Alabama A&M: Game Notes | Live Stats | Live Radio
Alabama State: Game Notes | Live Stats | Live Radio
LORMAN, Miss. – The Alcorn State University women's basketball looks to build off its pair of wins last weekend as the Lady Braves (7-10, 3-3 SWAC) face Alabama A&M in a 3 p.m. game Saturday at the Davey L. Whitney Complex. The team then hosts Alabama State on Monday at 5:30 p.m.
Senior guards
Tia Sanders and
Alexus Freeman combined for 53 points in last Saturday's win at Mississippi Valley State. The duo is averaging 16.9 and 15.2 points, respectively to lead the team. Junior guard
Cloe Lane follows with 8.4 points. Senior forward
Miracle Rushing posted her sixth double-double of the season with a career-high 21 points and a season-high 15 rebounds in last Monday's win at Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The Meridian, Miss. Made a key late bucket to help secure the victory over the Lady Lions and is averaging 7.8 points and a team-high 8.4 boards.
The Lady Braves built double-digit leads in both games last weekend, but allowed late runs as MVSU and UAPB threatened in the fourth quarter.
"We've got to put together a complete ball game," said head coach
Courtney G. Pruitt. "We can't come from behind nor can we establish a lead and lose it. We've got to do a better job of converting our defense into offense as well as rebounding the ball and not giving our opponents any second chances."
Alcorn enters the weekend shooting 416-1129 (36.8 percent) from the field, including 105-344 (30.5 percent) from beyond the arc, and 178-291 (61.2 percent) at the free-throw line. The Lady Braves average 65.6 points (-7.3), 37.5 rebounds (-4.3), 12.3 assists, 20.6 turnovers, 11.9 steals, and 1.8 blocks per outing.
Alabama A&M | Jan. 20 | 3 p.m.
The Lady Bulldogs (8-8, 3-2) sit just above Alcorn in the conference standings and have won three straight. AAMU defeated MVSU on Monday 65-48 as Jameica Cobb, Lauren McKee, and Nigeria Jones each netted 11 points. Cobb made it a double-double with 12 rebounds and three assists. Kanisha Tharpe pulled down a game-high 13 boards with six points, two assists, and two blocks.
Jones is the top scorer at 8.8 points per game, followed by Ashlyn Dotson at 7.9 points. Natalie Collins and McKee have combined for 40 three-pointers while Tharpe is the leader on the glass with 6.6 rebounds. Defensively, Jones and McKee each own 23 steals and Alexandra Johnson has seven blocks.
AAMU shoots 353-988 (35.7 percent) from the floor, 61-247 (24.7 percent) from distance, and 144-239 (60.3 percent) at the charity stripe. The Lady Bulldogs score 56.9 points (-6.5) with 39.4 rebounds (+1.4), 18.9 turnovers, 7.7 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game.
Alcorn has won six straight over AAMU, sweeping the Lady Bulldogs the past three seasons. Last year, the Lady Braves won 73-57 in Huntsville, Ala. on Jan. 23 and earned a 71-42 victory Feb. 20 at home.
Alabama State | Jan. 22 | 5:30 p.m.
The Lady Hornets (4-12, 2-3) are tied for seventh in the league standings and had Monday off. The team dropped a 78-69 decision at home last Saturday to AAMU as four players scored in double figures. Kenya Pye, Keimeshia Walker, Tatayna Calhoun, and Amber Hunt each scored 12 points, with Courtney Lee secured six rebounds.
Walker is close to double-digit scoring with 9.8 points per game. Calhoun follows with 7.4 points and leads the team with 6.4 boards and 24 blocks. Hunt and Pye are the sharp-shooters with 17 and 13 threes, respectively. Five different players have double-digit steals, led by Areleatha Gipson's 24 and Lee's 22.
ASU is averaging 54.6 points (-17.2), 37.2 rebounds (-2.5), 9.7 assists, 22.3 turnovers, 7.1 steals, and 3.0 blocks per contest. The team is shooting 292-842 (34.7 percent) from the field, 60-225 (26.7 percent) from long-range, and 229-349 (65.6 percent) at the line.
Alabama State swept the regular-season series the past two seasons. Alcorn's last win over the Lady Hornets was a 77-72 overtime victory at home on Feb. 21, 2015. The Lady Braves outscored the visitors 11-6 in extra time as Norianna Haynes recorded a double-double with 38 points and 14 rebounds.
NOTES
- Rushing's 21 points are a career high. Her previous best was 14 points, a mark she had reached twice this season and three times in her career.
- Rushing leads the conference in rebounding and offensive rebounding (3.8 orpg).
- Sanders is atop the SWAC in three-point field goal percentage (40.9) and is second in three-point field goals made (2.6 pg).
- Freeman is second in the league in assists (4.5 apg), steals (4.2 spg), and assist/turnover ration (1.1).
- Lane recorded a career-high three blocks and freshman forward
Jamaysha Bernard tied her season high with a pair of blocks against the Lady Lions. The five blocks tie the team's season high, set in the season-opening overtime win at Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 10.
- The Lady Braves are now 4-0 when leading at the half, 3-0 when scoring 80 or more points, and 3-0 when scoring more points in the paint.
- Alcorn scored 27 points in the second, which ties its season high and marks the third time the team has reached that mark. The Lady Braves tallied 27 points in the third quarter against LeMoyne-Owen on Nov. 15 and netted 27 in the third quarter versus Tougaloo on Nov. 30.
- The Lady Braves rank second in the SWAC in three-point field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage defense (28.0). The team is third in steals and offensive rebound per game.
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