The Louisiana College Lady Wildcats resume their basketball schedule this week with a pair of games against the top two teams in the American Southwest Conference Western Division, Howard Payne and Sul Ross State.  Due to the continued work being performed on the floor at H.O. West, the conference "home" opener will take place at Northwestern State's Prather Coliseum roughly 60 miles north of Pineville. Tip off for the games on Tuesday and Thursday remain set at 5:30 pm.

Howard Payne currently sits atop the ASC Western Division with a 4-1 conference mark but a 7-6 overall record losing their last two games in a row to Lamar and UT Dallas. The Yellow Jackets boast the third and fourth ranked scores in the ASC this season with Micah Cisneroz and Sarahi Castillo both averaging more than 15 points per game. HPU has three players ranked in the top 20 in scoring in the conference. Castillo also ranks in the top three in rebounding this year with a 9.3 average per game.  As a team Howard Payne is fourth in the conference with 70.8 points per game and the conference's best turnover margin at +6.92 per game.

Sul Ross comes into the game with the Wildcats one game behind Howard Payne for the top spot in the West at 3-2 in the ASC.  Despite their position near the top of the division, the Lobos rank last in the conference in points per game with a 63.5 point per game average.  Sul Ross has by far taken the most shots from behind the arc this season with a total of 351 attempts converting on 117 putting them second in the ASC in 3-point shooting this year. Ellyn Avery and Katy Boren lead the way for the Lobos with 11.9 and 11.7 points per game this year and Kenya Miles lead the team with 7.8 rebounds per game. 

After jumping out to a 2-0 conference start the Lady Wildcat have lost their last six games in a row, including two exhibition games prior to the Christmas holiday, and now sit at 2-2 in the conference and 2-6 overall.  The Lady Wildcats continue to move up the scoring list after a slow offensive start to the season and are now averaging 66.0 points per game, sixth best in the conference, but are still struggling on the defensive side allowing a conference worst 78.6 points per game. Brooke Jones and freshman Kristen Breaux continue to lead the scoring charge for the Wildcats averaging 11.4 and 10.1 points per game with Jones leading the team with 6.6 rebounds per game. 

Tip off for the conference "home" opener agaisnt Howard Payne is scheduled for 5:30 pm Tuesday evening at Northwestern State's Prather Coliseum in Natchitoches, with Thursday's game also schedule for a 5:30 pm tip at Prather.