East Division leaders visit Wednesday
2/1/2011 8:43:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The Cowgirls come into the contest ranked atop the Southland's East Division with a 6-1 conference record. McNeese won their first six games. The Cowgirls' only loss was by one point in overtime to Central Arkansas last weekend.
The Bearkats, who started Southland play with five straight victories, have dropped their last two games on the road but still stand just one half game out of first place in the West.
Nearing the halfway point of the league schedule, this tilt clearly involves two squads that will be competing for high seeds at the tournament. Since the game is an interdivisional affair, the two will play only once during the regular season. The winner of Wednesday's game earns the final standings tiebreaker over the other.
"Every game is big right now but we're certainly looking forward to returning home to play McNeese State," Sam Houston head coach Brenda Welch-Nichols said.
Wednesday's contest features four of the Southland's top scorers. All four are sophomores.
McNeese State is led by 5-6 guard Ashlyn Baggett who is averaging 15.6 points per game.
Sam Houston has three players scoring in double figures with 6-0 forward Britni Martin sporting a 16.1 average, 6-0 forward Sequeena Thomas scoring 14.5 points and 5-9 guard Chanice Smith adding 11.6 points per game.
The all-time women's basketball series between Sam Houston and McNeese State is tied at 23 victories for each squad.
Sam Houston has won the last two meetings, defeating the Cowgirls 81-71 in Huntsville in 2009 and 87-84 last year in Lake Charles.
KHVL 1490 AM will air play-by-play of the game live. The contest also will be streamed on www.gobearkats.com.
Tickets for all Sam Houston State home athletic events are on sale online at www.gobearkats.com/tickets or at the SHSU athletic ticket office located in the Ron Mafrige Field House at Bowers Stadium. Ticket office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The ticket office is open Monday through Friday and the telephone number is (936) 294-1729.
