Wednesday, February 08, 2012

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Lipscomb women’s basketball team heads to the “Sunshine State” this week for taking on Florida Gulf Coast, who is a perfect 13-0 in Atlantic Sun Conference play, on Thursday night in Ft. Meyers, Fla.

The Lady Bison (5-18, 3-9 A-Sun) are looking to become the first A-Sun team to down the Eagles (21-2, 13-0 A-Sun) and in the process snap a 13-game winning streak for FGCU.

Lipscomb senior guard Anna Bowers has stepped up her play in conference action and currently leads the Lady Bison in scoring averaging 12.5 points per game and an even better 13.7 points per game against A-Sun foes.  Junior wing Hannah Phillips is right behind Bowers with a 12.1 points per game average while leading the team in rebounding (5.2 rebounds per game), assists (59) and steals (38).

The opponent:  Sophomore guard Sarah Hansen leads FGCU averaging 13.4 ppg and 6.0 rpg on a squad that averages an A-Sun best 74.7 ppg and allows a mere 52.4 ppg, also best in the league.  The Eagles are the only team in the league that shoots the three better than the Lady Bison hitting their treys at a .366 rate compared to Lipscomb’s .336 from downtown.

Receiving votes in both this week’s ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and Associated Press poll, the Eagles roll into the contest having only lost at Seton Hall and against N.C. State in the opening round of the Hawai’i Rainbow Wahine Invitational in Honolulu and winners of 13 in a row.

Up next: The Lady Bison continue A-Sun road action at Stetson on Saturday at Noon.