The leaders of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Western Division will be at Knox-Windham Gymnasium Monday night when Spring Hill comes to town. While it is no surprise that the Miles Lady Bears are holding the top spot on the women's side, it is the Badgers who will play as the top team on the men's side with first place on the line.

The Lady Bears are arguably the hottest team in the country, winners of 15 straight entering Monday night. They are coming off two big wins last week over Kentucky State and Tuskegee that should see them rise in Tuesday's WBCA Division II rankings, where they are currently 20th. Miles has dominated Spring Hill as of late, winning the last six meetings overall by an average of 21.8 points. The Badgers have also lost on their last five trips to Fairfield.

Spring Hill has a new coach, hoping to change the fortunes of the program. The team has struggled in most areas but is solid in shooting 3-pointers, making more than five per game and tied for second in the SIAC in shooting 31 percent from behind the arc. Marta Duda (15.5 points per game, 3rd in SIAC) and Kellyn Hunter (14.3, 7th) are formidable with the ball in their hands. Still, that may not be enough to stop the league's top player, Iemyiah Harris. She is in the midst of a five-game stretch where she is averaging 22.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 3.4 steals per contest. She's made 4.4 3-pointers in that span, including eight on Saturday against Tuskegee. Madison Lee has stepped into the No. 2 scoring role, with 12.8 points and 5.4 rebounds over her last five games while shooting 42 percent from downtown.

The Golden Bears have been atop the Western Division for most of the season but a recent two-game skid has dropped them into second place, a half-game behind Spring Hill. Miles lost a one-point heartbreaker on Saturday against Tuskegee that brought an end to its 14-game home win streak. But the Badgers bring an opportunity to cure the recent ills. It has been nine years since the Golden Bears have lost to Spring Hill, against whom they have won 15 in-a-row. Spring Hill has also never won in Knox-Windham Gymnasium, having lost all eight contests in the venerable venue.

But this is a markedly improved Badgers program. They have won five straight and are currently 11-7 overall. It is the first time in the six years under current coach Craig Kennedy that they have won at least 10 games. Spring Hill has been playing close games all season, with seven of them decided by three points or less. The Badgers are 5-2 in those games, with three of them coming during their current winning streak.

This game could be decided by styles, as Spring Hill is one of the top offensive teams in the SIAC (79.3 points per game, 3rd) and Miles is among the best defensively (62.0, 2nd). These teams are first and second in 3-point percentage, but the Badgers have been outscored over the entire season and turn the ball over more than they take it (-3.39 turnover margin, worst in SIAC). Still, Miles will have to watch for the Spring Hill scoring tandem of Walter Peggs, Jr. (2nd in SIAC in scoring, 1st in 3-pointers made) and Isaiah Veal (8th in scoring) and look for big efforts from Alvin Miles (10th in scoring, third in steals) and Corey Trotter (third in rebounds, fourth in blocked shots).