ARCATA — Coming off a long break in action, Humboldt State women's basketball hopes to end the 2012 year on a positive note as the Lumberjacks take on non-conference opponent Simpson University. 

The Jacks tip off at 7:00 p.m. on Dec. 29 in Lumberjack Arena, looking to shake off any sluggishness picked up while celebrating the holidays before they resume California Collegiate Athletic Association action after the new year.

"The holiday break is always a concern for coaches because you usually don't come back playing as sharp as you were going into the break," head coach Joddie Gleason expressed her concerns. "We'll have a few practices and this Simpson game to help get us ready for the tough CCAA schedule to follow.

"On the positive side, this break is a great way for the players and coaches to step away from basketball for a bit and come back rested and rejuvenated," said Gleason.

Head-to-Head

The Dec. 29 contest will mark the first time the Red Hawks and Jacks will have played against each other.

On-the-Air

Red Hawk Notes

Simpson has quite a few games under its belt, posting a 4-9 overall average. The Red Hawks, whose game on Dec. 20 against New Hope Christian was canceled, hope to build off their tight 77-74 victory over Western Oregon. Collectively, the Red Hawks average 64.2 points per game, but surrender 74.3 ppg. ... Three players score on average in double digits, led by Nichole Jones with 15.0 ppg. Ariassa Wilson follows with 13.5 ppg and Tiffany Aaserude averages 10.0 ppg. ... Wilson also leads the team coming off the boards, averaging 7.4 rebounds per game. ... Defensively, Jones leads the team with 50 steals, making up a third of the Red Hawks' 156 total steals.

Lumberjack Notes

Prior to the break, Humboldt State was averaging 62.6 points per game while standing at 6-3 overall. The Jacks picked up the sweep over Cal Poly Pomona and hope to carry the momentum, despite the break. ... Lisa Petty has been the Jacks' leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 18.4 ppg (34th in the nation) and 8.8 rebounds per game. She has already picked up three double-doubles (39th in nation) this season, while leading HSU in scoring seven times and rebounds five times. ... Caitie Richards and Kelly Kime also average points in double figures, scoring 12.0 ppg and 10.4 ppg, respectively. ... Defensively as a team, Humboldt State ranks ninth in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Div. II for three-point field goal defense.

Gleason Gabs

"We're hoping to use the Simpson game to jump start us both physically and mentally back into game shape. ... I am really happy with where the team is right now. Our team chemistry and leadership are great and the team work ethic is positive. The new players know what to expect from us as coaches and also have seen what kind of competition we play against in our tough schedule so far.  We brought in so many new faces who have played a lot of minutes in these first nine games which will be valuable in the long run. ...Non-conference games are important for a variety of reasons. This one against Simpson is important because of the timing of the game right after break, as well as a way to get another practice run for the team while playing at home. ... Simpson does a good job of pushing tempo and getting up and down the court.  We will have to play solid transition defense to try and slow them down. ... We will have a size advantage over Simpson and will need to get the ball inside within our offensive sets and crash the offensive boards. That will give us some important second chance opportunities. ... We are excited to have an opportunity to play at home for just the third time this season and to get the chance to play an important non-conference game  which can help us get ready for conference action."