Preview: Florida A&M Lady Rattlers at Alabama State Lady Hornets

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Interstat) — Two Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s basketball teams seeking consistency will meet Thursday when the Alabama State Lady Hornets host the Florida A&M Lady Rattlers at Dunn-Oliver Acadome.

The Lady Hornets (7-11 overall) enter on a two-game winning streak following a 76-58 road victory at Prairie View on Saturday. Alabama State has shown resilience in conference play, with its wins often fueled by balanced scoring. In the win over Prairie View, Amari Franklin provided a major spark off the bench, scoring 15 points in just 13 minutes. Franklin’s efficiency will be a key factor for the Lady Hornets’ second unit.

Florida A&M (5-13) looks to rebound from a 48-61 home loss to Alcorn State last Saturday. The Lady Rattlers’ fortunes often follow the play of guard Tahnyjia Purifoy, who leads the team in scoring and playmaking. Purifoy is averaging 16.1 points and 4.6 assists over her last eight games, including a 22-point, 8-assist performance in a win at Mississippi Valley State on Jan. 15. She logged 38 minutes and led the team with 14 points and 5 assists in the loss to Alcorn State.

Alabama State holds a slight edge in the overall season record, but both teams have experienced similar struggles, particularly in non-conference play against power opponents. The Lady Hornets will aim to protect their home court, where they are 3-3 this season. Florida A&M is 1-8 in road games.

The matchup pits Alabama State’s recent momentum against a Florida A&M team reliant on Purifoy’s ability to control the game. Containing Purifoy will be a primary focus for the Lady Hornets’ defense, while the Lady Rattlers must find secondary scoring to complement their star guard.

Tip-off is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Montgomery. The game is part of a full SWAC schedule as both teams jockey for position in the conference standings ahead of the postseason tournament.