Jan. 4 - at Southern Arkansas (6-4, 1-3 GAC)

5:30 pm tipoff || Magnolia, Ark. (W.T. Watson Athletic Center)

Jan. 6 - at Arkansas-Monticello (4-6, 0-4 GAC)

1:00 pm tipoff || Monticello, Ark. (Steelman Fieldhouse)

Click for Full Games Notes (pdf)

SWOSU kicks off the 2024 slate with road tests against Southern Arkansas on Thursday and Arkansas-Monticello on Saturday. 

The first opponent of the week, Southern Arkansas, holds the same record as SWOSU after 10 games at 6-4. They began the year 6-0, but are currently on a four-game skid. SWOSU split the season series last year after SAU defeated the Lady Bulldogs for the first time since 2019-20.

Southern Arkansas arguably has the toughest defense in Division II. They rank top five in the nation in turnovers forced per game, 30.8, turnover margin, +11.2, and steals per game, 19.0. The Muleriders play fast paced on both sides of the ball, sitting at second in field goals attempted and third in three-pointers attempted in the GAC. 11 players on their roster are averaging one steal per game or better.

Meanwhile, Arkansas-Monticello is 4-6 this season having also dropped their last four contests. The Blossoms will host nationally ranked Northwestern Thursday before welcoming SWOSU on Saturday afternoon.  

The Lady Bulldogs and Blossoms each took a game last year. Last season's loss in Monticello was SWOSU's first loss at UAM since 2015-16.

UAM has seen highs and lows during the '23-24 campaign. They have three double-digit wins and two double-digit losses through 10 games.

Forcing Monticello to shoot away from the basket might be a key to win for the Lady Dawgs. They are a GAC-worst 22% as a team from behind the arc.

The Lady Dawgs enter the new year 3-1 in conference play and in a three-way tie for third place in the GAC in the early going. SWOSU dropped the last game of 2023 to #5/11 Southern Nazarene 77-56 which snapped a four-game win streak and handed the Lady Bulldogs their first conference loss. In the loss, SWOSU's defense was unable to cause problems for the opposition. They forced 13 turnovers -- the only game this season with less than 15 forced turnovers this year. SWOSU still sits eighth in Division II in turnover margin thanks to a +8.3 mark. 

The SWOSU offense also was not clicking against SNU. They shot a season worst 18% from three and hit just five three-pointers in the contest. Hailey Grant had a career high 17 points on 7-14 shooting in that game. This is her third double-digit scoring performance of the year. Mason Jones continues to be the best long-range shooter for the Lady Dawgs. She is shooting a team-high 43% from three. She hits 2.4 three-pointers per game, which is good for second in the conference.

The 51-point swing between their last two games, beating East Central by 30 points and losing to Southern Nazarene by 21 points, is the largest point swing since March of 2022.