The only University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff basketball game to be played at H.O. Clemmons Arena this month tips off Wednesday.
The UAPB women’s basketball team will host Sam Houston State at 4 p.m. for its home opener on the UAPB Golden Lion Athletics channel on YouTube.
UAPB (1-1) split a pair of short road trips last week and will look to bounce back from Friday’s 101-49 loss at Arkansas. After this game, the next four will be on the road before the Lady Lions return to Pine Bluff in December.
Sam Houston (1-1) also split its first two games. The Bearkats defeated NAIA foe Southwestern Christian (Okla.) 58-39 before losing a Sunday road game at No. 17 TCU, 88-46. SHSU won its only previous meeting with UAPB 67-48 in Huntsville, Texas, last season.
Neither team has shot at a high clip so far this year. UAPB enters this game shooting 30.1% from the field, while SHSU has shot 27.8% percent. The Lady Lions have been better at 3-point shooting, making 10 of 30 compared to SHSU’s 5 of 27.
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The Bearkats have been better at taking the ball away. They stole the ball 23 times in their first two games and are averaging 18.5 points off turnovers, while UAPB has 11 steals and averages 5.5 points off turnovers.
UAPB junior guard Indiya Bowen is averaging 19.5 points per game, followed by junior guards Jailah Pelly’s 17 and Jasmine Davis’ 8.5.
SHSU redshirt senior forward Debora Ogayemi leads the Bearkats with 8.5 points and nine rebounds per game. Senior guards Fanta Kone and Aysia Ward-Strong each average 8 points, with Ward-Strong also averaging nine rebounds.
This will be one of the Lady Lions’ three non-conference home games this year and the only one against a Division I foe. The men will not host a nonconference Division I team this year.
The Lady Lions’ last nonconference home win against a Division I foe was a 61-57 win against Central Arkansas on Dec. 19, 2022.