Women's Basketball Comes Back to Lakefront, Hosts Islanders

TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI AT NEW ORLEANS
THURSDAY, FEB. 11 | 7 PM
NEW ORLEANS, LA. | LAKEFRONT ARENA

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The University of New Orleans women's basketball team (6-14, 3-8 Southland) returns home for their only home game of the month when they face the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders (7-15, 4-7) on Thursday at the Lakefront Arena. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m.
 
The Privateers dropped their third straight contest on Saturday, falling 67-55 to Central Arkansas. New Orleans won the second half and shot 48 percent from the field over the final 20 minutes. Randi Brown scored 20 points, marking her eighth game of 20 or more this season. Brown also crossed the 700-point mark for her career.
 
"I feel like Dorothy in Kansas: there's no place like home," said Coach Keeshawn Davenport.  "It's our first and last opportunity in February to get a win at home. The theme has been to protect our home court, and we definitely need this one tomorrow. This race is coming down to one or two games and it's extremely important to play well and get a victory."
 
New Orleans has seven games remaining including Thursday's contest (four road, three home). After Thursday, the Privateers will take back to the road for the rest of the month against Southeastern, Northwestern State, Nicholls, and Abilene Christian.
 
Shania Woods has paced the Privateers on the boards for the majority of the season. In Saturday's contest, Woods collected her 100^th rebound of the season. On the year, the freshman post is averaging 5.1 rebounds per contest in total and 5.5 rebounds in conference-only games. Woods is also second on the team in scoring.
 
"They're picking it up on the inside," said Davenport referencing about her post players. "They've had to come on with Mathilde (Fogelstrom) being out with an ankle injury and Yasmin (Taylor) experiencing knee pain. It's not just a focus for them even though they have been doing a good job defensively but a focus for the whole team to pick it up. If we make it, it's going to be defense that gets us there and we have to have better team defense these last seven games."
 
New Orleans met the Islanders earlier this season in Corpus Christi and lost 73-59. The Privateers narrowed a double-digit halftime deficit down to six early in the fourth quarter, but Texas A&M-Corpus Christi used perimeter shooting to stave off the rally attempt. Brown and Danielle Davis led the Privateers in scoring on the Jan. 23 meeting with 17 and 16 points respectively.
 
The Islanders come in winners of four of their last six after an 0-5 start to the conference schedule. In their last outing, the Islanders put up their highest total in a conference match on their way to an 81-71 win over Sam Houston State. Five Islanders scored in double figures including Shay Weaver who led the way with 21 points.
 
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi also enters a road-heavy stretch to close out the regular season. Five of the last seven games will be on the road for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Their only home contests will be against Abilene Christian and Incarnate Word.
 
On the year, the Islanders have been one of the best teams from the perimeter. The Islanders rank second in the Southland in three-point field goal percentage (35.8). Individually, Brittany Mbamalu has led the way from long distance with 64 triples and a 39.3 percent clip. Weaver and Kassie Jones have combined for 40 three-pointers this year.
 
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.