After suffering its first loss and being stranded in Houston for several days, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff women’s basketball team is home looking to bounce back.
The Lady Lions will host Florida A&M at 1 p.m. Saturday at H.O. Clemmons Arena, then host Bethune-Cookman at 5:30 p.m. Monday.
UAPB (7-9, 2-1 SWAC) is looking for redemption after last Saturday’s 85-80 loss at Texas Southern, which senior guard Kaila Walker called a reality check.
“The season’s not over with,” Walker said. “We just gotta come harder each game and know that everybody wants to be a winner, and it’s not going to come easy for us. So, we just gotta be ready and be in the right mindset.”
The Lady Lions had plenty of time to think about that loss. They were traveling to Prairie View A&M for another game Monday when they heard that game was being postponed due to weather. That same weather prevented UAPB from returning to Pine Bluff until Wednesday night.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
UAPB coach Dawn Thornton said Saturday was one of Texas Southern’s best games and one of UAPB’s worst this season, and it is a sign the Lady Lions are going to get every team’s best shot in SWAC play after the attention they got for their non-conference success.
“I know that everybody is playing with a chip on their shoulder, and they want to do damage on UAPB,” Thornton said. “I get it. I understand it, and I love the fact that our league is that competitive. It challenges us to be more focused, more locked in, for us to understand that nothing is going to be given to us.”
Both of this weekend’s opponents enter the week 1-2 in SWAC play but have played close games against good competition.
Florida A&M (2-12, 1-2) handed Southern, the reigning SWAC tournament champion, its first SWAC loss last week, 59-53.
This game will feature the SWAC’s top two scorers. UAPB guard Zaay Green leads the conference with 17.5 points per game, while FAMU guard Ahriahna Grizzle is averaging 17.
Those numbers include the entire season. In conference games only, FAMU sophomore Olivia Delancy is averaging a SWAC-best 21.3 points. She scored 29 in a loss to Bethune.
Thornton said Grizzle and Delancy are contenders for player of the year.
“I know that they’re going to play their best game, because they’re thinking that, ‘Hey, Zaay is a contender for the player of the year. Coriah Beck is a contender for the player of the year,'” Thornton said. “It’s going to be the clash of the guards, I guess, to see who is going to play their best, but our best basketball is when we’re able to play together.”
Bethune-Cookman (10-6, 1-2) had won 10 of its previous 12 games before suffering a pair of competitive losses last week. The Lady Wildcats beat six Division I foes in non-conference play.
Defensively, Bethune has held opponents to 59.7 points per game, second-best in the SWAC. Conference opponents have had more success, averaging 70 points in three games.
Walker said the Lady Lions, who are averaging a SWAC-best 80 points per conference game, aren’t intimidated by Bethune’s defense.
“I feel like no one can guard us,” Walker said. “So, as long as we get to the hole, get the fouls and knock down open shots, then we should be good.”