FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The No. 18 Nova Southeastern University women's basketball team sets it sights on their third straight trip to the Elite Eight, but in order to do so, they will have to win their first South Region Championship away from home on Monday, and will have to defeat the homestanding top seed, No. 12 Union, in the process.
 
The Sharks (26-5) have put together a 10-game winning streak, most recently winning the Sunshine State Conference tournament and then notching double-digit South Region victories over Kentucky State (66-56) and Rollins (63-51), to earn the right to match up against the Lady Bulldogs (28-3). Not to be outdone, Union has won 13 straight, which has included the Gulf South Conference tournament as well as back-to-back nine-point region victories over Albany State (92-83) and West Florida (75-66).
 
The Lady Bulldogs are led by point guard Amy Philamlee, the NCAA's leading scorer (24.9) and South Region and GSC Player of the Year. The 5-5 senior is also second in all of DII in assists at 7.9, and leads both the team and the conference in all shooting percentage categories: overall (54.0), 3-point (42.0) and free throw (88.4). She has scored 34 and 35 points in the two region wins.
 
Union has two more double-figure scorers on the season in DeAnna Thompson, a 6-2 forward at 13.1 points per game, and 5-9 guard Kelsey Risner at 11.8. The two combine for 17.5 rebounds per contest, at 9.2 and 8.3 respectively, ranking second and fourth in the GSC. Risner scored 27 in the win over Albany State, including seven 3-point goals.
 
These two teams met all the way back on Nov. 29 in Fort Lauderdale, with Thompson scoring 25 and pulling down 17 rebounds, helping to hand the Sharks – playing without senior leader Danielle Robinson (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), out with an injury – their first loss of the year, 83-78. Risner had 19 points, and Philamlee 12 on 5-of-13 shooting. She also had nine assists, but seven turnovers.
 
The Sharks were led in that game by Jasmine Wilkins' (R-Sr., Miami) 16 points, amongst five double digit scorers. Wilkins had 21 points and 18 rebounds in the South Region opener on Friday, while adding 14 more rebounds Saturday evening. Robinson has had 16 and 21 points, respectively, in the two victories, after averaging 15 a game during the three-game SSC tournament sweep.
 
Game time is 8 p.m. EST (7 p.m. Jackson time) from the Fred DeLay Gymnasium. The Lady Bulldogs certainly have a home court advantage, going 16-0 there this season, and often packing the facility, including 1,022 fans for their most recent win against West Florida.