By Jim O'Hara
 
ROME, Ga. – Having secured a win that eluded them for a month, the Shorter women's basketball team is now ready to win for their coach.

On Thursday night, the Lady Hawks open a three-game Gulf South Conference road trip starting set squaring off against West Florida at 6 p.m. in Pensacola, Fla., where they will be out to provide head coach Vic Mitchell with a milestone 400^th career win.

That feat could be well within reach as the Lady Hawks (6-16 overall, 4-12) head to the Sunshine State coming off their best performance of the season – and one that brought an end to a seven-game losing run – when they rolled past West Alabama last Sunday 84-68.

In that game, the Lady Hawks had their best offensive output of the season as Shorter wound up shooting a season-best 65 percent from the floor and converted 60 percent of their shot from three-point range.

In addition, Shorter also came up with what was clearly the best balanced showing of the year as well as the team combined for 20 assists and 38 points off the bench – both season highs – and saw every player dressed out break into the scoring column.

Coming up with her best game of the year was sophomore Tamarr Williams, who came off the bench to sink five of her six shots, including making all four of her three-point attempts, to finish with a career high 14 points.

The teamwork and the depth production will be needed during the Lady Hawks' travels, as will be the continued output from a quartet of players who have been constants throughout the year – junior Ieshia Alexander (averaging 13.4 points and 44 percent FG), senior Karisma Boykin (11.6 ppg, 4.0 assists and 5.4 rebounds), senior Lynette Harris (10.5 points and 5.9 rebounds) and senior Kristin Nash (9.5 and 4.6 rebounds.)

The Lady Hawks came away with a 66-56 win over the Argos (14-7, 9-6) in the first clash between the teams on Jan. 16, but Mitchell and his squad are well aware that West Florida is on a late-season roll.

In their last two games, West Florida has turned in back-to-back wins over North Alabama and Valdosta State thanks to a strong inside game, and in their last five games have had five different players lead the team in scoring.

After its tilt against West Florida, Shorter remains on the GSC road for a Saturday showdown at Valdosta State, and plays its final game on an opponent's home court when the Lady Hawks visit West Georgia in Carrollton next Tuesday.

The Lady Hawks wrap up the regular season in the warm confines of the Winthrop-King Centre on Saturday, March 1 when they host rival and conference leader Lee.