Privateers Back on Short Turnaround, Face Sam Houston State

SAM HOUSTON STATE (2-11, 1-2) AT NEW ORLEANS (2-9, 0-2)
GAME 12 | JANUARY 10 | 4:00 PM CT
NEW ORLEANS, La. | LAKEFRONT ARENA
 
UNO GAME NOTES | SHSU GAME NOTES | VIDEO/AUDIO | TWITTER:


THE GAME:
The New Orleans Privateers women's basketball team (2-9, 0-2) heads back home to face the Sam Houston State Bearkats (2-11, 1-2) on Saturday at Lakefront Arena. Tip is scheduled for 4 p.m. in what has been a busy first week of conference play for the Privateers featuring three games.
 
The Privateers fell in their first road Southland test, 71-59 at Incarnate Word on Thursday. New Orleans scored only 15 points in the first half, but had a much better second half, shooting 51.9 percent and cutting a 22-point deficit to as small as eight points.
 
Sam Houston State is coming off a heartbreaking 78-76 loss to Southeastern on Thursday. Southeastern's Jamieka Hospkins hit a buzzer beater to preserve the victory for the Lady Lions. The Bearkats got 44 points from their bench including 27 from Taylor Dorsey on 12-of-20 from the field.
 
COVERAGE:
LIVE STATS: Statistical updates will be available on unoprivateers.com.
VIDEO/AUDIO: Live audio and video is available to subscribers on unoprivateers.com/watch.
TWITTER: You can follow the Privateers women's basketball team on Twitter for updates of the game.
 
LAST TIME OUT:
The Privateers fell 71-59 to Incarnate Word on Thursday. New Orleans got off to a slow start, committing 15 turnovers in the first half and entering the locker room trailing 37-15 before a comeback attempt trimmed the Cardinals' lead to single digits with just under eight minutes left. Raven Coleman posted her second double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
 
THE SERIES:
ALL-TIME RECORD: Sam Houston State leads 2-1
LAST MEETING: SHSU W 87-56 (3/8/14)
 
NEXT UP:
The Privateers will have a weekend conference road trip on tap starting at Stephen F. Austin on Thursday, Jan. 15. The team will then travel to face Houston Baptist on Saturday, Jan. 17.
 
NEWS AND NOTES:
CLOSING TIME:
The Privateers have ended games on a stronger note. In four of the last five games, New Orleans has had a better shooting percentage in the second half than in the first. Against Incarnate Word, the Privateers shot 31.8 percent in the first half but improved to a 51.9 percent clip in the second half.
 
FREE POINTS:
New Orleans has converted at a solid rate in the last two games from the free throw line, hitting on 75.8 percent of the trips to the charity stripe (25-of-33). New Orleans went 13-for-16 from the line in the second half at Incarnate Word.

TURN IT OVER:
On Thursday, New Orleans forced 23 turnovers against the Cardinals, 16 of those coming in the second half. It marked the third time overall and the first against a D-I opponent that New Orleans forced 20 or more turnovers.
 
To keep up with the latest New Orleans women's basketball news, follow the team on Twitter @UNOPrivateers and @Privateers_WBB or by liking New Orleans Privateers on Facebook.