LAKELAND, Fla.—It's been 11 days since the No. 18 Fire women's basketball team has taken the floor, and nearly a month since its last home game. That changes on Friday as Southeastern hosts St. Joseph's College of Maine.
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Win
The Fire are one of three remaining unbeaten NAIA Division II women's basketball teams. Southeastern (11-0), No. 3 St. Xavier (13-0), and top-ranked St. Francis of Illinois (11-0) are the last three unbeatens.
Defense
Southeastern has held its previous 11 opponents to a field goal percentage of 33.5% this season, ranking as the fourth-worst best field goal defense in NAIA Division II. The Fire are 15
th in points allowed per game at 57.8.
Shoot and Score
Offense has been a big part of the success SEU has enjoyed thus far, shooting 46.9% from the field this year. That ranks third in NAIA Division II. In nearly half of their games this season, the Fire have shot at least 50%. At 82 points per game, Southeastern is seventh in NAIA Division II in scoring. Combine that with the defense and the result is the fifth-largest average scoring margin at 24.3 points per game.
Protect the Rock
Southeastern's 1.471 assist/turnover ratio ranks third in NAIA Division II.
Cassidy Block (4.25),
Alyssa Ramos (3.692), and
Bailey Hooker (2.889) all rank in the top 11 individually. The current average turnover margin of +8.4 is on pace to shatter the school record of +0.8, and would be just the second time since 2008 the Fire have been on the plus side of that statistic.
Thieves!
As a team, the Fire average 12.6 steals per game. If this number holds up, it would be the first time in school history the team has averaged better than 10 steals per game. The chief thief has been
Ana Richter with 22, but five players have 15 or more through 11 games.
Hook 'em Bailey
Senior guard
Bailey Hooker has certainly saved her best for last, averaging a career-high 15.8 points per game. Hooker has posted three 20+ point games this season. In the previous 93 games of her career, she had two such games. She is currently third in The Sun Conference in scoring average, and second behind teammate
Christin Strawbridge in field goal percentage at 46.9%.
The Monks
Following a 20-day layoff, St. Joseph's College of Maine is back in action and is sporting a 7-1 overall record. SJC was picked to win the North Division of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference after winning the conference tournament last year as the top seed. Reigning conference rookie of the year Kelsi McNamara is the team's leading scorer at 13.3 points per game. She's also dished out 38 assists in eight games, and is 75% at the free throw line. Emily Benway, who has started four of the last five games has averaged 16.2 points per contest, including a 26-point, nine rebound effort in a 58-47 win over Colby.
Next
The Fire will resume Sun Conference play on January 5
th, heading to North Miami to take on Johnson and Wales. On the 7
th, a three-game home stand begins with Ave Maria, followed by St. Thomas (1/12) and Keiser (1/14).
