UAFS will look continue building momentum going into next week's Heartland Conference Tournament when the Lady Lions play the Newman Jets on Saturday in the regular-season finale at Fugate Gymnasium in Wichita, Kan.
Tipoff will be 1 p.m.
Live statistics and
live stream will be available.
The Lady Lions have won three games in a row – their longest winning streak of the season – and are coming off a decisive 85-73 win against the Oklahoma Christian Lady Eagles on Thursday night at the Eagles Nest in Oklahoma City.
It was the Lady Lions' second conference series sweep of the season. UAFS beat Oklahoma Christian 98-85 in their first meeting on Jan. 9 at the Stubblefield Center. UAFS also swept its series against winless Texas A&M International.
UAFS (10-16, 7-6) will look to force a split in its series against Newman (18-9, 9-4), which beat the Lady Lions 62-61 in overtime on Feb. 7 at the Stubblefield Center.
All eight conference teams have qualified for the conference tournament, which begins on Thursday at the Union Multipurpose Activity Center in Tulsa, Okla.
Conference tournament single-day tickets will be available for purchase at the UMAC box office for $15 for adults and $7 for students with a valid student I.D. Military personnel, with military identification, and children age 5 and under will be admitted free of charge. Tournament passes, which are good for all 14 games, will be $40. Ticket and tournament pass purchases at the UMAC box office are cash only.
No. 25 Lubbock Christian (22-5, 12-1) won the regular-season conference title and will be the No. 1 seed in the tournament. Lubbock Christian will play No. 8 seed Texas A&M International (0-25, 0-13) in the first round at 5 p.m. on Thursday. Newman finished second in the regular season and will be the No. 2 seed. The Jets will play the No. 7 seed in the first round at noon on Thursday.
The remaining spots – the Nos. 3-7 seeds – won't be decided until after Saturday's final conference games.
St. Edward's (15-12, 7-6) and UAFS are tied for third and split their regular-season games, St. Mary's (16-9, 6-7) and Rogers State (13-13, 6-7) are tied for fifth and split their regular-season games and Oklahoma Christian (12-14, 5-8) is seventh.
Lubbock Christian will host St. Edward's on Saturday in the regular-season finale, while Newman will host UAFS, Texas A&M International will host St. Mary's and Oklahoma Christian will host Rogers State.
UAFS is averaging 64 points per game with one player averaging double-figures in scoring – senior forward
Ellie Lehne (11.4 ppg). Senior guard
Mariah Green leads the team in assists (3.8 apg).
The Lady Lions out-rebound their opponents by almost 3 rebounds per game (36.1-33.2), and junior forward
Tamera Gulley leads the team in rebounding (6.5 rpg) and double-doubles (5). UAFS allows 66 points per game and forces 16 turnovers per game. Senior guard
Daijah Brown leads the team in steals (2 spg), and Gulley leads the team in blocked shots (1.7 bpg).
Newman has won four games in a row and is coming off a 58-52 win against Rogers State on Wednesday night at Fugate Gymnasium.
The Jets are averaging 70 points per game with two players averaging double-figures in scoring – senior guard Bria DeGrate (13.8 ppg) and junior guard Kaitlyn Potter (13.3 ppg). Senior guard Dede Johnson leads the team in assists (3.3 apg).
Opponents out-rebound the Jets by almost 2 rebounds per game (36.7-35.2), and DeGrate leads the team in rebounding (4.9 rpg). Newman allows 63 points per game and forces 18 turnovers per game. DeGrate leads the team in steals (1.9 spg), and freshman forward Faith Vestal-Mason leads the team in blocked shots (0.9 bpg).
