Women's Basketball Takes on Top Two SUN Teams this Week

LAKELAND, Fla.- After concluding the 2022 year going 0-2 at the Westmont Classic with losses to No. 2 Westmont and No. 14 Vanguard, Southeastern women's basketball (6-9, 3-2 SUN) will look to halt a four-game slide this week with two Sun Conference contests. On Thursday, the Fire will host Florida Memorial at 5:30 p.m. and will finish the week with a road trip to Miami Gardens, Fla. on Saturday for a 2 p.m. contest against the top team in the SUN, St. Thomas University.
 
The Fire squad currently averages 71.3 points per contest in non-conference contests for a slight 1.2 positive scoring margin while averaging 75.3 points per contest in conference games. Offensively, the Fire have posted a field goal percentage of 41% and a three-point percentage of 32.5%. Graduate student Gabby Suarez leads the Sun Conference in scoring with an average of 18.8 points per game behind a conference-best three-point percentage of 35.8%. Kiki Britzmann has seen the highest success rate from midrange for the Fire as she has posted a team-high field goal percentage of 55%. On the defensive end, Josselin Geer has emerged as the Fire's leading rebounder with 100 total boards for an average of 6.7 per game while graduate transfer Emilia Sexton leads the Fire in both assists with 54 and steals with 31.
 
The Lions of Florida Memorial (9-5, 4-1 SUN) currently sit at second in the Sun Conference with their only conference loss coming against St. Thomas by a score of 78-61. Coming off an 0-2 stint at the St. Thomas Holiday Classic, the Lions currently average 76.6 points per game with a field goal percentage of 44.1%. The Lions hold a substantial 10.5 positive scoring margin over their competitors as the defense has held their competition to just 66 points per game and a .388 field goal percentage. Averaging 15.5 points per game, Aliyah-Deen Ahmad has posted a field goal percentage of 46.8% for 170 total points while Chantel Barnett leads the Lions in total points with 176 (13.5 per game) and a .493 field goal percentage. Ahmad also leads the rebounding effort with 68 total, 6.2 per game.
 
The Fire hold a 23-6 historical record over the Lions including a 13-1 home record.
 
The receiving votes Bobcats of St. Thomas hold a current 14-3 record (5-0 SUN) will all three losses coming in their last three contests against No. 7 Indiana Wesleyan, No. 3 Campbellsville, and Lindsey Wilson College. Offensively, the Bobcats rank second in the NAIA in total points (1,329) and ninth nationally in field goals attempted per game (70.1) with a 39.9 field goal percentage and 31.1 three-point percentage. Defensively, the Bobcats average 44.6 rebounds per game which ranks 18^th nationally including 16.5 offensive rebounds per game which lands at 12^th nationally. They also come in as the top team in the NAIA in blocks per game with 5.4. Three members of the Bobcats have all tallied over 200 points thus far this season as Brooke Bogatz sits at the top with 209 total and 12.3 per game. Kasey Gagan follows closely behind Bogatz with 208 total points and 12.2 per game. Mya Victor has posted an impressive .514 field goal percentage through 12 games played and leads the defense with 6.9 rebounds per game.
 
The last meeting between these two teams last season resulted in a narrow 66-61 Fire victory as they advanced their overall historical record to 18-9 over the Bobcats.
 
To purchase tickets to Thursday's home contest, go to https://southeastern.universitytickets.com/w/default.aspx.