The last time the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff played at home, the Golden Lions knocked off one of the SWAC’s best teams.
The UAPB men’s basketball team will look to get back to playing to that standard when the Golden Lions host Alabama State at 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Alabama A&M at 6 p.m. Monday at H.O. Clemmons Arena.
The ASU game will be on the SWAC Digital Network, while the AAMU game will be on the Golden Lion Athletics YouTube channel.
UAPB coach Solomon Bozeman said with four home games left this season, the Golden Lions need as many wins as they can get to have a chance at making the SWAC tournament.
“This week is very important, because you want to take care of home court so that you get some momentum going into the road,” Bozeman said.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“This is a very important week for our basketball team, and our guys understand it. We just gotta make sure we find a way to take care of business.”
UAPB (4-20, 1-10 SWAC) beat Texas Southern 69-68 the last time it played at home, but didn’t take momentum from that upset win into last week’s road trip in Mississippi, losing 79-60 to Alcorn State and 94-78 to Jackson State.
The TSU win, which came with the Tigers in second place, was one of UAPB’s best defensive performances this season.
The Golden Lions held TSU to 33.3% from the field despite the Tigers making nine 3-pointers.
It was the only game so far this season where UAPB held a Division I foe below 70 points.
That defense didn’t travel to Mississippi. Alcorn shot 47.2% from the field, while Jackson State shot a blistering 57.9% and made 13 of 31 attempts from 3-point range.
UAPB guard Christian Moore said the Golden Lions need to get back to the mindset they had entering the TSU game, which followed a home loss to Mississippi Valley State.
“I think we lost sight of what won us that game, the defensive intensity, the will to win,” Moore said.
“As a team, that game, we were really focused and locked in because of what happened at Valley. I still believe as a team we can get right back, and that’s what we’re looking to do this upcoming game.”
The Alabama schools are two of the only three teams which are shooting a lower percentage in SWAC play than Texas Southern, with both shooting slightly under 41%.
Alabama State (10-14, 6-5) enters this week coming off its own big upset win.
The Hornets handed Southern its first SWAC loss of the season this past Monday, 82-81, in Montgomery, Ala,. The Hornets have won two of their past three games, having also beaten Florida A&M 67-66 on the road.
Bozeman said stopping ASU’s momentum will require playing good defense.
“They got guys that can shoot that basketball,” Bozeman said.
“They got guys that can put it on the floor and get to the rim. They’re tough on that offensive end of the floor, so we gotta find a way to get some stops, and then they gotta guard us, too. I think our offense is going to pick up. I think our defense will get better.”
The last time UAPB and ASU met, the Golden Lions led by as much as 43-28 in the first half but ultimately lost 93-91 on a buzzer-beating layup by ASU guard CJ Hines in Montgomery.
Alabama A&M (7-17, 3-8) will travel to Mississippi Valley State on Saturday before coming to Pine Bluff on Monday.
The Bulldogs started SWAC play 2-0 with home wins against the Golden Lions and Delta Devils but have won once since, a 98-82 home win against Prairie View A&M.
The Bulldogs enter the week on a four-game losing streak and are 0-9 outside of Huntsville, Ala,.