Lady Lions To Resume Play Against Bronchos

Courtesy UA Fort Smith Athletics Department

After a nearly two-week layoff, the UAFS women’s basketball team will return to action on Saturday against the University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos at Hamilton Fieldhouse in Edmond, Okla.

Tipoff will be 2 p.m. in this interstate rivalry. Live stats and webcast will be available.

It will be the UAFS Lady Lions’ first game since Dec. 18, when they lost 73-57 to West Texas A&M in the finale of the West Texas Golf Cars/West Texas A&M Christmas Classic at Bank One Center in Canyon, Texas.

It will be the third meeting between the two nonconference rivals. UAFS leads the all-time series 2-0 and is coming off an 83-69 win against Central Oklahoma on Jan. 25 of last season at the Stubblefield Center.

UAFS (3-7) will look to snap an uncharacteristic three-game losing streak – its second such streak of the season. The Lady Lions, who boast seven freshmen on their 13-player roster, have lost six of their past seven games as they continue to play through the growing pains of a young team.

The Lady Lions are averaging 67.2 points per game with two players averaging double-figures in scoring – senior forward Katie BenAmor (13.7) and junior post Angi Ramey (10.2). UAFS is being out-rebounded by almost 2 rebounds per game by its opponents (48.2-46.6). Ramey and BenAmor lead the team with 9.7 and 7.7 rebounds per game, respectively.

UAFS is allowing 70.1 points per game and forcing 18.1 turnovers per game. Freshman guard Brittany Holbert leads the team with 16 steals, while Ramey and BenAmor have 25 and 18 blocked shots, respectively.

Central Oklahoma (7-2) will be playing its first game since Dec. 19, when it beat No. 25 Midwestern State 72-53 at Hamilton Fieldhouse. It will be just the third home game of the season for the Bronchos, who also beat No. 11 Pittsburg State 70-62 on the roard earlier this year.

The Bronchos are an impressive 54-17 at home during seventh-year head coach Guy Hardaker, including a 2-0 mark this season. Central Oklahoma owns an all-time 233-155 record at Hamilton Fieldhouse.

Central Oklahoma is averaging 70 points per game with two players averaging double-figures in scoring – senior forward Alyssa Fuxa (15.4) and junior guard Jill Bryan (10.6). The Bronchos are being out-rebounded by their opponents by almost 6 rebounds per game (42.7-37.4). Fuxa and senior forward Courtney Harper lead the team with 6.7 rebounds per game, respectively.

The Bronchos are allowing 60.7 points per game and forcing almost 20 turnovers per game. Bryan and junior guard Britney Morgan lead the team with 11 steals, while senior guard Savannah Hamilton has a team-high 9 blocked shots.