Conference play begins Saturday in the SWAC, and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff is hoping for a better start than last season.
The UAPB men’s basketball team hosts Alabama A&M at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at H.O. Clemmons Arena in each team’s conference opener. The Golden Lions will then host Alabama State at 7:30 p.m. Monday.
UAPB (5-8) opened SWAC play against these same two teams last year, though on the road. The Golden Lions lost both games, putting them in an early hole in the conference race. UAPB went on to win its next four games, but head coach Solomon Bozeman said the Golden Lions need a better start this season.
“Our guys are locked in,” Bozeman said. “We’re ready and excited to get on the court. It’s definitely important to get out to a good start. Really respect both of these teams. Alabama A&M is our first opponent, so our total focus is on Alabama A&M and just figuring out a way to just get the job done.”
The Golden Lions began this season 3-1 after earning a Division I road win Nov. 13 at Central Arkansas, 85-83, but have struggled against Division I foes since.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Alabama A&M (1-12) similarly owns one Division I victory, an 85-83 overtime win at home against Tennessee State. The Bulldogs’ only non-Division I game was an exhibition.
Alabama State (5-8) owns two Division I victories after the Hornets beat North Carolina A&T 88-73 and Merrimack 66-60 in late November in Birmingham, Alabama.
UAPB has had some time to regroup from its busy non-conference slate, which ended with a 125-75 home win against non-NCAA foe Ecclesia College on Dec. 18. The Golden Lions have had 19 days to rest, recover and prepare for the Bulldogs and Hornets.
Bozeman said this time has been good for the Golden Lions.
“Guys got to go home for about a week and spend time with their families,” Bozeman said. “We’ve had some really, really good practices. Been doing two-a-days, and our energy has really been good. Guys have just been bringing the energy every day and been locked in. We’ve had some time just to clean up things that we need to get better at.”
The biggest question facing UAPB entering conference action is its defensive play. The Golden Lions allowed an average of 89.3 points per game during non-conference, which ranks last in the SWAC. Six opponents scored 100 or more points.
Alabama A&M’s offense ranks sixth in the SWAC, led by senior Dailin Smith’s 14.2 points per game. Alabama State’s offense ranks fourth, led by junior TJ Madlock’s 15.8 points per game.
Bozeman said UAPB has worked on defense every day in practice.
“Defense has been a main key for our team, and also rebounding,” Bozeman said. “Those are the two things that we’ve been working on on an everyday basis, just trying to continue to grow in that area, and I think [the] guys have been doing a better job of just being in the right spots. We’ve been communicating a lot better, just the small details that we need to clean up.”