MONTICELLO, Ark. – The University of Arkansas at Monticello women's basketball team will host No. 18 Harding University to begin conference games on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in the Steelman Field House in Monticello, Arkansas.
 
LIVE COVERAGE LINKS
UAM GAME NOTES | LINK TO PREVIEW VIDEO
UAM VS. #18 HARDING UNIVERSITY – 11/16 – 5:30 P.M. – LIVE STATS, LIVE VIDEO
 
GAME DETAILS
Opponent: No. 18 Harding University
Date: November 21, 2019
Location: Monticello, Arkansas – Steelman Field House
In-Game Updates: Twitter (@UAMsports)
Last Played: February 7, 2019 in Monticello (L, 73-63)
 
UAM PRIMER
2019-20 Record: 4-0
2019-20 GAC Record: 0-0
Head Coach: Greg Long, First Season (4-0)
 
SCOUTING THE BLOSSOMS
The UAM women's basketball team enters this game with a 4-0 overall record and is set to square off against No. 18 Harding who is 3-0. The Blossoms were picked 12th in the Great American Conference's preseason poll, while the Lady Bisons were selected first.
 
UAM is off to a 4-0 start for the first time since 2008-09. That year, the Blossoms finished 21-9 and were 10-4 in the Gulf South Conference. They also were an NCAA South Region Semi-Finalist.
 
Since the GAC's inception in 2012, the Blossoms have managed a 2-17 record against Harding, a record that also includes postseason matchups. UAM's last victory over the Lady Bisons was a 59-46 win on March 7, 2015 in the GAC Championship Tournament.
 
It's no secret that the main reason UAM has started so hot has been defense. The Blossoms are currently second in NCAA Division II in scoring defense holding opponents to just 40.8 points per game and seventh in field goal percentage defense as opponents are shooting just 28.7 percent from the floor. They are also 12th in the country in steals per game (14.0) and 13th in turnover margin (+9.8).
 
On offense, UAM is shooting 44.7 percent from the floor and 23.3 percent from downtown. Their top two offensive players thus far are Berniezha Tidwell and Mekaylan Hicks who are averaging 16.3 and 10.8 points per game, respectively.
 
Hicks has also gotten it done on the glass and is tops on the team in rebounds per game (7.8). 15 of her 31 total rebounds have been offensive.
 
Tidwell has done exceptionally well on defense as well ranking second in the country in steals with 19. Kayla Bradley is just behind her in that category as she is sixth in the country with 17.
 
Bradley and Mackenzie Tillman are scoring 9.0 points per game each. Bradley also adds 13 assists which is second on the team to Tidwell, while Tillman is a perfect 7-for-7 at the free throw line thus far.
 
Jaida Muhammad has been the team's best shooter from downtown. She's started in all four games and is shooting 38.6 percent from deep. She also averages 6.5 points per contest. 
 
HARDING PRIMER
2019-20 Record: 3-0
2019-20 GAC Record: 0-0
Head Coach: Tim Kirby, 15th Season (283-135)
 
SCOUTING THE LADY BISONS
Harding enters this game as the 18th best team in Division II according to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. They are sharing the ranking with the University of the Sciences.
 
The Lady Bisons are 13th in rebounding margin at +15.0 and in three-point field goal percentage at 43.1 percent from downtown.
 
Harding is led offensively by a trio of players who are averaging at least 10 points per contest. Kellie Lampo leads the way scoring 20.7 points per contest, while Cheyenne Brown is at 12.3 points per game and Carissa Caples adds 12.0 points per contest.
 
Lampo has also been the team's top rebounder averaging 9.3 boards per contest. She also has four blocks and two steals on the defensive side of the ball.
 
UP NEXT
The Blossoms will continue conference play when they travel to Arkadelphia, Arkansas to play  Ouachita Baptist on Saturday at 5 p.m.