Preview: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats at Alabama State Hornets

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Interstat) — A pair of SWAC men’s basketball teams looking to build momentum will meet Saturday when the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats visit the Alabama State Hornets at Dunn-Oliver Acadome.

Bethune-Cookman (9-11) enters on a three-game winning streak, most recently an 82-73 victory over Alcorn State on Monday. The Wildcats have found success in conference play, winning five of their last six SWAC contests after a difficult non-conference slate that included lopsided road losses to power-conference opponents Arizona, Missouri and Oklahoma State.

The Wildcats are led by forward Daniel Rouzan, who is coming off a 24-point performance against Alcorn State. Over his last eight games, Rouzan is averaging 13.5 points, including a 17-point outing in an overtime win at Arkansas-Pine Bluff. He is complemented by guard Jakobi Heady, who scored 20 points in the last outing.

Alabama State (6-13) seeks to rebound from a 96-64 road loss to Texas Southern on Tuesday. The Hornets’ season has been marked by inconsistency, mixing SWAC wins over Prairie View and Alcorn State with several double-digit defeats.

Guard Tyler Byrd provides a scoring spark for the Hornets. He erupted for a season-high 29 points and added eight rebounds in the loss to Texas Southern. Byrd has scored in double figures in three of his last six appearances.

The matchup features two teams with contrasting recent trajectories. Bethune-Cookman has surged in January, while Alabama State has lost two of its last three. The Wildcats won both meetings last season.

Saturday’s game is the first of two regular-season matchups between the schools this season. They are scheduled to meet again in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Feb. 19.

Tipoff is set for Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, in Montgomery.