitable and serving to my workforce accomplish what we wish to accomplish,” Higginbottom stated. “I’ve positively held myself to the next normal this yr… Every part I do like on the courtroom, off the courtroom, I wish to be skilled in it.”
Her scoring common is sort of seven factors greater than final yr. Her subject aim share is up from 39% to 48% and her accuracy from 3-point land is up 11.4%.
“I actually assume that the sky’s the restrict as a result of she nonetheless has a complete nother yr,” Nessling stated.
She is in her second season with Arkansas State after enjoying her freshman season at Missouri. However the likelihood to play about an hour and quarter-hour away from dwelling was too onerous to cross up.
“I wished to come back again and play for my dwelling state,” Higginbottom stated. “I felt like Arkansas State was the right place for me to do this.”