The Lady Dawgs are back at home this week for the first two games of a four-game homestand, hosting rival and nationally ranked Northwestern Oklahoma State on Thursday and Oklahoma Baptist on Saturday.

The Lady Rangers are having one of the best seasons in program history in 2023-24. They sit at 15-3 on the year and are ranked No. 23 in the WBCA coaches poll. They began the year 15-1, but dropped both GAC games last week to Arkansas Tech and Harding which dropped them out of the D2CSC media poll.

SWOSU has split the season series with NWOSU the past two years after winning 11 straight games from 2017-2021. The last time these teams faced saw Northwestern handle the Lady Bulldogs 88-55 in Alva, but SWOSU got the better of the Rangers in Weatherford, 77-60. As a team, the Lady Rangers run a potent offensive attack. They lead the conference in scoring offense, 79.0 ppg, scoring margin, +22.1, field goal percentage, 46%, and assists, 16.3 apg. Their leader, Faith Simpson, excels in multiple areas. She is the GAC's top scorer at 20.1 points per game and most efficient shooter at 56%. Simpson also ranks fourth in rebounding, grabbing 7.9 rebounds per game.

Oklahoma Baptist is currently 8-8 and winners of three out of their last four. They have a contest against league leading Southern Nazarene on Thursday night prior to coming to Weatherford. SWOSU is 9-2 at home against the Bison in the GAC era. Their last loss in the Pioneer Cellular Event Center came last season in a 72-52 defeat. That was the first home loss to OBU since 2009. The Lady Bulldogs won their first meeting with OBU earlier this season, 59-53 on November 30. Sophomore forward Jaedyn Getman scored 23 points in that game. Getman has eight games of 20-plus points for OBU this season.
 
SWOSU split their two games last week, a trend on the season. They are 4-4 in their last eight games after dropping a 79-72 contest to #16/21 Harding and defeating Arkansas Tech 55-48 two days later.

Against Harding, the Lady Bulldogs were bested in two big areas of the game. Harding outrebounded SWOSU by 17 and shot 27 more free throws -- both representing the biggest season disparities in the respective categories. In the bounce back win against Tech, defense led the way. 27 forced turnovers, tied for the second most this season, led to 30 points off turnovers which proved to be the recipe that gave SWOSU the victory.

The 55 points SWOSU scored against ATU is the lowest point total in a win since January 10, 2009, but close, low scoring victories have been an avenue for success all season. The Lady Bulldogs are 5-0 in GAC games where they hold their opponent to under 55 points.

Averi Zinn set a new career high last week with eight assists against Harding. Her 4.7 assists per game and 1.8 assist:turnover ratio both rank second in the GAC.

Hailey Grant found success scoring last week after a span of totaling 12 points in the four games prior. She set career highs in back-to-back games with 18 points against Harding and 19 points against Arkansas Tech. She finished 13-for-33 (39%) overall and 3-of-7 from beyond the arc. Grant was a difference maker at Oklahoma Baptist earlier this season, with a team high 15 points, five rebounds, and a game high three steals.

Bison turnovers will be something to watch on Saturday. SWOSU scored 26 points off 17 OBU turnovers on November 30 in Shawnee. The Dawg defense also limited the Bison to 37% shooting that day.