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THIBODAUX, La. – Sometimes when a television schedule is set months in advance, the matchup turns out to be somewhat unappealing. Saturday at Stopher Gym is not one of those cases as Nicholls State University and Central Arkansas carry winning streaks into the Southland Conference women's basketball showdown at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN3. The contest will follow the men's game slated for 3 p.m.
 
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After a rough non-conference filled with injuries and growing pains, the Colonels (6-10, 4-2 SLC) are at full strength and have won three straight games to climb into fourth place of the Southland Conference standings. Nicholls knocked off Northwestern State, which headed into the matchup with just one conference loss, 70-61, on Wednesday at Stopher and the Colonels will face another team ahead of them in the standings in UCA. The Sugar Bears captured their fifth consecutive win by defeating New Orleans Thursday night, improving their record to 5-1 in the Southland and 15-2 on the season.
 
If the actual game itself wasn't enough, history could be reached on Saturday as Colonel head coach DoBee Plaisance is one win away from matching the program's record for all-time coaching victories. In her eighth season, Plaisance has led her squads to four consecutive campaigns of 15 or more wins, and three straight winning seasons. Plaisance's 88 wins at Nicholls trails Hall of Fame coach Ben Abadie, who finished his tenure with 89. 
 
Four of Plaisance's wins have come in the last four meetings against Central Arkansas, including two last season. While UCA leads the all-times series, 11-7, Nicholls extended its winning streak to four games in the series with a 75-72 overtime win on the road and a 53-43 victory on Senior Day last season.
 
Nicholls has been dialed in from long range during over the last three games, averaging 10 3-pointers per game at a 38 percent clip. The opposition has averaged 5.3 per game during the stretch, shooting just over 30 percent. The Colonels made 14 in the win over NSU, which tied the program mark for a single game.
 
LiAnn McCarthy (11.7 ppg) and Hope Pawlowski (10.4 ppg) have scored the bulk of the points over the last three games, averaging 16.7 and 14.0 points, respectively. Freshman Cassidy Barrios has ran the offense as of late, putting together a 13-7 assist-to-turnover ratio, while Taylor Morrison has drained 8 of 17 from downtown.
 
UCA heads into the matchup as not only the top defensive team in the Southland, but the Sugar Bears are among the best in the nation. Out of 344 teams in Division I basketball, no one has allowed fewer points per game as UCA is tops at 47.1. They also rank ninth in the country in field goal percentage defense as teams are making just 33.4 percent from the field.
 
UCA is led on offense by Maggie Proffitt, who is averaging over 14 points on the season and 16.5 in conference play. In last season's matchups, the Colonels were able to contain the sharp-shooting guard as she averaged 6.5 points on 6-of-24 from the field. Brianna Mullins (9.9 ppg) paced the Sugar Bears in the win over UNO Thursday with a season-high 18 points.
 
Following Saturday's contest, Nicholls will hit the road for its next two games. The Colonels will play at New Orleans on Jan. 27 before heading to San Antonio for a matchup at Incarnate Word on Jan. 30.