The road to Birmingham, Ala., begins this weekend with a pair of rematches from last year’s SWAC tournament.
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff women’s basketball team opens SWAC play at 3 p.m. today against Alabama A&M at H.O. Clemmons Arena, then hosts Alabama State at 5:30 p.m. Monday.
The Lady Lions reached the SWAC championship game last year despite entering the tournament in Birmingham as the No. 7 seed. UAPB defeated No. 2 Alabama A&M 62-55 and No. 3 Alabama State 71-66 to clinch a spot in the title game. The Lady Lions had split their regular season matchups with A&M but lost both to ASU.
Those same two teams are the first obstacles standing between UAPB and a return to Birmingham this season, and UAPB coach Dawn Thornton said both are great teams.
“Alabama A&M has played very, very well in the preseason,” Thornton said. “They’re going to come in here very, very hungry… They have a chip on their shoulder for us putting them out of the tournament, so I know that they’re going to come in here and play their best game. Alabama State’s record doesn’t reflect what they’re capable of doing… I think it’s going to be a very competitive game.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
UAPB (5-8) enters SWAC play having won four of its final six non-conference games, including three road games against Division I teams, including Arkansas. The Lady Lions cruised past McNeese State on the road Sunday and will look to carry that momentum into the opening weekend of SWAC action.
Alabama A&M (5-7) is limping into SWAC play on a three-game losing streak but brings a second-ranked defense into the SWAC to face UAPB’s top-ranked offense.
The game will also feature two of the top three scorers in the SWAC so far. UAPB guard Zaay Green leads the conference with 19.2 points per game, while A&M guard Amiah Simmons ranks third with 14.9. Green is also third in the SWAC in rebounds per game with 7.2, while A&M’s Alisha Wilson is second with 7.3.
Although Green has been UAPB’s best player this season, guard Coriah Beck has stepped up in the past three games. She scored 15 points against Arkansas, including the go-ahead 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter. She has led UAPB’s scoring in the past two games, including scoring a career-high 32 points and making a school record eight 3-pointers against McNeese.
Thornton said Beck is focused.
“She’s been doing what she needs to do in film,” Thornton said. “Getting in the gym, getting extra shots up. She’s one of the ones that, after practice, she’s standing on the sides waiting on her position coach to get shots up with her. That’s one thing that she’s adamant about.”
Alabama State (0-11) finished non-conference play as the only winless SWAC team, though the Lady Hornets played a challenging schedule with one home game and six Power Five opponents. Of note, ASU lost 96-47 at SMU, a team UAPB defeated 78-76. The Lady Hornets rank last in the SWAC in offense and defense.
Senior forwards Cordasia Harris and Shmya Ward led ASU with 10.4 and 10.3 points per game, respectively.