The Louisiana College women's basketball team continue their American Southwest Conference schedule this week with a pair of games against their closest Texas rivals, East Texas Baptist University and LeTourneau University. Originally schedueld to take place at H.O. West Fieldhouse, the games were transferred to the two Texas schools due to ongoing maintenance at the Louisiana College venue. ETBU and LETU will now make the trip to CenLA in February instead of this week. The Wildcats have split every ASC weekend thus far this season for a 4-4 conference record, putting them in fourth place in the East with a month left in the season.
East Texas Baptist 13-2 (7-1) | 1st ASC East
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The Tigers have been one of the surprise teams thus far in the 2017-18 season, currently sitting in the top spot in the ASC East standing after Monday night's 68-48 win over LeTourneau. ETBU has won six of their last seven games, the only loss to UT Dallas last Thursday in Marshall. The balanced offensive attack of the Tigers is led by sophomore forward Kim Childress at 13.7 points per game, the only player in double figures on the team, she also leads the team with 7.4 rebounds per game. The Tigers and the Wildcats are both averaging 69.1 points per game this season, fourth most in the ASC, the difference in the teams coming with the Tigers having better shooting numbers from beyond the arc and in total field goal percentage. The ETBU defense is also ranked second in the conference, holding opponents to 58.3 points per game, one of two teams under 60 points per game. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Ornelas Gymnasium in Marshall, Texas.
LeTourneau 3-12 (0-8) | T-6th ASC East
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LeTourneau enters the weekend on a four game losing skid, and having lost 11 of their last 12 games, the lone win coming in overtime over Schreiner University at the end of December. The Yellow Jackets are currently winless in conference play in eight attempts. Despite their record, LETU has two players that rank in the top 10 in the conference in scoring in senior guard Ashley Reed and freshman Keauna Whitfield. Reed is putting in a team best 14.6 points per game with Whitfield just behind at 14.1. The team is shooting a conference los 32.2 percent from the field and making just over half of the free throw attempts on the season. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at Solheim Arena in Longview, Texas.
Louisiana College 8-6 (4-4) | 4th ASC East
For fourth time in four weekends, the Lady Wildcats split their pair of ASC games on Thursday and Saturday. After a potentially demoralizing loss on the road to UT Tyler on Thursday the Wildcats bounced back for the close win over Ozarks on Saturday 59-56, a game where the Eagles made a furious late comeback. The Wildcats had their least productive offensive weekend, scoring just 59 points in both games, dropping their season average to 69.1 points per game, still good enough for fourth best in the conference. LC continues to be one of the best rebounding teams in the conference, averaging 17.5 offensive boards per game and 27.7 defensive, first and second in those categories in the ASC. Brooke Jones, Jonika Walton, and Zharian Maxmillion are key parts of the rebounding success with Jones leading the team at 7.4 per game. She also tops the team in points per game at 17.5, second most in the ASC, followed by Kourtney McGhee at 12.9, who ranks 10th in the conference in scoring.
The Wildcats take on ETBU Thursday evening at 5:30 p.m. before their Saturday date with LeTourneau at 2 p.m. Stay connected to Louisiana College women's basketball by following @LC_WBB on Twitter. For general athletics news follow @LC_Wildcats on Twitter or like Louisiana College Wildcats on Facebook.
