LORMAN, Miss. – Alcorn Women's Basketball welcomes Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman to the Davey L. Whitney Complex for a pair of Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) games set to begin Thursday, Feb. 12, in Lorman, Mississippi. The Braves come into the game having seen their eight-game winning streak snapped away to Arkansas-Pine Bluff in their last contest.
 
What: Game Twenty-Three
Who: Alcorn (12-10, 9-2 SWAC) vs. Florida A&M (7-15, 6-5 SWAC)
When: Thursday, Feb. 12, at 6 p.m.
Where: Lorman, Miss. – Davey L. Whitney Complex (7,000)
 
Watch: Alcorn Braves Sports Network
Attend: Online Ticket Sales
Live Stats: Click Here
Listen Live: 91.7 WPRL
 
What: Game Twenty-Four
Who: Alcorn vs. Bethune-Cookman
When: Saturday, Feb. 14, at 1 p.m.
Where: Lorman, Miss. – Davey L. Whitney Complex (7,000)
 
Watch: Alcorn Braves Sports Network
Attend: Online Ticket Sales
Live Stats: Click Here
Listen Live: 91.7 WPRL
 
IN THE RANKINGS
▪ Alcorn is not ranked in this week's Associated Press Top 25
▪ Florida A&M is not ranked in this week's Associated Press Top 25
▪ Bethune-Cookman is not ranked in this week's Associated Press Top 25
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Keep up with everything Alcorn Women's Basketball this season by following the Braves social media platforms. You can follow @BravesSports on X/Twitter and @AlcornSports on Instagram.
 
NEWS & NOTES
▪ The Braves have the league's third-best scoring defense allowing just 61.7 points per game. Opponents are shooting at a league third-lowest 38.6 percent mark against the Braves as well.
▪ Alcorn is led in three-pointers by Maya Hunkin-Claytor with 50, as the Purple and Gold own the SWAC's second-best three-point shooting average as a team with a 30.8 percent clip, respectfully.
▪ Nakia Cheatham is currently sixth in the league in scoring average with 12.6 points per game, having registered 278 points across the season.
▪ Hunkin-Claytor leads the SWAC in three-pointers per game (2.3) while tied for the most in the league (50) alongside Jackson State's Rhema Pegues.
▪ Three different Braves have 30 or more free throws – Kiarra Henderson (47), Ja'Sharreah Hunt (36) and Cheatham (35).
▪ Henderson sits atop the SWAC for assists (101), averaging 4.6 per game in the process.
▪ Cheatham owns four double-doubles on the year, including two in her last three games. Against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, she scored 11 points to go along with 10 rebounds.
▪ Chrishunti Walker scored in double figures three of her last four games, putting in 13 at UAPB in her last outing.
 
RECAPPING ALCORN'S LAST GAME (at Arkansas-Pine Bluff)
Arkansas-Pine Bluff erased a 19-point third quarter deficit Saturday afternoon to upend Alcorn 64-60 in a SWAC Women's Basketball thriller housed inside H.O. Clemmons Arena in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. For the Braves, the loss snaps a two-decade long eight-game winning streak.
 
Alcorn entered the game joint top of the SWAC standings with Alabama A&M, the only previous team to defeat the Braves prior to Saturday's contest – both of those games coming on the road. Arkansas-Pine Bluff used a game-high tying 20 points from Jailah Pelly, scoring eight of those points in the fourth quarter – adding a 3-for-4 effort from the field.
 
• Kiarra Henderson led all Braves in scoring with a game-high tying and season-high 20 points, adding eight assists and five rebounds.
• Three different players scored in double-figures – Henderson (20), Chrishunti Walker (13) and Nakia Cheatham (11).
• Cheatham turned in her fourth double-double of the campaign – and her second in the last three games, with 11 points and 10 rebounds on the afternoon.
• Henderson registered an 8 of 11 shooting touch from the field, including a three-pointer.
• Walker and Henderson combined to go 6-for-8 at the free throw line.
• This was the 17th game of the season in which Cheatham scored in double figures.
 
ALCORN VS. FLORIDA A&M SERIES
▪ Alcorn leads the all-time series against FAMU by a count of 7-5 dating back to 2019.
▪ The Braves have won the last four consecutive against the Rattlers, including a 61-48 decision in Tallahassee earlier this year.
▪ Alcorn is 4-1 against FAMU in Lorman, with the last game being a 75-72 victory back on Jan. 25, 2025.
▪ The Braves only loss to the Rattlers at home was a 60-58 setback in 2022.
 
SCOUTING FLORIDA A&M
▪ Florida A&M arrives to the "Magnolia State" with a record of 7-15 overall, while holding a 6-5 mark in SWAC play – tied for fifth in the standings.
▪ The Rattlers are scoring an average of 59.8 points per game – fifth-best in the conference in that category.
▪ FAMU leads the conference in free throw percentage (71.1%), having connected on a league-high 355 free throws on the campaign.
▪ As a team, Florida A&M is shooting 35.7 percent from the field, but just 22.3 percent from three-point range.
▪ The Rattlers rebound at 36.6 boards per contest, and opponents average 40.4 per game against them.
▪ The scoring is supplied by Shaniyah McCarthy (12.1 ppg) and Tahnyjia Purifoy (11.2 ppg).
▪ Miya Giles-Jones is the team's leading rebounder with an average of 6.1 per game, and Breazia Robinson tops the squad in blocked shots (27).
▪ Aina Subirats tops the squad in three-point shooting with 19 on the season.
 
BCU VS. BETHUNE-COOKMAN SERIES
▪ In a short series dating back to 2022, the series sits tied at four games apiece.
▪ Alcorn has won three of the last four outings, including a 56-51 contest earlier this year in Daytona Beach.
▪ The Braves are 3-1 all-time against Bethune-Cookman in Lorman, with the only setback being a 64-48 decision back on Feb. 12, 2022.
▪ The two sides split last season's meetings, with the home teams holding serve, respectfully.
 
SCOUTING BETHUNE-COOKMAN
▪ After dropping eight in a row, Bethune-Cookman has reeled off consecutive wins for the first time all season with a sweep of the Texas schools last weekend in Daytona Beach.
▪ The Wildcats arrive to Mississippi, first playing Jackson State, with a 5-19 overall record (3-8 SWAC).
▪ BCU scores just 55.5 points per game, giving up an average of 69.0 points per game in reverse.
▪ The Cats are shooting at a 35.1 percent clip from the field, and a 27.7 percent mark from beyond the arc.
▪ Opponents are outrebounding the Wildcats by a 4.8 boards per game average, as BCU is pulling in 33.8 rebounds per contest across the campaign.
▪ The team is led in scoring by point guard Daimoni Dorsey with 227 points (9.5 ppg), followed by Kailyn Peters with 161 points (6.7 ppg).
▪ Sophomore Janessa Kelley leads the Cats in three-pointers (23).
▪ Newcomer Sanai Tyler is the leading rebounder with 146 (6.6 rpg), adding 10 blocks and 17 steals to her credit.
 
UP NEXT
After hosting Bethune-Cookman on Saturday, the Braves have a week off before then playing host to in-state opponent Jackson State on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 1 p.m.
 
Follow Alcorn State Sports on Twitter (@BravesSports) for all the latest news and updates. Follow us on Instagram (@AlcornSports) and YouTube (Braves Sports Network) for even further behind-the-scenes action across all Braves Athletics.