NATCHITOCHES, La. — After their double-overtime win against McNeese State on Saturday, the Southland Conference-leading Sugar Bears look to extend the league's longest winning streak tonight when they take on the Lady Demons of Northwestern State at Prather Coliseum.
The game, which will tip at 7:05, will be televised by the Southland Conference Television Network and can be seen on KARZ 42 (ConwayCorp Channel 9) and on
ESPN3.
The Sugar Bears, who are 16-4 overall and 6-1 in the Southland Conference, moved up to No. 15 in this week's Mid-Major Top 25 after defeating then-No. 11 McNeese last Saturday. The Cowgirls slipped to No. 12 in this week's poll.
Tonight's matchup will be the second meeting between UCA and the Lady Demons (5-15, 1-6 Southland), with the Sugar Bears having won 84-43 in Conway on Jan. 14 in what was the biggest margin of victory in a Southland game for UCA and the biggest loss for the Lady Demons.
The Lady Demons, who had been reduced to seven players by injuries, have added three members of their women's soccer team to help bolster their roster.
Despite their lack of quantity, the Lady Demons do not lack in quality. NSU has a formidable frontcourt tandem in forwards Trudy Armstead and Jasmine Upchurch. Armstead has scored in double figures in seven straight games and is averaging 13.2 points and 8.9 rebounds per game this season. Upchurch has recorded consecutive double-doubles in her last two outings and is averaging 11.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
Senior guard Jordi James, who led the Lady Demons at 12.2 points per game last season, is averaging 13.9 points and has been in double figures in 9 of her last 10 games. The one exception was NSU's trip to Conway, where James was held to five points on 1-for-8 shooting from the field.
Six Sugar Bears reached double figures in the first meeting, with Megan Herbert leading the way with 13. Courtney Duever and Westin Taylor each had 12, Micah Rice 11 and Nakeia Guiden and Desiree' Rogers 10 each.
Last season the Sugar Bears won 70-52 in Prather Coliseum, outscoring the Lady Demons 43-19 in the second half. Herbert led the Sugar Bears that day with 19 points and 13 rebounds, including 15 second-half points. Guiden also had 16 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals in that meeting.
The Sugar Bears have won their last two games at Prather Coliseum, also winning 53-48 in 2010. Since joining the league, UCA is 3-2 at Northwestern State.
It will be the first of two road games this week for the Sugar Bears, who play at UT Arlington on Saturday.
