JACKSON, Miss. (Interstat) — A surging Southern squad looks to continue its climb in the Southwestern Athletic Conference standings when it visits struggling Jackson State in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball matchup Thursday.

The Southern Lady Jaguars (10-8, 7-1 SWAC) have won seven of their last eight games, including a decisive 80-65 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday. They will face a Jackson State Lady Tigers team (5-14, 3-4) that snapped a four-game skid with a 52-46 road win at Bethune-Cookman its last time out.

Southern’s recent success has been fueled by efficient play and balanced contributions. In the win over Pine Bluff, Demya Porter scored 19 points while Jocelyn Tate posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Porter, a key player to watch, has been a consistent offensive threat, averaging 14.3 points over her last four games where she played at least 25 minutes.

Jackson State will counter with guard Jaileyah Cotton, who is coming off a solid all-around performance of 10 points, four rebounds and four assists in the Bethune-Cookman victory. Cotton has averaged 10.2 points and 4.8 assists over her last five contests, serving as a primary facilitator for the Lady Tigers’ offense.

The Lady Tigers have found wins hard to come by this season but have shown resilience at home in conference play, notching two of their three SWAC victories at the Lee E. Williams Athletic and Assembly Center. They will need to contain Southern’s momentum, as the Lady Jaguars have won their last three games by an average margin of 23 points.

Southern’s defense has been a hallmark during its run, holding opponents to an average of 52.1 points over the last seven wins. Jackson State, which averages just 54.6 points per game, will need to find consistent scoring to keep pace.

Thursday’s contest is the only scheduled meeting between the two teams this regular season. Southern visits Alcorn State on Saturday, while Jackson State hosts Grambling the same day.