The Alcorn State Braves of coach
Larry Smith will be shooting for their third straight SWAC win of the season Monday when they face off against the Grambling State Tigers in a 7:30PM tip off in the Davey Whitney Athletic Complex in Alcorn State, MS.
The Braves upset Jackson State 81-75 Saturday night at home, knocking the Tigers out of a first place tie in the SWAC with Texas Southern. The win pushed the Braves to 3-7 in SWAC play, and they are tied with Prairie View and Southern for the final spot to get into the SWAC tournament.
The Braves were led by Marquiz Baker's 23 points, Kendrick McDonald's 18, Korey Sander's 14 and Jamar Ragland's 12. The Braves won it from the charity stripe, with their last six points being generated from there.
ASU was 18 for 28 at the free throw line Saturday, but JSU was 26 for 41. ASU shot 49 per cent from the field and held JSU to 35 percent. The Braves first win of the season came against Grambling in early January on the road on a tip in at the buzzer by Willis Brownlee, who had a crowd rising slam dunk against JSU Saturday night. ASU won that game 75-73. Baker led ASU in scoring with 20 points and Brownlee led with seven rebounds in that win. Baker has scored twenty plus points in three straight Brave games, averaging 22.3 points. The SWAC early leader in scoring has regained his touch at the right time, in the stretch drive to the SWAC tournament.
Grambling State snapped a six game losing streak by nipping Southern 49-45 in Baton Rouge Saturday. The G-Men are now 2-8 in the SWAC, in
Last place and 4-18 overall. The probable starters for ASU will be guards Baker and McDonald, forwards
Brownlee and Ragland and at center Sanders. Sanders had seven offensive rebounds in ASU's win Saturday night.
The Braves will go on the road Saturday to face Ms. Valley and will celebrate Valentine's Day on the 14th against UAPB in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.
