HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana University women's basketball team will return to action in the University Center to close out its four-game home stretch in week six of conference play.
 
Southeastern (16-3, 10-0 SLC) will face conference rival Lamar (14-4, 9-0 SLC) Thursday evening at 6 p.m. for a marquee matchup between the last two undefeated teams in the league. The Lady Lions will move on for the second half of conference play to take on New Orleans (2-16, 2-7 SLC) Saturday at 1 p.m.
 
Both games will be on ESPN+ and be heard in the Hammond area on 90.9 The Lion. Streaming audio of 90.9 The Lion broadcasts are available online, at www.LionSports.net/ListenLive or www.LionUpRadio.org, or through the following apps - Lions' Gameday and MyTuner Radio. Live stats can be accessed on the women's basketball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
 
SLU finished week five of conference play at home with two dominant wins over UIW and HCU. Southeastern defeated the Cardinals 66-42, before gaining its second consecutive 24-point victory over HCU, 65-41. The Lady Lions continue to stand at the top spot in the league with a 10-game winning streak while remaining undefeated at home this season. SLU continued to make program history in week five, claiming its first appearance on the Women's Mid-Major Top 25 poll at No. 25.
 
In the Lady Lions most recent win over HCU, veteran Alexius Horne led all scorers with 17 points and five rebounds to aid in the win. Horne tied her career high three-point field goals made, shooting five-of-six from behind the arch, five-of-13 from the field and two-of-two from the free throw line. Nicholls transfer Lexi Alexander gained her third double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds to help SLU win the battle on the boards with a 51-28 rebounding edge over the Huskies. Cheyanne Daniels also showcased an exceptional performance to secure her first double-double of the season with 12 points and a career high 15 rebounds in its commanding victory at home.
 
Southeastern continues to keep its foot on the gas, seeking to build on its 10-game winning streak in conference play led by Horne averaging 15.2 points per game and 2.7 assists. Taylor Bell (9.3 ppg), Daniels (8.8 ppg), Alexander (8.2 ppg), and Allasia Washington (8.4 ppg) have also been major contributors to SLU's success so far this season. Horne remains second in the league in scoring for the second consecutive week, while also ranking third in field goal percentage (47.9). Jalencia Pierre has continued to make an impact on both ends of the floor, ranking second in assist/turnover ratio (2.11) and fourth in steals (2.2) and assists (4.0).
 
The Lady Lions remain in the lead in scoring defense (54.63), assist/turnover ratio (1.05) and turnover margin (+7.58), forcing opponents into 20.2 turnovers a game. Southeastern ranks second in scoring margin (+14.26) and third in scoring offense (68.89) and field goal percentage (43.6).
 
Lamar ended week five of conference play 2-0 at home with an 83-65 victory over East Texas A&M before gaining a thrilling 59-55 win over Northwestern State. The Cardinals rank first in the conference in rebounding defense (30.39), rebounding margin (+7.72), and offensive rebounds per game (13.67) so far this season. Lamar has also maintained its position as a top team in the conference, currently holding a nine-game winning streak. The Cardinals heavily rely on their fifth year senior Sabria Dean, who has started in all 19 games so far Lamar while averaging 13.9 points per game and 2.6 assists. Dean has finished 13 games in double figures with a season high 24 points over New Orleans. Senior Akasha Davis completes the dynamic duo for the Cardinals, averaging 13.4 points per game and 8.2 rebounds. Davis is efficiently finishing 62.2 percent from the field and 78.4 percent from the free throw line to secure six double-doubles this season.
Lamar also relies on Jacei Denley as another major contributor for Lamar, averaging 11.0 points per game, 2.9 assists and 1.9 steals. Denley is shooting 43.2 percent from the field, 40.8 percent from the three-point line and 66.7 percent from the charity stripe.
 
New Orleans finished last week 1-1 with its second victory of the season against HCU, before falling 58-55 to UIW at home. The Privateers gained 28 points in the paint and 16 points off turnovers in their valiant effort against the Cardinals. New Orleans is led by senior Nora Francois, averaging 13.5 points per game and 6.9 rebounds to carry the team in both categories. The Privateers also rely on Jayla Kimbrough with 12.4 points per game and 3.7 rebounds. Kimbrough has completed 13 games in double-digit scoring while Alexis Calderon (8.6 ppg) impacts the game on both sides of the court for the Privateers. Calderon leads the team with 4.2 assists per game, 3.5 rebounds and 2.4 steals.
 
All sororities and fraternities are encouraged to represent your letters, bring the energy, and pack the University Center Thursday evening in support of the Lady Lions. As Southeastern ends its home stretch against New Orleans Saturday, fans are encouraged to wear pink to show support for breast cancer awareness and honor those who have battled the disease.
 
Thursday's game will honor senior Terri Crawford as the Spotlight Player of the game. Mackenzie Thomas-Lewis will be honored as the Spotlight Player of the game against the Privateers Saturday. The first 150 fans will receive trading cards featuring both players, courtesy of PRIDE.
 
Following Saturday's contest, Southeastern will return on the road to face HCU Thursday, Feb. 6 at 6 p.m. in Houston, Texas. Saturday's game will be streamed on ESPN+ and can be heard online at www.LionSports.net/ListenLive.
 
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Southeastern Women's Basketball, follow @LionUpWBB on X, like /SoutheasternWBB on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.
 
TICKETS
For ticket information, please contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or visit www.LionSports.net/tickets. Southeastern offers mobile ticketing as the primary source for securing tickets. All tickets will be available via e-mail in a PDF format for fans to download on their phone or print at home. Tickets can also be downloaded to Apple Wallet.

CLEAR BAG POLICY
Southeastern Athletics has instituted a clear bag policy for all ticketed events. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/clear.