---

SWOSU (1-4, 0-2 GAC) at Arkansas-Monticello (2-2, 1-1 GAC) Monticello, Ark. (Steelman Field House) Thursday, December 3, 5:30 p.m. Watch Live | Listen Live | Live Stats SWOSU Game Notes

Setting the Stage
- The Lady Bulldogs earned their first win of the season last Tuesday, and are now looking to get back on track in the Great American Conference when they face the University of Arkansas at Monticello at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday in Arkansas
- This will be the first road game for SWOSU following five straight home games to open the 2015-16 season
- Thursday night's game will be one of just three games to be played in December, and the first two back-to-back road games to start the month
- SWOSU will be looking to avenge a loss from last season when the Blossoms defeated the Lady Dawgs 68-56 in Monticello

The Opponent
Arkansas-Monticello (2-2, 1-1 GAC)
- Arkansas-Monticello went 1-1 last weekend at the St. Mary's (TX) Thanksgiving Classic as reigning GAC Player of the Week Jordan Goforth dropped 35 points on Angelo State in an 83-76 victory
- The Blossoms are averaging 66.2 points per game, ranking in the bottom third of the league in scoring offense. Opponents are currently averaging 71.0 points against UAM
- Goforth leads the GAC and is second in Division II with 23.8 points per game. Nikki Mullen and Ayesha Wahid are 10.5 and 10.3 per contest, also ranking in the top 30 in the league
- UAM ranks last in the league, grabbing 34.2 rebounds per game, and hold a -6.0 rebounding margin. Goforth leads the team with 8.5 boards per game
- The Blossoms rank fourth in both assist-to-turnover ratio and turnover margin at 1.0 and +3.0 respectively
- Mullen has a 2.6 assist/turnover ratio, the second-best mark in the conference

The Coaches
SWOSU: Kelsi Musick (91-84; 7th season)    
- Kelsi Musick is in her sixth season leading the SWOSU women's basketball program
- The two-time GAC Coach of the Year has been the model of consistency, winning GAC Tournament titles in two of the last fours years and earning back-to-back NCAA Division II National Tournaments during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons
- Her high-energy style of play has led the Lady Dawgs to rank in the top four in the nation in scoring, and top ten in three points made in three of the last four seasons
- A great developer of talent, Musick has coached one All-American and 12 all-GAC selections, including one Player of the Year recipient
- Musick has also spent time as an assistant coach at Fresno State, where they won two Western Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles, as well as qualified for the NCAA Division I National Tournament in the 2008-09 season

Arkansas-Monticello: Tanya Ray (39-68, 5th season)
- Tanya Ray became the seventh coach to lead the Arkansas-Monticello women's basketball program prior to the 2011-12 season and is entering her fifth year at the helm
- Earned her first winning season during the 2014-15 season with a 14-13 record, the first winning season for the program since the 2008-09 season
- She has twice lead the Cotton Blossoms to GAC Tournament berths, advancing to semifinals for the first time last year
- Has mentored four All-GAC selections, including one First Team All-GAC Selection in Goforth
- Prior to coming to UAM, Ray enjoyed a lengthy career at the NCAA Division I level as an assistant coach with stops at Arkansas State and Oklahoma State. She also has served as the assistant coach of Blinn College in the junior college ranks

The Series
- The Lady Bulldogs and Blossoms have met 14 times on the hardwood since the series began during the 1987-88 season
- SWOSU currently holds a 13-1 record, with their only loss coming last season in Monticello. The Lady Dawgs had won 12 straight games in the series prior to the defeat
- SWOSU Head Coach Kelsi Musick holds a 7-1 record on UAM Head Coach Tanya Ray since the Ray took over the Blossoms during the 2011-12 season

Last Time Out
- SWOSU got their first win of the season, 92-69, over Oklahoma Christian last Tuesday night in Weatherford to close out a five-game homestand
- Despite falling behind early, but an 11-3 run spanning the end of the first quarter and start of the second, capped by a layup by Jessica Penner, gave SWOSU the lead for good
- Jade Jones led the team with 16 points, while Morgan Vogt and Jennifer Williams each had 15 points
- Korina Chapman had a game-high 14 rebounds. Hailey Tucker was second on the team with eight

Checking the Standings
- With no conference games taking place last week, the Lady Bulldogs remain tied for ninth place with an 0-2 record
- Four teams are currently tied at the top of the standings with 2-0 conference records: Southern Arkansas, Arkansas Tech, Harding and Henderson State
- Four teams are tied at fifth with matching 1-1 records: Southern Nazarene, UAM, Oklahoma Baptist and East Central
- Three teams are tied with SWOSU with 0-2 marks in the GAC: Northwestern Oklahoma State, Ouachita and Southeastern Oklahoma State
 
SWOSU Notes
- The 96 points scored by SWOSU against Oklahoma Christian represents their high watermark of the season. They are now averaging 74.0 points per game, the third-most potent offense in the GAC
- Jones is pouring in 15.6 ppg, ranking in the top eight of scorers in the league
- SWOSU leads the conference in rebounding offense, grabbing 45.2 boards per night. However, Penner, the Lady Dawgs' leading rebounder, ranks just 15th in the league with 6.6 rpg. The Bulldogs are last in rebounding defense, and hold a -3.0 rebounding margin
- Vogt hit three shots from downtown for the third time in her career and the first time this season. Her career-high for three-pointers in a game is four against Southern Nazarene on January 29, 2015
- SWOSU leads the conference with an average of 5.2 blocks per game. Chapman leads the league with 1.8 blocks per contest
- Tucker leads all freshmen in the GAC with 11 makes from beyond the arc, and ranks seventh overall. She is clicking on .355 attempts from distance. Tucker also accounts for a full third of SWOSU's total 3-point baskets (33)
- The Lady Bulldogs had struggles on the road last season, going 2-11 away from the Pioneer Cellular Event Center

Looking Ahead
- The Lady Dawgs take on Southern Arkansas on Saturday (November 5th) at 1 p.m. in Magnolia, Arkansas
- SWOSU fell to the Lady Muleriders, 58-53, on the road last season