Thibodeaux, Louisiana-Already assured of a spot in the Southland Conference Tournament in Katy, Texas, New Orleans (14-13, 10-6 SLC) will travel to Thibodeaux, Louisiana to face Nicholls (13-13, 8-7 SLC) with tournament-seeding in mind, Saturday, Feb. 24. Tipoff is 4:02 p. m.
The Privateers are currently fourth in conference standings. The top eight teams qualify for the tournament, the top two seeds get double-byes (automatic bids to the semi-finals) while seeds three and four get single byes (automatic spots in the quarter-finals). The Privateers qualified for the tournament last year for the first time since joining the Southland Conference in 2013.
New Orleans has won three games in a row with consecutive victories over Southeastern Louisiana, McNeese and Sam Houston State. They are propelled by guard
Randi Brown, the leading scorer in the Southland Conference at 21.8 a game.
Her 34-point performance in the win over Sam Houston State moved her up to 5
th all-time in the history of the Southland Conference with 2,058 points. The senior guard has found time to dish out 2.7 assists a contest and she is 4
th in the SLC in steals at 2.6. She is among the conference leaders in free throw shooting hitting at an 83.5 clip.
Shania Woods, a junior is the next best scoring threat averaging 12.3 points an outing. The Houston, Texas native is 4
th in the conference in rebounding pulling down 8.7 a contest and she is 3
rd in field goal percentage (123-of-244) hitting 50.4% of her shots. Woods has reached double figures in points and rebounds in a game 11 times this season.
Senior
Kayla Mundy is next at 11.2 points a game. The McKinney, Texas native is a deadly free throw shooter ranking 2
nd in the conference canning 88.3% of her charity shots.
Despite an off night at the free throw line versus Sam Houston State, hitting 9-of-20 for only 45%, New Orleans is the best free throw shooting club in the Southland hitting 75.6% of their free throws.
The Privateers lead in at least one defensive category, defending against the 3-point shot, holding opponents to 28%, 150-of-535.
The last time the Privateers faced the Colonels was Feb. 2 in New Orleans. Two free throws by Cassidy Barrios with 0.3 seconds to go won it for Nicholls, 62-61.
Barrios, a junior from Lockport, Louisiana, averages 16.3 points a contest and is one of the leading rebounders in the league at 9.3 an outing. Sophomore Tykeria Williams is Nicholls' next best scorer at 12.7 a game.
UNO will close the regular season Wednesday, Feb. 28, in Hammond, Louisiana against the Lions of Southeastern Louisiana.
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