SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PREVIEW

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Interstat) — The Alabama State Lady Hornets host the Jackson State Lady Tigers in a Southwestern Athletic Conference matchup Saturday at Dunn-Oliver Acadome.

Both teams seek to rebound from conference losses on Thursday. Alabama State (5-9, 1-1 SWAC) fell 49-40 to Alcorn State, while Jackson State (2-12, 0-2) dropped a 69-59 decision at Alabama A&M.

The Lady Hornets, led by guard Shamya Reid, have shown flashes in conference play, sandwiching a road win at Arkansas-Pine Bluff and a dominant 83-50 victory at Mississippi Valley State around the loss to Alcorn State. Reid averaged 16.5 points in those two wins. Alabama State’s season has been defined by a challenging non-conference slate featuring losses to power programs like LSU, Baylor and Mississippi State.

Jackson State enters on a seven-game skid, with its last win coming Nov. 29 against Gardner-Webb. The Lady Tigers’ struggles are compounded by a difficult stretch of road games; this contest marks their eighth true road game in their last nine outings.

A key player for Jackson State is forward PierreNoelle Tcheuhchoua, who is coming off a team-high 16-point performance in 31 minutes against Alabama A&M. She will be central to the Lady Tigers’ efforts to score against an Alabama State defense that held its first two SWAC opponents under 50 points before Thursday’s setback.

For Alabama State, Reid remains the focal point. She scored 17 points with five rebounds and four assists in the win at Mississippi Valley State last Saturday. Her backcourt play will be crucial against Jackson State’s pressure.

The game tips off at approximately 5:30 p.m. CST as part of a conference doubleheader. Alabama State looks to protect its home court and improve its standing, while Jackson State aims to secure its first SWAC victory and halt its lengthy losing streak.