ITTA BENA, Miss. – Alcorn Women's Basketball carries a six-game winning streak on the road for a pair of big Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) contests away to Mississippi Valley State (Feb. 5) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Feb. 7), as the Braves look to stay near the top of the league standings.
 
What: Game Twenty-One
Who: Alcorn (11-9, 8-1 SWAC) at Mississippi Valley State (4-15, 3-5 SWAC)
When: Thursday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m.
Where: Itta Bena, Miss. – R.W. Harrison HPER Complex (5,000)
 
Watch: SWAC TV
Attend: Online Ticket Sales
Live Stats: Click Here
Listen Live: 91.7 WPRL
 
What: Game Twenty-Two
Who: Alcorn at Arkansas-Pine Bluff
When: Saturday, Feb. 7, at 3 p.m.
Where: Pine Bluff, Ark. – H.O. Clemmons Arena (4,100)
 
Watch: UAPB Lions Roar YouTube
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
▪ Mississippi Valley State is not ranked in this week's Associated Press Top 25
▪ Arkansas-Pine Bluff 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
▪ Alcorn comes into the road streak just a half-game back of Alabama A&M at the top of the SWAC standings sporting an 8-1 record in the league.
▪ Under the direction of Head Coach Nate Kilbert, the Braves have rolled off wins in each of their last six games.
▪ The Braves are shooting 36.6 percent from the floor, and connecting on 31.1 percent of their shots from long range.
▪ In all, Alcorn averages 55.1 points per game while giving up 61.1 points per game to opponents.
▪ Graduate student Nakia Cheatham is third in the SWAC in scoring with 255 points (12.8 ppg), adding 6.7 rebounds per contest and delivering a team-high 19 blocked shots.
▪ Kiarra Henderson is second on the team in scoring with 177 points (8.9 ppg), and sits second on the squad with 37 steals.
▪ Against league opponents, Cheatham and Henderson each hold a double-digit scoring average.
▪ Cheatham was named this week's SWAC Impact Player of the Week after averaging 13.5 points and nine rebounds last week for the Purple and Gold, turning in 27 points altogether in the two contests.
 
RECAPPING ALCORN'S LAST GAME (vs. Grambling State)
Alcorn State women's basketball continued to establish itself as one of the top teams in SWAC play Monday night, rallying past Grambling State for a hard-fought 61–58 victory at the Davey L. Whitney Complex. The win marked the Braves' sixth straight and pushed them to 8–1 in conference play, reinforcing their position near the top of the league standings.

The game was a tale of resilience and timely execution for Alcorn State, which trailed by five points at halftime after Grambling jumped out to a strong first-quarter start. The Tigers controlled the opening period and carried a 33–30 advantage into the locker room, but the Braves emerged from halftime with renewed energy on both ends of the floor.
Junior guard Nakia Cheatham once again set the tone, delivering one of her most complete performances of the season. Cheatham finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, controlling the tempo and igniting the Braves' decisive third-quarter surge. Her ability to attack the paint, create for teammates, and clean the glass proved pivotal as Alcorn State flipped the momentum.
 
The Braves dominated the third quarter, outscoring Grambling 20–6 to seize control of the contest. Defensive pressure forced turnovers, while second-chance opportunities fueled the run. Kiarra Henderson provided a strong presence inside with 12 points and seven rebounds, including key baskets that extended the lead during the decisive stretch. Maya Claytor added 10 points, knocking down three timely three-pointers that helped stretch the defense and open lanes.
 
Lauren Nelson and Ja'Sharreah Hunt each contributed seven points, while Dalayja Hurt-Floyd made her impact felt defensively, creating turnovers and converting transition opportunities that energized the home crowd. Alcorn State's bench also played a crucial role, outscoring Grambling 19–8 and providing valuable minutes during key stretches.
 
Grambling State made a late push in the fourth quarter behind Monica Marsh, who led all scorers with 19 points, and Shaniah Nunn, who added 16. However, the Braves stayed composed down the stretch, executing defensively and making just enough plays to preserve the lead. Alcorn State held Grambling to 31.9 percent shooting from the field and forced several critical turnovers in the closing minutes to seal the win.
 
With the victory, Alcorn State improved to 11–9 overall and continued its strong run through conference play, showcasing balance, discipline, and poise in tight situations.
 
ALCORN VS. MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE SERIES
▪ Alcorn leads the series against Mississippi Valley State by a count of 22-15 dating back to 1987.
▪ The Braves have won the last two outings against the Delta Devilettes, including a seasons weep last year in Itta Bena and Lorman, respectfully.
▪ The Braves lost four consecutive to MVSU from 2023-24.
▪ The teams have split the last 10 games between the two sides, with Alcorn claiming a 72-63 win last season in Itta Bena.
▪ Alcorn is just 3-6 in the last nine games played in Itta Bena.
 
SCOUTING MVSU
▪ Mississippi Valley State is averaging 57.1 points per game, while the Delta Devilettes are allowing opponents to score an average of 83.5 points per contest.
▪ The Delta Devilettes are shooting 33.3 percent from the field overall, adding a 23.4 percent clip from three-point range.
▪ MVSU is being outrebounded by 9.4 boards per game, while ripping down 36.3 rebounds per contest.
▪ Ariel Jefferson leads the line in scoring with an average of 9.9 points per contest, followed by Sydnei Marshall at 8.3 points per game.
▪ The rebounds are provided by Jefferson as well, as she leads the MVSU side with 6.6 boards per game. Behind her is Desiree Smith (5.9 rpg), followed by Nairobi Lewis (4.9 rpg).
▪ Lewis is one of the best shot blockers in the SWAC, heading the Delta Devilettes with 30 total blocks on the campaign.
 
BCU VS. ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF SERIES
▪ Alcorn leads the all-time series against Arkansas-Pine Bluff by a count of 17-13 dating back to 2011.
▪ UAPB won four consecutive games from 2011-12, while the Golden Lions have also claimed the last three consecutive games, respectively.
▪ Alcorn's last win against UAPB came courtesy an 80-57 decision in Pine Bluff, Arkansas back on Feb. 10, 2024.
▪ From 2021-24, the Braves won five consecutive against the Golden Lions – the most consecutively by Alcorn in the series back to 2011.
▪ The Braves are 7-3 in Pine Bluff in the last 10 true road games against UAPB.
 
SCOUTING UAPB
▪ Before taking on Alcorn, Arkansas-Pine Bluff will take on Jackson State on Thursday, Feb. 5.
▪ UAPB has won three of its last five games, including a defeat of Mississippi Valley State by a 68-66 score line on January 31, in Itta Bena.
▪ The Golden Lions are scoring 57.1 points per game, while opponents score at a 70.2 points per game clip.
▪ UAPB is shooting at 36.9 percent from the field, adding a 57.3 percent touch at the foul line.
▪ As a team, the Golden Lions pull down 36.4 rebounds per game, while being outrebounded by 3.6 boards per contest.
▪ The scoring is paced by Indiya Bowen at 13.5 points per game, as she has poured in 257 points altogether across the season.
▪ Jailah Pelly is scoring 12.8 points per game (243 pts) and collecting 4.4 rebounds per game for her side.
▪ The assists are handed out by Pelly with a team-high 50, as teammates Bowen and Jasmine Davis have collected a team-high matching 35 steals apiece.
 
UP NEXT
Alcorn returns home to the Davey L. Whitney Complex to host the pair of SWAC Florida teams, beginning with Florida A&M on Thursday, Feb. 12, at 6 p.m.
 
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