Women's Basketball Begins Conference Play at Preseason Favorite, Lamar

NEW ORLEANS AT LAMAR
MONDAY, JAN. 4 | 5 PM
MONTAGNE CENTER | BEAUMONT, TEXAS

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OPENING TIP
The New Orleans Privateers women's basketball team (3-6, 0-0) opens a busy first week of Southland Conference play when they take on the Lamar Cardinals (4-8, 0-1) on Monday evening at the Montagne Center. Tip is scheduled for 5 p.m.
 
The Privateers closed out their non-conference schedule with a 73-41 loss at Arkansas on Dec. 30. New Orleans was held to just 16 points in the first half. Randi Brown scored 19 points and drained three triples to lead New Orleans in scoring. Brown eclipsed the 500-point mark in her 36^th career collegiate game.
 
New Orleans is looking for their first road win of the season after going 0-4 in road contests and dropping their only neutral site game of non-conference action. The Privateers went 10-for-11 from the free throw line against Arkansas and moved up to fifth in the conference in free throw percentage.
 
This week holds three conference games for the Privateers. After their tilt against Lamar, New Orleans returns home to face Incarnate Word on Thursday, Jan. 7. The opening week finishes off with a road trip to Sam Houston State on Saturday, Jan. 9.
 
FAST BREAK
-Danielle Davis went 6-for-6 from the free throw line at Arkansas. Davis had eight free throw trips previously on the season.
-The Privateers have lost the last three meetings against Lamar and have split 12 career meetings in Beaumont.
-Entering conference play, the Privateers are ranked top five in the Southland in scoring, field goal percentage defense, free throw percentage, rebounds, assists, and blocks.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Record: Lamar leads 17-16
Last Meeting: Lamar W 64-54 (1/5/15)
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Lamar opened up their conference slate with a 69-59 loss at Nicholls on Saturday, Jan. 2. The Cardinals trailed for all but 12 seconds of the game and went 5-for-23 from three-point range. Addesha Collins led the team with 26 points.
 
The Cardinals are one of three teams in the Southland averaging more than 10 steals per game. Individually, Chastadie Barrs leads all conference players in steals, recording 48 (4.0 per game) through the Cardinals' first 12 games. JaMeisha Edwards is a reigning All-Southland pick from 2014-15 (First Team) and is in the top five in scoring average this season.
 
The Cardinals were picked in the preseason to win the Southland by both the coaches and sports information directors. Last season, Lamar earned the second best record in the conference at 14-4, but lost in the first round of the tournament to Northwestern State. Robin Harmony is in her third season at the helm of the Cardinals. Harmony was awarded a contract extension in the off-season after guiding Lamar to 35 wins in her first two years.
 
For more information on ticket purchasing for the 2015-16 season, click here or call (504) 280-GAME (4263).
 
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.