Battle for first place in the GSC as UAH host the Lady Lions - WAFF-TV: News, Weather and Sports for Huntsville, AL

With first place in the Gulf South Conference essentially on the line, the University of Alabama in Huntsville women's basketball team will welcome rival North Alabama to Kelly Court at Spragins Hall on Saturday evening. Tip between the Lady Chargers (8-9, 5-2 GSC) and UNA (11-5, 4-2 GSC) is slated for 5 p.m.
 
UAH sits half a game in front of UNA, West Georgia and Delta State who are all tied for second with a 4-2 mark in league play. Union is 5-1 in the conference, but the team is not eligible for postseason play as it continues the process of becoming a full member of the GSC.
 
With Saturday's hosts falling on Thursday to Shorter, the Lady Chargers had an opportunity to put some distance between themselves and the Lions, but UAH fell 80-67 at Union in a game that was closer than the final would indicate.
 
As they have done through much of the year, Jasmine Hammon and Jordan Smith paced the Lady Chargers in the setback as Hammon scored 22 while Smith added 16. Over the team's last five games, Hammon has averaged 19.4 points per contest, and three times during that stretch the two-time All-America honorable mention selection has breached the 20-point mark.
 
Last season UAH met North Alabama three times, winning twice.
 
The setback was in the Rocket City on the last day of the regular season with the Lady Chargers having the chance to secure the top seed in the GSC tournament, but UNA picked up an 81-77 victory. UAH would avenge the loss, however, in the semifinals of the tourney as Hammon scored 20 to lead the Lady Chargers to a 64-54 victory.
 
The Lions own a significant advantage in the all-times series, posting a 48-21 mark against UAH.
 
UNA visits Saturday on a two-game slide, but before that the Lions had won 11 of 14 to start the season. Mekana Randle leads offensively the Lions as she is the only player to average double figures at 12.9 points per game, but the team is incredibly strong defensively, ranking first in the league as it has limited the opposition to just 54.3 points on average.
 
Live stats and video for the contest will be available at www.uuathletics.com, and the game will be carried locally in the Tennessee Valley on 97.7 The Zone.

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