MONTICELLO, Ark. – The University of Arkansas at Monticello women's basketball team will begin a three-game homestand when it hosts Ouachita Baptist University on Saturday at 2 p.m. from the Steelman Field House in Monticello for a Great American Conference matchup.
 
LIVE COVERAGE LINKS
UAM GAME NOTES
UAM VS. OUACHITA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY – 1/18 – 2 P.M. – LIVE STATS, LIVE VIDEO
 
GAME DETAILS
Opponent: Ouachita Baptist University
Date: January 18, 2020
Location: Monticello, Arkansas – Steelman Field House
In-Game Updates: Twitter (@UAMsports)
Last Played: November 23, 2019 in Arkadelphia (W, 63-60)
 
UAM PRIMER
2019-20 Record: 10-5
2019-20 GAC Record: 5-4
Head Coach: Greg Long, First Season (10-5)
 
SCOUTING THE BLOSSOMS
Last time out, UAM lost a tightly contested matchup on the road at Southern Arkansas University, 79-74. Ouachita lost at Henderson State, 75-46. Both games were played on Thursday.
 
UAM is coming off a road trip in which it went 1-2. The good news for them though is that they return home. At Steelman Field House this season, the Blossoms are 7-1.
 
The Blossoms are currently averaging 67.7 points per game while holding opponents to the 39th lowest amount of points in the country at 58.1 per game. UAM is currently shooting 42.0 percent from the field this year while opponents are averaging 38.1 percent from the field. From downtown, UAM has been struggling of late shooting just 27.5 percent while opponents are shooting 31.6 from deep. At the free-throw line, UAM is shooting 67.5 percent.
 
On the glass, the Blossoms are snagging 39.1 rebounds per contest while opponents are snagging 34.1 rebounds per game, which is good for a +5.0-rebounding margin in favor of UAM.
 
As for the Blossom defense, they are currently forcing 20.8 turnovers per contest and scoring 19.3 points off turnovers per game. UAM is averaging 10.5 steals per game and 1.9 blocks per game.
 
Berniezha Tidwell and Mackenzie Tillman remain the team's top scorers at the moment. Tidwell averages 16.6 points per game shooting 45.9 percent from the field and 29.7 percent from downtown. She also shoots 75.4 percent at the free throw line. Tillman is averaging 10.4 points per contest shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from deep.
 
Tidwell is also leading the team in rebounds at 6.6 per game and assists per game at 3.8. She also has five blocks and is averaging 3.0 steals per game which is good for 16th best in Division II.
 
Mekaylan Hicks and Kayla Bradley are third and fourth on the roster in points per game with Hicks averaging 8.9 points per game and Bradley scoring 8.0 points per game.
 
Hicks is also second to Tidwell in rebounds per contest at 5.5 while Bradley is second in steals at 33 and assists per contest at 2.4.
 
OUACHITA BAPTIST PRIMER
2019-20 Record: 4-11
2019-20 GAC Record: 1-8
Head Coach: Robert Dallimore, First Season (4-11)
 
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
OBU comes into this one having lost three straight. Its last win came on January 4th against Oklahoma Baptist. Its most recent losses have come at the hands of Southwestern Oklahoma State, Northwestern Oklahoma State and HSU.
 
The Tigers carry just eight players on their roster who have all played this season. Maija Gertsone leads the team in scoring at 12.3 points per game. She also has 43 assists and is shooting 33.3 percent from downtown.
 
OBU also has four other players averaging at least 10.0 points per game in Eden Crow (10.7), Jakyya Clay (10.7), Madison Raney (10.4) and Madison Brittain (10.1).
 
Raney and Clay are the team's top rebounders tallying 6.9 per game and 6.1 per game, respectively.
 
UP NEXT
UAM will continue its homestand on Thursday when it hosts Southern Nazarene University in GAC play. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.