ARKADELPHIA – The Ouachita Baptist University women's basketball team returns to the hardwood this week with a long road trip to western Oklahoma.

The Tigers start the week with a matchup against 17th-ranked Southwestern Oklahoma State on Thursday, January 6 at 5:30 p.m. in Weatherford. Two days later, Ouachita heads to Alva to face off against Northwestern Oklahoma State at 1 p.m. Gameday links can be found at www.OBUtigers.com/coverage.

TIGER TRACKS

• The Tigers enter Saturday's game with an overall record of 4-4 and a conference record of 2-2.
• Ouachita last played on December 18 at home, an 87-59 win over Arkansas-Monticello.
• The Tigers were originally scheduled to play last week at home against Southern Nazarene and Oklahoma Baptist. Those games were postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. Ouachita will now play Oklahoma Baptist on January 11 and Southern Nazarene on January 18.
• Ouachita ranks first in the GAC and 10th in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 82.8 points per game.
• Freshman Aspen Thornton leads all of NCAA Division II in scoring with an average of 27.4 points per game. She has scored at least 20 points in seven of eight games this season. Her season high was a modern-day school record of 43 points at Arkansas Tech on December 2.
• Thornton also leads the Tigers in free throws (59-of-70) and steals (3.4 per game).
• Lauren Wright leads the team in rebounding with an average of 6.8 per game. Makayla Miller and Claudia Vanzant are close behind at 6.6 and 6.3, respectively.
• Laney Mears has been Ouachita's top three-point threat so far this season with 20 treys made on 43.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
   

SCOUTING SWOSU

• SWOSU is ranked No. 17 in the latest WBCA Top 25 Poll. The Bulldogs enter Thursday's game with a 12-2 overall record and is the only team in the GAC unbeaten in league games at 6-0. SWOSU is currently on an 11-game winning streak.
• SWOSU leads the nation in three-pointers with a total of 143 made for an average of 10.2 per game.
• Makyra Tramble leads SWOSU and ranks sixth in the nation in scoring with an average of 21.8 points per game. She also leads her team in free throws (61-for-77), assists (4.9 per game), and steals (2.4).
• Since the inception of the GAC in 2011, SWOSU holds a 15-4 series advantage over Ouachita, and has won eight games in a row.
   

SCOUTING NWOSU

• NWOSU enters the week with an overall record of 7-5 and a 3-3 mark in GAC games. The Rangers will face off against Henderson State on Thursday prior to Saturday's game against the Tigers.
• The Rangers are one of the league's best rebounding teams, ranking second in total rebounds (502) and first in rebound margin (+10.7 per game).
• Bailey Brown is NWOSU's best player, leading the team in scoring (17.5 points per game), rebounds (6.9 per game), and free throws (56-for-62).
• Since NWOSU joined the GAC in 2012, the series between the Rangers and Tigers is locked at eight wins each. NWOSU has won the past three meetings. The two squads did not play last year when the league was separated by divisions for COVID-19 reasons.