ALVA, OKLAHOMA - Northwestern Oklahoma State Women's Basketball is set to return home for two games this week starting on Thursday evening against Ouachita Baptist.
The Lady Rangers (13-1 overall, 5-1 GAC) are coming off of two straight wins to start the New Year with wins over Arkansas-Monticello and Southern Arkansas for five straight wins overall. Ouachita Baptist (6-4 overall, 4-2 GAC) comes to Alva splitting the last week games with a win over Oklahoma Baptist and a loss to Southern Nazarene.Â
Outside the game the Lady Rangers have improved to #12 in the WBCA rankings jumping seven spots than their previous week, and are receiving votes in the National Poll while being ranked sixth in the central region.
 Faith Simpson earned her third GAC player of the week honor this season after averaging a double double in the two conference wins with 27.5 points per game and 11.5 rebounds.Â
Northwestern is led on offensive by Faith Simpson averaging 20.3 points per game while adding 8.1 rebounds per game. Simpson earned player of the week this past week and has scored 20+ in five straight games.Â
She is one of three players averaging double figures in points joined by Carly Craig at 14.8 points shooting 41.8% from three and lastly Camille Thomas at 10.8 points an outing. The Lady Rangers are averaging 83.5 points per game which is third in division II while only allowing 55.7 points a game.Â
On the defensive side of the ball Northwestern is led by Carly Craig and Payton Jones as Craig has 36 steals and four blocks on the year while Jones has added 30 steals along with seven blocks. Simpson and Thomas lead with 8.1 and 6.4 rebounds per game. The opponent tonight Ouachita Baptist has three players averaging double figures in Laney Mears at 14.7 points, Heidi Robinson and Grayson Fairless at 13.3 and 10.1 points per game. Defensively Mears leads the team with 29 steals on the season, and Grayson Fairless leads with 5.4 rebounds per game.Â
The series history between the two teams dating back to 2013 the series is an even tie at 10-10 as the Lady Rangers look to snap a two games losing streak to the Tigers after dropping both games to them a year ago. Overall the Lady Rangers are 3-2 in the last five and 4-1 in the last five in Alva.
For the latest news and updates on NWOSU Athletics, follow @NWOSUAthletics on TWITTER or visit www.riderangersride.com.
