PINE BLUFF, Ark. | The Alabama A&M women's basketball team will travel to take on the Univeristy of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Mississippi Valley State on Thursday and Sunday after going 1-1 this past weekend. Thursday's contest is set to start at 6 p.m. while tip-off for Saturday is scheduled for 4 p.m.
The Bulldogs hit the road after defeating Grambling State 70-58 but falling to the Southern University Jaguars 50-44 at the AAMU Event center. Senior Alisha Wilson paced the Bulldogs over the weekend after averaging 17 points and 14.5 rebounds between the two contests and notched her 50th career double-double, which earned her Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Impact Player of the Week. Senior Kalia Walker tallied 23 points in the victory over the Tigers, including recording four of the five triples the Bulldogs accounted for.
The Golden Lions (3-18, 1-10 SWAC) look to snap a three-game losing streak after falling to Texas Southern, Jackson State and Alcorn. D'arrah Allen paces UAPB with an average of 12.9 points through 16 games, followed by Jailah Pelly's 8.9 points through 20 games and Kristyna Boyd's 8.4 points over 21 contests. Stephanie Okowi leads the Golden Lion defense, averaging 6.2 rebounds per game, and totaling 27 steals and 14 blocks through 20 games so far this season.
The last time AAMU and UAPB met on the hardwood was opening weekend of conference play where Alisha Wilson scored her 1000th career point as the Bulldogs topped the Golden Lions 66-52. Senior guard Darian Burgin led the Bulldog offense, scoring a season-high 18 points, while Wilson picked up 13 points and 14 rebounds and a game high four steals. Mailyn Wilkerson also finished in double figures, picking up 10 points, while Jaiyah Harris-Smith added five assists.
Thursday's contest will be the 44th meeting between the two and the Bulldogs lead the overall series, 29-14. It will also be Alabama A&M women's basketball head Coach Dawn Thornton's eighth time facing the Lady Lions and first meeting in Pine Bluff since she left the UAPB program to be at the helm of the Bulldogs.
Mississippi Valley State enters the weekend of play after going 1-1 last week, picking up a 63-59 victory over Alcorn State but falling 76-63 to Jackson State. Three Devilettes finished in double figures in both contests, with D'yanna Maxey, Jaylia Reed and Kearra Jones leading the charge in the win over the Braves. Clemisha Prackett grabbed a team-high 13 rebounds in the victory and led offensively along with Jones and Reed in the loss to JSU.
When AAMU and MVSU met during the opening weekend of conference play earlier this season, Kourtney Rittenberry led the team with a career-high 21 points in 20 minutes. Alisha Wilson added 13 points and a team-high 15 rebounds. Aniya Palmer went 6-7 from the field for 12 points in addition to six rebounds. Lauryn Pendleton and Darin Burgin both added 11 points, while Jaiyah Harris-Smith picked up six assists. AAMU leads the overall series with the Delta Devils 30-12 and Coach Thornton is undefeated in match ups with MVSU. Saturday's game can be live streamed here.
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