New Orleans' women's hoops returns to Lakefront Arena to host Sam Houston State

After a grueling, three-game Texas tour, the University of New Orleans women’s basketball team returns to Lakefront Arena for a Southland Conference match against Sam Houston State Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
Despite loses to Abilene Christian and Lamar, New Orleans (7-7, 2-2), closed the road trip on a high note with a 71-67 win against the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. The Privateers played three games in five days.
“I got to say, my girls never complained about the schedule,” New Orleans Women’s Head Basketball Coach Keeshawn Davenport said in a news release. “They did a great job staying focused with scouting reports one day before the game and going out and giving their all. I’m very proud of them.”
Randi Brown continues to pace the Southland Conference in scoring at 21.6 points a game and in points scored this season with 302. The Central Catholic alum led New Orleans in scoring in the Incarnate Word victory with 30.
Brown leads the Southland Conference in scoring in conference games with 26.5 per contest. She is tops in 3-pointers made with 46.
New Orleans is the conference leader in 3-point shooting percentage at .369 (83-of-225).
The junior guard needs six points to move into the 10th spot in scoring at the University of New Orleans and pass Lora Bresson (1988-92), who finished her New Orleans career with 1,118 points.
Shania Woods turned in her best game of the season with 21 points and 14 rebounds against Incarnate Word. The Cypress, Texas, sophomore averages 9.3 points and is the seventh-leading rebounder in the conference at 7.8 a game.
“We don’t want to become a team where if you shut down Randi, you shut down the team,” Davenport said in a news release. “We need an inside presence, and Shania gave us that. That’s important as we continue with this conference schedule.”
Against Incarnate Word, New Orleans junior Kayla Mundy totaled 11 points, four rebounds and three assists in 27 minutes in a reserve role. It was Mundy’s third double-digit game of the season.
Senior Ariele Davis led New Orleans with four assists against Incarnate Word.
Woods and Halie Matthews are the club’s primary shot blockers. They are ranked eighth and ninth in Southland standings at 1.1 and 1.0 per game, respectively.
The Privateers are sixth in the Southland in scoring margin (+4.6) as they average 69.1 points and yield 64.6 points a contest.
It’s been a tough season for Sam Houston State (0-13, 0-3).
Last season, Sam Houston entered the Southland Tournament as a number eight seed but reached the final where they fell to Central Arkansas. They returned only one starter from last year, Jasmine McCants, who averages eight points and five rebounds a game. Jennifer Oramas leads Sam Houston State in scoring at 8.5 points a game.
As a team, Sam Houston averages only 49.3 points a game, lowest in the league, and the team ranks 11th in team defense at 72.7 points per game.
“I think we are mature enough to not look at records of the opponent.” Davenport said. “I’ve been there (winless) before, and I have lots of respect for what Coach Nichols has done. I told her they will get a win before the season is over, I just hope it’s not here at Lakefront Arena.”
The Bearkats and Privateers have squared off five times on the basketball court with Sam Houston State holding a 4-1 advantage. The lone New Orleans win came in the first meeting between the schools, a 71-64 victory in 2009 at Lakefront Arena.