NEW ORLEANS — Both Central Arkansas and New Orleans have won three straight en route to 4-2 Southland Conference records one third of the way through the league season, sitting in a tie for fourth place with McNeese behind undefeated Stephen F. Austin and one-loss Abilene Christian and Lamar.
The Sugar Bears (12-4, 4-2) and Privateers (9-7, 4-2) put those winning streaks on the line when they meet Saturday afternoon at Lakefront Arena, where UNO is 6-1 this season with their lone loss being a 3-point defeat to South Alabama on Nov. 19. They have since won their last five at home, getting a pair of conference wins over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Sam Houston State, along with a 123-33 rout of a Crowley's Ridge team the Sugar Bears beat 102-31 in the Farris Center in December.
The teams have taken similar paths to arrive at their 4-2 records, with both suffering losses to Lamar and ACU while beating A&M-Corpus Christi, Sam Houston and Houston Baptist. Where the Sugar Bears' fourth win came against a 3-3 Northwestern State team, the Privateers' other win was over a 3-4 Incarnate Word team that is fresh off a 40-point win over Southeastern Louisiana.
The Privateers are led by the league's most prolific scorer in junior guard Randi Brown, who averages 21.7 points for the season – one of just two players over 18 points per game, and 2.2 points per game over the second-leading scorer. In conference play Brown is averaging 25.2 points, having shot 39.1 percent from 3-point range, making a league-high 4.2 per game.
Brown has scored in double figures in every game this season, including nine games of at least 20 points and two games with 30 or more, including a high of 45 against A&M-Corpus Christi. The Sugar Bears have been able to keep Brown in check the last two seasons, holding her to an average of 11.5 points in the four meetings over the past two seasons.
In last year's meetings – both wins for the Sugar Bears, who are 5-0 all-time against the Privateers – Brianna Mullins averaged 15.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 6 assists and 2.5 steals. In New Orleans, she had a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds, while also getting 5 steals and 4 assists. Maggie Proffitt averaged 15.5 points against the Privateers last season, and has averaged 17.2 per game over her career against UNO.
Saturday's game begins a stretch with three of the next four on the road for the Sugar Bears, with a trip to SFA on Wednesday and a trip to McNeese on the 31st after hosting Incarnate Word next Saturday in the Farris Center.
