Game Notes

HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana women's basketball team will return to action on Wednesday when it travels to face Central Arkansas in a 7 p.m. Southland Conference contest at the Farris Center.
 
The Lady Lions (5-12, 0-4 Southland) will be looking to avoid its first 0-5 start to league play since the 2001-02 season when it faces the host Sugar Bears (14-4, 4-1 Southland). The game will be broadcast live in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the Internet at www.LionSports.net. Live stats will also be available at www.ucasports.com.
 
Despite arguably its strongest offensive performance of the season, the Lady Lions fell at Nicholls State, 88-79, on Saturday. Southeastern shot 54.5 percent (30-for-55) from the floor – including 9-for-20 from three-point range – but could not overcome a career-high 34 points from NSU senior guard Sumar Leslie.
 
Senior guard Kelli Jenkins (19 points, career-high 11 assists) and junior forward Brandi Simmons (12 points, 10 rebounds) each posted double-doubles for the Lady Lions. Senior guard Jessica Sommers and freshman guard Symone Miller each had career highs with 15 and 12 points, respectively, while senior guard Latoria Holder had 10 points to give the Lady Lions a season-high five players in double figures.
 
The Lady Lions are averaging 63.1 points per game on the season. Sophomore forward Aja Gibson (11.5 ppg, 15^th), Jenkins (9.7 ppg, 19^th) and Simmons (8.5 ppg, 26^th) are among the league's top scorers. Holder (6.8 ppg), Miller (6.4 ppg) and Sommers (6.2 ppg) are the other top scorers for the Lady Lions. Sommers ranks among the league leaders with 1.5 three-point field goals per game, sitting in 13^th.
 
Jenkins' career-best performance has allowed her to move into second place in the Southland Conference with 4.1 assists per contest. The Plaquemine native's 387 career assists are the sixth-most in school history.
 
Southeastern is averaging 39.6 rebounds per contest and has out-rebounded opponents by a total of eight rebounds this season. Simmons leads the team and is eighth in the Southland with 7.7 rebounds per game. Gibson's 6.8 rebounds per game are good for 13^th in the league.
 
Opponents are scoring 65.8 points and committing 19.3 turnovers per game. Holder is ninth in the Southland with 1.9 steals per contest. Freshman forward Hillary Shaffer leads the Lady Lions and ranks 12^th in the league with 12 blocked shots.
 
The Lady Lions will face a red-hot Central Arkansas team, which completed a season sweep of Lamar with a 63-53 win over Lamar to extend its winning streak to three games. In the win, senior guard Nakeia Guiden led four Sugar Bears in double figures with 15 points, while sophomore center Courtney Duever came off the bench to post a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Juniors Meghan Herbert and Micah Rice added 11 points apiece for UCA.
 
Central Arkansas is averaging a league-high 68.2 points per game, behind reigning Southland Conference Player of the Year Herbert's 14.7 point per game scoring average. Duever (9.4 ppg), Guiden (9.3 ppg), Rice (8.4 ppg) and junior forward Desiree' Rogers (7.8 ppg). Senior guard Destinee Rogers leads the team and is 10^th in the league with 3.2 assists per game.
 
Herbert is one of two players in the Southland averaging a double-double, sitting in second in the league with 10.2 rebounds per contest. Duever and Desiree' Rogers each average 6.2 rebounds per contest, as UCA is out-rebounding opponents by 5.5 rebounds per outing.
 
Opponents are scoring a league-low 50.2 points per game against Central Arkansas. Herbert and freshman guard Sharlay Burris lead the Sugar Bears with 13 and 11 blocked shots, respectively. Duever (28), Guiden (25) and Desiree' Rogers (24) are the team's leaders in steals.
 
Southeastern is 5-6 all-time versus Central Arkansas. UCA swept the season series in 2010-11.
 
On Saturday, the Lady Lions (5-12, 0-4 Southland) will host Northwestern State at 2 p.m. for the Play4Kay game dedicated to raising breast cancer awareness. Breast cancer survivors in attendance will be honored by Southeastern at halftime. In addition, Pink Links will be sold to display throughout the arena with proceeds benefitting the fight against breast cancer. Sommers will be Saturday's Spotlight Player of the Game and the first 100 fans will receive a trading card featuring the San Antonio, Texas native, courtesy of the Southeastern PRIDE.