JACKSON, Miss. - The Belhaven women's basketball team will look keep its three-game winning streak alive this week, traveling to Pineville, La. on Thursday to face Louisiana College and taking on East Texas Baptist in Marshall, Texas on Saturday. Thursday's game is set for a 5:30 p.m. tip while Saturday's game tips off at 1 p.m.

Belhaven (8-5, 3-3 ASC) will be traveling outside of Jackson for a contest for the first time since Dec. 17 when they defeated Hardin-Simmons 75-65 in Abilene, Texas. The Blazers are just 2-4 on the road this season but have won two of its past four games away from Rugg Arena. 

After starting the season at 3-4, the Blazers have won five of their last six games, including an 85-62 win over current ASC West leader Howard Payne on Jan. 5. 

The Green and Gold has been one of the top defensive teams in the ASC this season, ranking fourth in the conference in scoring defense (64.2) and second in field goal percentage defense (.350) while leading the conference in three-point field goal percentage defense (.234). The offense has picked up as well, as the Blazers are scoring 70 points per game over the last eight contests, four points above their season average. In the victory over Howard Payne, Belhaven recorded a season-high 31 made free-throws and the 85 points scored was the most in a single game since the 2011-12 season. 

Forward Vamikka Smith was recently named the C Spire Athlete of the Week after averaging nine points and 10.5 rebounds in two games last week. Smith has registered double-digit rebound totals in each of the past four games and ranks sixth in the ASC in rebounds per game (8.3). 

Senior guard Sierra Pittman has poured in 17.9 points on 53 percent shooting over the past eight games. She currently ranks 10th in the ASC in points per game (13.8) and ninth in steals per game (2.2). 

Louisiana College 
Louisiana College (5-7, 4-3 ASC) also enters Thursday's matchup with the Blazers riding a three-game win streak. After dropping its previous five games, the Wildcats picked up wins over Sul Ross State, East Texas Baptist and Concordia Texas. 

Junior center Brooke Jones is averaging a team-high 12.3 points and 6.8 rebounds while shooting 51 percent from the field. Freshman guard Karlee Teddlie has chipped in 9.8 points per game and has made a team-high 21 three-pointers. 

The Wildcats rank fifth in the ASC in scoring (69.2) and has averaged 74.9 points in conference only games, which ranks third in the conference. Louisiana ranks near the bottom of the conference in field goal percentage (.372) but takes the fourth-highest amount of shots per game (64.8) in the ASC. 

The Wildcats own a 2-1 home record this season but will play its first true home game of the season on Thursday. After set backs and delays on the resurfacing of the gym floor at H.O. West Fieldhouse, in Pineville, forcing the Louisiana College basketball teams to play their games at Prather Coliseum in Natchitoches and The Fort in Alexandria, the Wildcats will finally take the floor in their own gym on Thursday night in a contest with Belhaven.

The Wildcats and the Blazers split the season series last season, with Louisiana College winning 79-56 in Jackson on Jan. 14 before Belhaven earned a 75-69 victory in Pineville on Feb. 20. 

East Texas Baptist University
East Texas Baptist (2-11, 0-6 ASC) is coming off of an 81-72 loss to Louisiana College on Jan. 7. Prior to that, the Tigers defeated Rust College and Schreiner after dropping their first 10 games of the 2016-17 season. 

Freshman guard Hannah Holt is leading the Tigers with 13.9 points and 2.5 assists per game. Junior forward Sade Murrell and junior center Lauren Lee have chipped in 9.3 and 7.1 points per game, respectively. 

ETBU ranks third in the ASC in both blocks per game (3.8) and steals per game (11.4), but still give up 73.6 points per game, which ranks 11th in the conference out of 13 teams. 

The Tigers are 1-4 at home this season and Saturday's matchup with Belhaven will be their final home game of the month. ETBU won both matchups with the Blazers last season. 

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