DENTON, Texas
- The Sun Belt Conference tournament will get underway for the University of New Orleans
women's basketball team when they play North Texas
in first round action on Wednesday at 5 p.m.
This contest represents the second in a row between UNO and
NT, who played Saturday afternoon in New
Orleans with the Lady Privateers claiming a 54-52
victory. Le'Della English scored all of her game-high 15 points during the
second half while Talishia Young narrowly missed a double-double with 10 points
and nine rebounds for UNO.
UNO (13-16, 7-11 SBC) will be seeking their first post season
win since a 2002 first round win against Arkansas
State in a game that took place in New Orleans. The last
Lady Privateer post season win away from home came in 2001 when UNO defeated
UALR in a 2001 first round game on a neutral floor in Mobile, Ala.
The Lady Privateers are led this season by English, who
averages 13.1 points a contest. She is followed by Brittany Helm and Young, who
average 11.7 and 9.5 points a game, respectively. Candice McGee is the leading
rebounder with 6.0 boards a contest followed by Young who averages 5.9.
NT (13-17, 8-10 SBC) enters Wednesday's contest with a 9-6
record at home including a 6-3 mark during conference play.
The Mean Green have wins in three of their last four home
games including an upset of potential quarterfinal opponent Western
Kentucky on Feb. 6. NT will look to hold their home court
advantage against a UNO team that is 0-4 in games that take place in the Lonestar State.
On the season, Amber Jackson leads four NT players in
double-figures with 13.1 points per game to go along with a team-high 6.0
rebounds a contest. She is followed by Brittney James (12.1), Jo Hall (10.4)
and Erica Howard (10.3).
James has been the leading scorer in the two meetings
between NT and UNO, averaging 12.5 points per game while leading the Mean Green
with 8.0 rebounds.
Shooting has been a trouble spot for NT in the two-game
series with the Mean Green being out shot 38.1 to 29.8 by the Lady Privateers
from the field. Despite being out shot, the Mean Green do hold an eight rebound
per game edge in the rebounding count this year.
The game will be streamed on the UNOPrivateers.com web site
with live stats also available. The winner of the contest will move to the
quarterfinals in Mobile, Ala.
where they will face top-seeded Western Kentucky
on Mar. 9 with tip scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
