MONTICELLO, Ark. – The University of Arkansas at Monticello women's basketball team will conclude its three-game homestand on Saturday with a Great American Conference contest against Oklahoma Baptist University with tipoff scheduled for 1 p.m.
LIVE COVERAGE LINKS
UAM GAME NOTES
UAM VS.
OKLAHOMA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY – 1/25 – 1 P.M. –
LIVE STATS,
LIVE VIDEO
GAME DETAILS
Opponent: Oklahoma Baptist University
Date: January 25, 2020
Location: Monticello, Arkansas – Steelman Field House
In-Game Updates: Twitter (@UAMsports)
Last Played: February 28, 2019 in Monticello (W, 75-53)
UAM PRIMER
2019-20 Record: 12-5
2019-20 GAC Record: 7-4
Head Coach: Greg Long, First Season (12-5)
SCOUTING THE BLOSSOMS
Last time out, UAM defeated Southern Nazarene University 70-60 at home. Oklahoma Baptist lost on the road at Southern Arkansas University, 84-80. Both games were played on Thursday.
UAM's win on Thursday helped improve its home record to 9-1 in. The last time the Blossoms have had at least nine wins at home, we have to track back to 2014-15 when they were 9-3 at Steelman.
The Blossoms are averaging 67.9 points per game while opponents are scoring 58.2 which is good for the 38th-best scoring defense in NCAA Division II. The Blossoms are also second in the GAC in scoring margin at +9.6.
UAM is shooting 42.5 percent in field goals and is shooting 27.9 percent in three-point field goals. At the free-throw line, the Blossoms are shooting 68.3 percent.
On the glass, UAM is grabbing 38.7 rebounds per contest while opponents snag 33.8 boards per game which is good for a +4.7 margin.
Defensively, the Blossoms continue to be one of the best teams in the country. UAM is currently 37th in DII in steals per game (10.7) and 45th in total steals (182). The Blossoms also had a pretty nice day in blocked shots on Thursday bringing their season total to 34. UAM also forces 20.5 turnovers per game.
Berniezha Tidwell leads the team in scoring averaging 16.8 points per game, while
Mackenzie Tillman trails behind her scoring 10.9 points per contest.
Along with Tidwell's scoring numbers, she also is averaging team-bests in 6.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. On defense, she's 17th in DII in steals per game at 3.00.
Tillman has bumped up to second on the team in scoring because of her most recent performances. In her last five games, she's tallied a trio of double-digit scoring nights including 21 points on Thursday.
Behind Tidwell and Tillman, Hicks is third on the roster in points per game at 9.1 and is second on the team in rebounds per game at 5.4. She also is first on the team in total blocks with 11.
Kayla Bradley and
Jaida Muhammad round out the team's starting lineup. Bradley has averaged 7.5 points per game this season while being second to Tidwell in steals per game (2.4) and assists per game (2.5). Muhammad is averaging 6.8 points per game and is 5-of-9 (55.6%) from downtown in her last three contests.
OKLAHOMA BAPTIST PRIMER
2019-20 Record: 4-13
2019-20 GAC Record: 0-11
Head Coach: Casi Bays, Ninth Season at OKBU (136-122)
SCOUTING THE BISON
On the Oklahoma Baptist side of things, the Bison have had a tough go of it on offense and defense. They are averaging 71.3 points per game while surrendering 75.0 points per game which is a -3.7 margin.
Oklahoma Baptist is also shooting 41.4 percent from the field this season but is allowing opponents to shoot 41.6 percent. They are also getting outrebounded by 4.1 boards snagging 36.1 rebounds per game as opponents get 40.2 rebounds per game.
Oklahoma Baptist's key performers this season are Kalifa Ford, McKenzie Cooper and Jaylin Stapleton.
Ford is averaging team-highs in both points (17.7) and rebounds per game (8.8). Stapleton is averaging 10.8 points per game while also being the team's top distributor averaging 4.7 assists per contest.
UP NEXT
UAM will hit the road for a GAC contest at Northwestern Oklahoma State University on Thursday. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
