---

 
Setting the Scene
- SWOSU Women's Basketball (2-0) will play in front of a home crowd for the first time in the new 2017-18 season for their Great American Conference opener against Ouachita Baptist on Thursday, with tipoff scheduled for 5:30 pm inside the Pioneer Cellular Event Center
- The Lady Bulldogs are coming off a hot start at the GAC/MIAA Crossover in Joplin, Mo. after taking down No. 11 Emporia State in the season opener and Missouri Southern the following afternoon
- The two straight wins to open the year is SWOSU's best start to a season since the 2011-12 campaign where the Dawgs won three consecutive games to kick off the year 

The Coaches
SWOSU: Kelsi Musick (132-101; 9th season)
- Two-time GAC Coach of the Year, winning back-to-back honors for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons and she has now led the Lady Bulldogs to four 20-win seasons after a 20-10 finish a year ago
- Musick has coached two All-Americans and 18 All-GAC selections, including two Player of the Years (Darcie Dick, 2012 / Hailey Tucker, 2017) and one Freshman of the Year (Hailey Tucker, 2016)
- Musick has led SWOSU to four GAC Tournament Championship games with two GAC Tournament Championships (2012, 2014) and two NCAA Division II Tournament appearances (2013, 2014) to her credit
- In nine seasons at SWOSU, Musick has a career record of 132-101, including a mark of 9-4 against OUA all-time

Ouachita Baptist: Garry Crowder (332-278; 23rd season)
- His 332 wins at Ouachita is the all-time record for most wins in the history of the Lady Tiger program
- During his previous 22 years at OUA, Crowder's teams have either been ranked in the Division II Top 25 or received votes to be in the poll 11 times
- Before coming to Ouachita, Crowder spent 16 years in Arkansas high school basketball, where he was one of the top coaches in the state
- His 735-386 overall record spanning the last 40 years between both high school and college makes him one of the most successful women's basketball coaches in Arkansas

The Opponent
Ouachita Baptist (1-1, 0-0 GAC)
- The Tigers have opened up the season an even 1-1 with a win against Northwest Missouri State and a loss to Southwest Baptist at the SBU Classic last weekend
- OUA's top two scorers from last season make their return to the roster in Brittain Madison (11.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg) and Chasidee Owens (10.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg)
- Ouachita sports a young group this season with 13 of the 16 players on the roster classified as underclassmen 

The Series
Date                Location                                           Score
*1/7/2012         Arkadelphia, Ark. ....................... W 73-68
*2/5/2012         Weatherford, Okla. ...................... L 87-88
3/3/2012          Bartlesville, Okla. ....................... W 83-67
*1/19/2013       Arkadelphia, Ark. ....................... W 96-89
*2/23/2013       Weatherford, Okla. .................... W 88-62
*1/18/2014       Weatherford, Okla. .................... W 93-72
*2/22/2014       Arkadelphia, Ark. ......................... L 72-86
*1/8/2015         Weatherford, Okla. .................... W 85-61
*2/12/2015       Arkadelphia, Ark. ......................... L 77-80
*1/9/2016         Weatherford, Okla. .................... W 81-57
*2/27/16           Arkadelphia, Ark. ....................... W 72-60
*1/7/2017         Arkadelphia, Ark. ....................... L 79-114
*2/23/2017       Weatherford, Okla...................... W 79-70
 
GAC Era: SWOSU leads 9-4
In Weatherford: SWOSU leads 5-1
In Arkadelphia: Series tied 3-3
 
SWOSU Notes
- At the GAC/MIAA Crossover last weekend, the SWOSU Offense was on display after averaging 86.0 points per game while they defeated both opponents by double digit margins
- The Lady Bulldogs were 3-1 last season against teams ranked in the top 25 and began the 2017-18 season by notching another victory over a ranked opponent after topping No. 11 Emporia State 88-76
- The win over the Lady Hornets was both Kelsi Musick and SWOSU's first ever victory over ESU in the NCAA Division II era, snapping a five game losing streak that dated back to 2002
- Over the weekend, Tyra Aska led SWOSU in scoring by posting back-to-back 20+ performance games with 20 against Emporia State and 21 against Missouri Southern
- Aska also came away with a career high six steals against Emporia, making up for the six turnovers she also gave away
- After battling foul trouble all game against ESU, Hailey Tucker only scored eight points – snapping her 34 game streak of double digit points that dated back to her freshman season
- Tucker rebounded against MSSU, posting a double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds
- Hayden Priddy led the Dawgs from the perimeter over the weekend, knocking down a team best five treys on eight attempts, shooting 62.5% from beyond the arc   

Looking Ahead
- Saturday (Nov. 18) SWOSU will welcome Henderson State to Weatherford for another GAC contest
- Tipoff scheduled for 1:00 pm