By Kenton Brooks
WARNER — Coach Eddie Kite doesn’t expect Arkansas-Fort Smith to limp into Melvin Self Field House tonight when his Connors State Cowgirls clash with the Lady Lions in Bi-State Conference East Division action.
The Lady Lions had to forfeit 22 games last week because of an ineligible player, changing their record from 23-2 and 4-1 to 4-22 and 2-3.
The two teams play at 6 p.m. followed by the men’s game at 8 p.m.
Connors enters the game at 24-2 and 4-1 and No. 8 in the National Junior College Athletic Association poll. Kite said the change in the Lady Lions’ record doesn’t diminish the importance of tonight’s game
“It’s still a big game,” Kite said. “We want to hold our homecourt advantage. We would like to be the outright champions.
“These next three games are also big for this group of sophomores. They’re 52-7 since they’ve been here and they have three regular season games left in their careers.”
The Cowgirls got one of their bigger wins in the history of the program on the Lady Lions’ homecourt in the first meeting in late January. Ashleigh Franklin’s running hook shot as time expired lifted Connors to the 77-75 victory.
Tonight’s game marks the last time UAFS men and women will play in Warner. The program jumps into the Division II college ranks next season.
Big game for Connors men, too
The Cowboys (20-7, 4-1) look to put more breathing room in the standings with a win over the Lions (19-7, 3-2) as the regular season winds down.
“We’ve got win the rest of the games if we want to win our division,” coach Bill Muse said. “Only one of us (Connors) can go 7-1 but all three (including UAFS and Northeastern A&M;) can got 6-2. We’re in a good position. All three of our remaining games are important.
“Fort Smith is a very good team. NEO comes to our place and Carl Albert is as dangerous as anyone around.”
Like the Cowgirls, Muse’s squad also won the first meeting between the two in Fort Smith as Stephon Weaver had a game-high 33 points in the 78-73 victory.
After tonight’s games, Connors plays at home game against NEO on Feb. 23 and travels to Poteau to play Carl Albert on Feb. 26.
The Region II tournaments will be in Shawnee in March.
