Just over a week after playing in a tournament in the Houston area, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff women's basketball team is returning to Texas for two road games in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
The Lady Lions are set to play Southern Methodist University at 7 tonight at Moody Coliseum in Dallas. The Lady Lions will then face North Texas at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Super Pit in Denton.
UAPB (2-6) is undefeated at home after Friday's 103-35 win against Arkansas Baptist College but is still seeking its first road win of the year and its first Division I victory. Head coach Dawn Thornton said winning on the road requires focus.
"You gotta be locked in," Thornton said. "We finished 50 percent from the free throw line [Friday]. That's something that we been working on, but if you get an opportunity to get to the free throw line, you gotta be able to execute. Defensive rebounds, offensive rebounds, limit them from second-chance points, just getting out at it and being gritty."
SMU (3-4) is looking to break a four-game losing streak which includes two games against top-15 opponents. The Mustangs beat SWAC foe Alabama State 96-47 on Nov. 11.
UNT (7-1) has won five straight games, with the Mean Green's only loss coming on the road to Texas A&M, 74-55. Three days prior, UNT defeated SWAC foe Grambling State 83-60.
The Lady Lions are coming off their best defensive performance this year. Arkansas Baptist didn't present the same challenge these two American Athletic Conference foes will, but Thornton said the Lady Lions need to play well on that side of the ball.
"We gotta defend," Thornton said. "That's it. Offense is never going to be a problem for this basketball program. Defense is what's going to win us big games. We gotta defend."
UAPB has allowed 75.1 points per game so far. The Lady Lions held No. 25 Mississippi State to 77 points, but every other Division I opponent has scored 85 or more.
SMU is averaging 73.3 points per game, led by guard Tiara Young's 20.3. UNT averages 78.5 points per game, led by forward DesiRay Kernal's 16.3.
Graduate student guard Zaay Green recorded her second triple-double of the season in Friday's win with 19 points, 16 assists, 11 rebounds and six steals. She leads the team in all four categories. Several other players also stepped up against Arkansas Baptist, including Jelissa Reese and Coriah Beck each posting double-doubles.
Green said as the Lady Lions navigate a busy non-conference slate consisting mostly of challenging road games, every player must be ready to contribute each night.
"I think we just have a mentality of, it's our time now," Green said. "We have to go. There's no stop. It's our season. It's fixing to be games, games back-to-back. So, we just gotta be prepared, and the next man is up every time. Sometimes, it's not my game. Next game is Coriah Beck's game. Next game is Jelissa Reese's game. We just never know, but that's the good thing of having everybody on this team."
UAPB senior guard Jelissa Reese drives past two defenders to attempt a layup in a Dec. 1 women's basketball game at H.O. Clemmons Arena. (Special to the Commercial/William Harvey)