The San Jose City College women’s basketball team (3-4, 9-12) prepares to face the first-place team, Mission College, and its dominating force of players.

“(We) play our game,” assistant coach Fritzie Villegas wrote in an email. “We’ve got to worry about us and what our team goals are for that day.”

Even though SJCC guard Aiwekoe Okungbowa produced another double-double this season with 29 points and 15 rebounds, the Lady Jags lost on Jan. 11, 80-70, which was the last time they played Mission College this season on Mission’s home court.

“(We’ll do the) same as we do for any team, preparing to execute our stuff more effectively and not make some of the mistakes we have been making,” head coach Terri Oberg wrote in an email.

Still, it was not Mission’s large crowd of overzealous fans, Felicia Anderson’s 26 points or 6-foot 6-inch Gabrielle Ludwig’s 10 points and 10 rebounds that won the game for them.

In fact, according to the official statistics site for California Community College Athletics, SJCC was statistically better, shooting 42 percent from the field, 71 percent from the free-throw line and totaling 39 rebounds against Mission’s 35 percent shooting, 47 percent from the line and 28 rebounds.

It was SJCC’s four assists and 17 turnovers. Mission, on the other hand, had 10 assists, zero turnovers.

Some parts of the college-athlete community spoke out, saying the presence of the 6-foot 6-inch, 50-year old, ex-Navy seaman, ex-male collegiate basketball player, Ludwig, had a lot to do with their victory.

A couple of SJCC players, who asked not be identified, said the tempo of the game changed once she checked-in, and they were forced to double-team Ludwig, which left Mission’s top scorer, Anderson, open for an easy shot.

“Aside from (which team) has the most points by the end of the night, it’s whoever played the hardest,” wrote Villegas in an email about SJCC’s loss to Mission. “When you’re 6’7″, you will make a difference regardless.”

The Lady Jags have mentioned they are not intimidated by the size or scoring potential of the first-place team and plan on spoiling Mission’s attempt to remain undefeated in the Coast Conference-South.

“Our team is focused on improving as a unit,” Villegas wrote. “If the team works hard and has fun, then winning will take care of itself.”

SJCC will face Mission on Wednesday, Feb. 6 at 5 p.m. at Jaguars Arena in San Jose.