ALVA, OKLA - The Lady Rangers get set for their final home game of the 2021-2022 season Thursday evening playing host to the Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm. Northwestern will look to avenge their loss earlier in the season in a loss to Southern Nazarene in December of 2021. The Lady Rangers will look to continue their excellent play at home this season carrying in a 12-2 home record including three straight wins in Percefull Fieldhouse.
Northwestern (15-11 overall, and 11-9 GAC) is coming off two straight wins, one over Arkansas Tech, 70-66, and Harding University 65-63 clinching a GAC playoff spot following the win Saturday.
The Lady Rangers led by the defense after allowing their opponent below their average two straight games entering play Thursday ranked fourth in the conference in points allowed at 64.9 points per game ranked fourth in field goal percentage defense with opponents shooting 38.6% from the field. Northwestern is seventh in turnovers forced at 15.8 per game. The team is fifth in the conference in steals per game. Brown leads the team with 36 steals on the season followed by Carly Craig, and Josena Frame at 31 all over 30 on the season. Brown leads the team with 11 blocks on the season.
Northwestern's offense is scoring the seventh most points per game at 71 per game, on a shooting percentage of 42.6% as a team ranking third in the GAC. The Lady Ranges have been able to take advantage of the glass ranking first in rebounding margin and fourth in offensive rebounds per game at 12.5 leading to second chances. The Ranger sit in the middle of the conference in three point shooting averaging 6.2 per game on 32.6% shooting. The Red-and-Black share the ball at a high rate ranking second in the conference in assists on the season at 15.0 per game.
Carly Craig leads the team with 117 on the season averaging 4.7 per game both ranking second in the Great American Conference. Brown leads the team in field goal percentage at 50.2% ranking third in the conference and is first in free throws made. Kinsey Neiderer leads the team in three point shooting at 47 on the season 11th in the conference. Brown leads the team in scoring as one of two double figure scorers for the Lady Rangers Brown leading at 19.0 points a game, along with Scout Frame at 16.4 points a game. Craig and Neiderer are third at eight points a game.
Scouting the Crimson Storm:
Southern Nazarene comes in on a four game win streak including the last two games on the road. The Crimson Storm( 19-8 overall and 14-6 GAC) enter play coming off wins over Arkansas Tech, Oklahoma Baptist, Southern Arkansas, and Arkansas Monticello. Overall the Storm are 7-4 on the road this season.
Their offense has been led by Cassandra Awatt at 13.8 points per game as one of two players averaging double figures along with Jaycee Soap at 10.9 points. Awatt leads the team with 8.5 rebounds per game. Soap leads the team with 68 assists on the season.
The Crimson Storm defense has led the team this season ranking first in blocked shots per game, forcing the second most turnovers in the GAC and first in opponent field goal percentage along with points allowed. The Crimson Storm are allowing 56 points per game on 36.1% shooting from the field.
History:
The Storm come into the Thursday evening game leading the season history 19-7 overall while winning the last six games including the first meeting this season. Northwestern will look for their first win over Southern Nazarene since the 2018-19 season when the Lady Rangers swept the two meetings that season.
Southern Nazarene won the first meeting 69-37 over the Lady Rangers behind 16 points from Kennedy Gillette as one of three double figure scorers along with Jaycee Soap and Cassandra Awatt. The Lady Rangers were led by Bailey Brown at 13 points on the night.
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