STATESBORO, Ga. - The Georgia Southern women's basketball team returns home this week after a three-game road swing to host a pair of Sun Belt opponents at Hanner Fieldhouse, beginning Thursday.

The Eagles (3-15, 0-7 SBC) will take on Texas State (12-7, 5-3 SBC) on Thursday at 5 p.m., searching for their first Sun Belt win of the year. The Bobcats have alternated wins and losses over their last four games, notching an 86-52 win over UL Monroe last Thursday, but falling to Louisiana, 65-58, on Saturday. Texas State has two of the top three scorers in the league with Toshua Leavitt (18.2 ppg) pacing the Sun Belt and Taeler Deer (16.8 ppg) ranking third.

Georgia Southern has been paced recently by sophomore Alexis Brown, who has notched double digit scoring games in four of her last five contests, and is averaging 10.2 ppg in Sun Belt play this season. Texas State leads the relatively nascent series between the two teams, 3-2, but the Eagles have won the last two meetings, including a 71-69 Senior Day win in Statesboro last year.

Thursday's game is Salute to Heroes Night, with all active duty and veteran military personnel, police officers, firefighters, and EMS receive free admission with valid ID and may purchase discount $5 general admission tickets for either game or $10 for both games for family members. The game is also part of the Sun Belt Fights Cancer initiative and the women's basketball coaching staff will wear sneakers as a part of the Suits & Sneakers Week as college basketball teams across the nation work to raise awareness and money in conjunction with the American Cancer Society. 

The game will be broadcast on ESPN3, while Colin Lacy will have the call on an audio broadcast through the Georgia Southern Sports Network. Live stats are also available.

Saturday at 2 p.m., the Eagles host UT Arlington (10-9, 4-4 SBC) and preseason Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year Rebekah VanDijk. Van Dijk is averaging 13.7 ppg, 9.5 rpg and 1.8 bpg in 2017-18, while leading the league in field goal percentage (57.8 ppg). 

UT Arlington has won all five meetings between the two schools, including taking a 69-60 win over the Eagles in Statesboro. That contest was the first of the five meetings to have been decided by single digits.

Saturday's game is a Blue Out contest where all fans are encouraged to wear blue to the contest. Free glow sticks will be given out as well while supplies last.

Thee game will be broadcast on True Blue TV. Colin Lacy will again provide an audio broadcast through the Georgia Southern Sports Network and live stats will also available.