WINFIELD, Kan. — Southwestern College finally gets to unpack.
The Lady Builders are back at Stewart Field House after a demanding stretch of Conference road games, returning home to host York University on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 1 p.m.
Southwestern comes into the weekend following back-to-back road losses at Avila (80-50) on Jan. 26 and Bethel (81-44) on Jan. 28. The Lady Builders are 4-17 overall and 0-15 in conference play, still in search of their first KCAC win. York enters at 6-16 overall and 1-14 in league action.
Saturday's game marks the second meeting between the teams this season. York claimed the first matchup, 81-65, on Jan. 3 in York, Nebraska. The Panthers used a strong second half and 14 made 3-pointers to pull away. Destiny Shepherd scored 22 points to lead York, while Sylvia Valentino added 14 off the bench. Southwestern was paced by Macey Pond, who finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds, with Kennedy Ford, Breanna Goad and Martha De La Rosa each scoring 11.
Pond has been the cornerstone for the Lady Builders throughout the season, leading the team with 15.9 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. Ford (10.7 points per game) and Goad (10.5) also average double figures, with Goad leading the team from beyond the arc. Southwestern averages 59.5 points per game but has been outscored by nearly 18 points per contest, while also facing a rebounding margin of minus eight.
York's offense is anchored by Shepherd, who averages 18.4 points per game and is the Panthers' primary scoring threat. York averages 67.1 points per game and is active defensively, forcing more than 20 turnovers per contest and averaging 10.7 steals.
The series history has favored York in recent years. The Panthers have won 11 straight meetings dating back to 2021, while Southwestern's last win in the series came during the 2019-20 season.
With conference play winding down, the Lady Builders will look to use the comfort of home and the support of the Stewart Field House crowd to reverse recent trends and compete against a familiar league opponent on Mental Health Night.