Alcorn Game Notes | Live Radio
HOUSTON – A pair of road games is on tap for the Alcorn State University men's basketball program when it opens conference play Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at Prairie View A&M at the William Nicks Building, followed by a 7:30 p.m. contest Monday against Texas Southern at H&PE Arena.
Both games can be heard live for free on 91.7 FM or wprl.org with Charles Edmond on the call.
It begins the fifth league season for head coach
Montez Robinson, who carries a 39-33 SWAC record in his career with the Braves.
Robinson has Alcorn (4-7) ranked first in the SWAC in several categories this year. It includes three-point percentage (.370), three-pointers made per game (9.8), free throw percentage (.724) and offensive rebounds (13.4 orpg).
Alcorn has four student-athletes averaging in double-figures. At the top is senior
Maurice Howard, a Preseason All-Conference First-Team selection with 14.3 points per game. Howard ranks sixth all-time in school history in assists (259) and 37th in scoring (1,102 points). He's made more threes than anyone in school history with 238.
This season, Howard ranks first in the SWAC in both three-point percentage (.388) and three-pointers made per game (2.9).
Junior
Troymain Crosby, a Preseason All-Conference Second-Team honoree, leads the league in free throw percentage (.821). He averages 11.8 points per game and scored 19 points with nine rebounds at Little Rock on Nov. 27.
Senior
Corey Tillery is second on the team in scoring with 12.1 points per game. He registered season-highs of 21 points and eight rebounds at Tulane on 9-of-18 shooting. Tillery is second in the SWAC in three-pointers made per game with 2.7, only behind Howard.
Senior
Deshaw Andrews is Alcorn's fourth double-figure scorer with 11.4 points per game. The forward is shooting .488 (20-41) from long-range.
Alcorn's leading rebounder is junior
Kobe Wilson with 5.6 rebounds per outing. He ranks top-five in the SWAC in offensive rebounding (2.1 orpg). Wilson registered his first career double-double with career-highs of 14 points and 12 rebounds against Paul Quinn.
Like Alcorn, PVAMU (4-9) and TSU (3-10) both played very difficult non-conference schedules. The Panthers have wins over Central Arkansas 78-72 and UTSA 79-72, while the Tigers defeated Lamar 76-73.
Both teams dropped very close games to marquee opponents including PVAMU's 54-50 loss at California, and TSU's 84-78 defeat at Oregon and 58-55 at Texas A&M.
The Panthers are guided by SWAC Preseason Player of the Year Devonte Petterson who averages 14.2 points per game. Patterson was on the 2018-19 SWAC All-Conference First-Team.
The Tigers have a balanced scoring attack with just one double-figure scorer. Tyrik Armstrong averages 15.2 points per game and shoots 11-16 (.423) from three and 37-44 (.841) from the free throw line.
Neither PVAMU or TSU have lost a home game this year.
The Braves will play their first conference home game on Saturday, Jan. 11 when they host Jackson State at 5:30 p.m. at the Davey L. Whitney Complex. The two teams are tied 58-58 all-time against each other. Additionally, Alcorn is 4-4 against JSU under Robinson.
NOTES
- Alcorn is 73-36 all-time against Prairie View A&M, and 53-62 all-time against Texas Southern.
- The Braves are looking to start 1-0 in conference for the first time since 2015-16. On Monday, Alcorn will try to snap a 25-game skid against the Tigers.
- Alcorn's last road win came on Feb. 17, 2018 when it defeated Alabama A&M 80-60. The Braves are looking to snap a 23-game road streak.
- Alcorn has been a second half team this year. It's outscored the opposition 424-384 in the second half.
- The Braves completed another loaded non-conference schedule. It included trips to DePaul, UL-Monroe, Memphis, N.C. State, Little Rock, Tulane and Santa Clara.
- The Braves have been without senior
Devon Brewer. The center has turned away 72 career blocks, and is attempting to become just the ninth player in school history to reach the 80-block plateau. He swatted away three blocks at Little Rock.
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