GREAT FALLS, Mont. – The University of Providence women's basketball team will look to get back in the win column on Friday with a home game scheduled against Our Lady of the Lake. The Argos (8-2) will take on the Saints (1-5) on Friday at 3:00 p.m. in the McLaughlin Center.

The team, who is receiving votes in the latest NAIA National Poll, is coming off a three-game road trip in Washington this past weekend, winning the first two games before falling to Puget Sound on Sunday. The coaching staff didn't think the team defended the three-point line very well in the eight-point loss, and has made defense a priority during practice this week.

"Defensively we cleaned up some things, especially around guarding the three-point line and being able to guard off the bounce," head coach Bill Himmelberg said. "The focus has been on us. We're also making sure that we take care of the basketball."

The Saints are the final team the Argos will play before conference play starts on Dec. 2. The coaching staff has taken advantage of the opportunity to only scout one opponent as opposed to multiple, as they had to do during a majority of their non-conference schedule. Through their film work they discovered that the Saints are extremely athletic.

"This team is very quick and athletic," Himmelberg said. "They can get to the rim really well. They're going to be a problem to keep in front. We're going to have to make sure that we stay down. They really attack the basketball as well. They're going to bring high pressure defensively so we have to really make sure that we take care of the basketball."

The Saints will have to look to stop the Argos as well, who currently have four players averaging double-figures. The team is led by the two-headed monster of Parker Esary (15.1 ppg) and Emilee Maldonado (15.0 ppg).

"They've been great this week," Himmelberg said. "They're excited and ready to go. We're going to come out and play well."