Women's Basketball | 1/12/2018 11:07:00 AM

Lady Braves Prepare for Weekend Action at MVSU, UAPB

MVSU: Game Notes | Live Radio
UAPB : Game Notes | Live Radio

ITTA BENA, Miss. – This weekend sees the Alcorn State University women's basketball program on the road as the Lady Braves play at Mississippi Valley State in a 2 p.m. meeting with the Devilettes Saturday at the R.W. Harrison Complex. The squad then heads to Pine Bluff, Ark. on Monday for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff versus the Lady Lions at H.O. Clemmons Arena.
 
"We have to start playing with some more fight and get back to playing our game," said head coach Courtney G. Pruitt, "If we do, we can get back to .500 after Monday."
 
Senior guards Tia Sanders and Alexus Freeman have started all 15 games this season and lead the Lady Braves with 16.5 and 14.5 points per game, respectively. Sanders leads the league with 42 three-pointers and senior forward Miracle Rushing owns 113 rebounds, also a conference high. Freeman has 71 assists and 62 steals to rank second in the SWAC in both categories.
 
The team is shooting 356-1,007 (35.4 percent) from the field, 94-312 (30.1 percent) from beyond the arc, and 153-248 (61.7 percent) at the free-throw line entering this weekend. Alcorn averages 63.9 points (-8.9), 38.2 rebounds (-4.2), 12.7 assists, 20.0 turnovers, 11.5 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game.
 
Mississippi Valley State | Jan. 13 | 2 p.m.
 
The Devilettes (0-15, 0-3 SWAC) are in search of their first win of the season and dropped a 65-48 decision at Alabama A&M on Monday. Kristy Parker netted 18 points and LaKendra Bassett added 13 to lead MVSU in the loss. A 7-1 run in the second helped pull Mississippi Valley to within four, but the Lady Bulldogs scored six unanswered to go up 29-19 at the break. AAMU controlled the second half as they led by no less than 11 points and held MVSU to 29.8 percent shooting from the floor.
 
Parker is the team's leading scorer with 15.2 points per game. Bassett follows with 14.1 points per outing, leads the Devilettes with 16 long balls, and is the top rebounder with 73 boards (4.9 rpg). Defensively, Bassett owns 44 steals and Makayla Bonner has five blocks.
 
MVSU is shooting 282-895 (31.5 percent) from the floor, including 55-272 (20.2 percent) from deep, and 193-318 (60.7 percent) at the charity stripe. The Devilettes are averaging 54.1 points (-24.8), 31.3 rebounds (-16.2), 7.9 assists, 14.3 turnovers, 9.5 steals, and 1.2 blocks per contest.
 
Alcorn has taken the last seven meetings between the two programs, including a 62-43 win in the opening round of the 2015-16 SWAC Championships. MVSU's last win came during the 2013-14 campaign when the Devilettes swept the series.
 
Arkansas-Pine Bluff | Jan. 15 | 5:30 p.m.
 
The Lady Lions (3-10, 1-1 SWAC) opened conference play with a win over MVSU but have since lost to Alabama A&M, 52-49, and Alabama State, 63-54. Against the Lady Hornets on Monday, Malaik Muhammad finished with 10 points while Aiya El Hassan and Destiny Brewton contributed nine points apiece.
 
Faith Ohanta is UAPB's top scorer at 13.3 points and top rebounder with 109 boards (9.1 rpg). Muhammad is to the go-to option from long-range with 12 threes. On defense, El Hassan owns 17 steals and Shawntayla Harris has 20 blocks. Harris' 2.0 blocks per contest ranks her first in the conference.
 
UPAB is shooting 232-723 (32.1 percent) from the field, 28-161 (17.4 percent) from deep, and 193-287 (67.2 percent) at the line. The Lady Lions average 52.7 points (-19.1), 36.8 rebounds (-4.9), 9.8 assists, 20.5 turnovers, 8.5 steals, and 3.1 blocks per game.
 
Alcorn and UAPB split the series last season with both programs winning on their home courts. The Lady Braves earned a 70-48 victory on Jan. 16 and the Lady Lions held on for a 61-56 final on Feb. 13.
 
NOTES
 
- Going into Monday's game against Grambling State, Alcorn was 5-0 when out-rebounding opponents. It was the first time this season the Lady Braves won the battle on the glass but didn't come away with the win.
 
- Alcorn trailed by as many as 18 and fought back to within 53-50 at the end of the third quarter, but Grambling outscored the Lady Braves 22-18 in the final 10 minutes to grab the victory.
 
- Sanders tallied 26 points to lead Alcorn in Monday's loss. It marked the seventh time this season the Pensacola, Fla. native has scored 20 or more points. She added eight rebounds with four assists and a pair of steals.
 
- Brianna Tolliver was close to a double-double with a season-high 11 points and a career-high nine rebounds. The redshirt-sophomore guard made a season-high four free-throws and tied her season high with three field goals.
 
- Sanders eclipsed 500 career points as a Lady Brave in the conference-opening win at Prairie View on Jan. 1. Freeman reached the same milestone at Texas Southern on Jan. 3.
 
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