DATE: Feb. 25, 2016

Stats at a Glance PC AU Record 18-7 14-11 USA South Record 13-3 9-7 Points/GM 75.4 71.5 Points Allowed/GM 60.7 67.4 Field Goal % 42.1 37.2 3-Pt. Field Goal % 29.2 31.1 Rebounds/GM 41.7 43.6 Rebounding Margin -0.3 -3.5 Turnovers/GM 17.2 18.1

TIME: 3:00 pm ET
LOCATION: Maryville, TN
FACILITY: Maryville College
LAST MEETING: PC 73-64 (1/16/16 at PC)
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STORYLINES
--Rematch of a 9-point Piedmont win back in January
--Lady Lions looking to advance past USA South quarters for first time
--Winner takes on either #3 seed Ferrum or #6 seed Methodist

GAME FACTS
The Lady Lions will be playing in the USA South postseason for the third straight time when they travel to Maryville, Tennessee for their quarterfinal match-up with the Cougars of Averett University on Thursday, February 25.  Tipoff is set for 3:00 pm and live stats and live video will be available for fans unable to make the trip.

SCOUTING AVERETT
The Cougars come into Thursday's match-up with a 14-11 overall record having finished 7th in the USA South regular season standings.  Averett is led by a pair of double-digit scorers in Samm Chandler and Jessica Myers who are averaging 17.6 and 11.9 points per game respectively.  Chandler and Myers were also the team's leading scorer in the last game between these two programs with both scoring 16 points in the 73-64 loss to Piedmont on January 16.  The two also lead AU in assists per game as well.  The Cougars are coached by Liz Hickey who is in her fifth season with a career record of 55-77 at AU having taken the program to the USA South postseason in four of the last five years.

SERIES RECORDS
The Lady Lions are 4-1 against Averett in the last five meetings and 4-0 in meetings with both in the USA South (since 2012-13).  Piedmont's margin of victory in those last four wins is 14 points per game.

THREE AMIGOS
Piedmont saw three players named to this week's All-Conference listing as MARY KATE RUSHTON, LE'SHAUNDA JONES, and BRIANNA BARRETT all earned spots on the honor roll.  Rushton was named to the 1st team while Jones was a 2nd team selection and Barrett earned Honorable Mention status.  Barrett leads the league in assist to turnover ratio while Rushton is 2nd in points per 40 minutes and Jones is 3rd in the league in steals.  Barrett and Jones were both repeat selections having earned All-Conference accolades last season as well.

ALL GOOD THINGS COME IN THREES?
The Green and Gold are hoping history repeats itself considering its current status as PC enters Thursday's quarterfinal on a three-game losing streak.  However, the last time that Piedmont had a three-game losing streak was earlier this season, right before the Lady Lions ripped off 14 wins in a row tying the program's NCAA Era record.  Should that same history repeat itself, the Lady Lions would find themselves in the national championship discussion, something that a recent HERO Sports article mentioned regarding the Green and Gold and the possibility of bracket busting should Piedmont win out this weekend and make the tourney field. 

PC HOPING TRIO IS JUST AN APPETIZER
The Lady Lions experienced a first on Wednesday afternoon with three players named to the All-Conference listing, the most since Piedmont became a USA South member in 2012-13.  However, despite the first of having three players on the All-Conference listing, the Lady Lions are hoping that is just the start of firsts this week as Piedmont is looking for its first USA South postseason win in three trips to the tourney, and what's more, a USA South crown as well for the first time in women's basketball.  Piedmont won three conference tournament titles in women's basketball in its final six years as a member of the Great South Athletic Conference before making the jump to the USA South four seasons ago.

LAST TIME OUT: V. LAGRANGE 79-70 L
The Lady Lion basketball team trailed by three late, but couldn't close the gap in the end of a 79-70 loss to LaGrange College earlier Saturday afternoon on Senior Day in Cave Arena.  Piedmont honored a four-member senior class following the game with veterans MARY KATE RUSHTON, TAYLOR SWOSZOWSKI, LE'SHAUNDA JONES, andSYMONE BALL playing their final game in Cave Arena.

LaGrange controlled the 1st quarter leading 18-11 and looked to be headed to the locker room with the lead in hand before the Lady Lions had other ideas.  

PC closed the 2nd quarter on a 9-2 run that started and ended with JATASIA BAILEY three-pointers as her second with six seconds left gave Piedmont a one-point edge at the break, 35-34. The two traded shots in the 3rd, but the Panthers were able to get to the free throw line at will hitting on 31-of-41 attempts at the stripe, the most free throw attempts by a Piedmont opponent this season.

Piedmont still had a shot though down three late in the 4th, but the Lady Lions could not find their groove failing to hit on their final four shots from the field after the LE'SHAUNDA JONES lay-up with just over two minutes that made it a one-possession game.  LaGrange would go on to ice it at the line taking down Piedmont by nine who was previously undefeated at home in the 2015-16 season (9-0).

NEXT UP FOR THE TEAM
The winner of Thursday's game will advance to face the winner of #6 seed Methodist University and #3 seed Ferrum College. The semi-final action on Friday would begin at 5:00 p.m.