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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The University of Alabama in Huntsville women's basketball team (17-4, 8-2 GSC) wraps up its two-game road trip with a contest against West Florida (9-13, 5-5 GSC) in the second of two meetings between the programs this season. Tipoff at the UWF Field House is scheduled for 2 p.m. CST and will be carried on 97.7 FM The Zone.
The Lady Chargers head to Pensacola aiming to for a sweep of the Argonauts for the second consecutive season. UAH is also looking to avoid its first back-to-back losses of the season after falling to Valdosta State, 65-55, on Thursday. West Florida is fresh off a victory over North Alabama, 74-63, and has claimed four of its last six contests. The two losses in the past six games came to GSC-leader Delta State and the No. 3 team in the league standings, Valdosta State.
With a victory on Saturday, UAH will have the most wins in a single season during the program's Division II era – joined in 1986-87. The Lady Chargers had a shot to reach the milestone against VSU but couldn't unseat a VSU team that has now won 11 consecutive GSC games at home.
When the two teams met earlier this season in Huntsville, junior
Natalie Kelley posted a game-high and career-high 22 points to help UAH to an 81-64 victory and the best start in program history at 13-2. Three other Lady Chargers scored in double figures as junior
Bailee Robinson recorded 16, redshirt freshman
Shannon Steinert posted 15 and sophomore
Jordan Smith notched 11 points - Robinson fell just one rebound shy of a double-double.
The Lady Chargers will again count on its pressure defense and high-octane offense if it is to avoid its first back-to-back losses of the year. That defense has forced opponents into a league-leading 24.4 turnovers per game while the team ranks fifth, nationally, in turnover margin. Hammon has led that effort with 2.6 steals per outing, including at least three swipes in three of the last four games.
Hammon continues to lead UAH's scoring attack, which ranks 10th in the nation with 77.8 points per game, in four of the last six games. She is averaging 17.8 points per game on 33-of-92 shooting (8-of-26 from 3-point) with a team-high 41 rebounds during that span.
UAH will face an Argonauts defense that currently carries the league-worst scoring defense which is allowing 62.8 points per game. Offensively, the Argonauts have four players scoring in double figures on a nightly basis, led by Hanna Vette's and Sher'Ryan Scott's 13.1 points per game. Octavia Bearden is averaging close to a double-double with 11.4 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per outing, while Ashley Rush is adding 10.3 points per game.
UWF leads the all-time series between the two programs by a 25-19 margin. However, UAH has claimed the last three meetings, including the last time the teams matched up in Pensacola on Jan. 13, 2011. The Argonauts last defeated UAH on Feb. 6, 2010 and hasn't beaten the Lady Chargers in Pensacola since Jan. 9, 2010.
Live stats and video for the contest will be available at www.GoArgos.com.
Fans are encouraged to follow the Lady Chargers on Facebook (facebook.com/uahchargers) and on Twitter (@uahchargers), and supporters of the Blue and White may sign up for text and e-mail updates at uahchargers.com.
