After picking up two huge home wins last weekend, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff faces a stiff road test against two of the SWAC’s top four teams.
The UAPB women’s basketball team heads to Alabama this weekend to face first place Alabama A&M at 6 p.m. Thursday in Huntsville before traveling to Montgomery to play Alabama State at 1 p.m. Saturday.
UAPB (9-12, 6-5 SWAC) brings a three-game winning streak into this road trip, which includes last Saturday’s 19-point second-half comeback to upset Alcorn State, which had entered the night tied for first place.
For the second straight game, the Lady Lions will be up against a team atop the SWAC standings, but UAPB coach Erica Leak said the win against Alcorn has given the Lady Lions belief they can beat anybody in the SWAC.
“That just gives us momentum going into another No. 1-ranked team in the conference,” Leak said. “A&M is on a 10-game win streak, and who better to knock it off than us? So, we’re going in with a chip on our shoulder. … I still think we’re a top four team in this conference. I really do. So, this week is huge for us.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Alabama A&M (14-9, 10-1) sits alone in first place after Alcorn’s loss in Pine Bluff.
The Lady Bulldogs have won 10 straight games since a shocking 74-72 overtime road loss to Mississippi Valley State to open conference play on Jan. 1.
They defeated UAPB 72-49 two days later in Pine Bluff to start their winning streak.
The streak was tested last weekend in Louisiana, but AAMU slipped past Grambling State and Southern by a combined 6 points.
UAPB’s win against Alcorn snapped the Lady Braves’ seven-game winning streak, which had been the second-longest streak in the league behind AAMU’s.
The Lady Lions now have the second longest streak.
Leak said the Lady Lions are playing significantly better than they were the first time they saw AAMU.
“First of all, we didn’t have (Jakyra Jackson),” Leak said.
“I mean, (00) is making a difference. My other freshman, Tyra (Taylor), was not playing as well. (Khaniah Gardner) was off the map, and she’s playing well. I think now, everybody knows their role. We’re not trying to figure it out now. Everybody know what they do well, and that’s the job.”
The Lady Bulldogs are 8-1 in the AAMU Event Center this season, with their only loss coming to then-No. 12 Ole Miss. AAMU is 4-0 at home in SWAC play.
This game will feature two of the SWAC’s top four scorers.
UAPB junior guard Indiya Bowen leads the league with 15.4 points per game in SWAC play.
AAMU graduate student Kaila Walker, a former Lady Lion, is averaging 14.9 points per game in conference games, the fourth-most in the SWAC. She led AAMU with 17 points, including a 10 of 10 night at the free throw line, in the Lady Bulldogs’ win in Pine Bluff.
Leak said she met with Bowen this week about facing Walker.
“She’s locked in,” Leak said.
“She has to know what she’s capable of, and she does. I think she had like a three-game slump, and she’s been out of it the last three games, back to her scoring and shooting the 3 well. I just told her, ‘This week is huge. You’re one of our leaders. We depend on you, so just get locked in.'”
Alabama State (10-12, 7-4) won’t be much easier of an opponent.
The Lady Hornets, who will host Valley on Thursday before hosting UAPB on Saturday, enter the weekend tied with Southern for third in the SWAC.
Alabama State is coming off a 67-53 road defeat at Grambling but had won five straight games prior to that loss. The Lady Hornets opened SWAC play with a 71-65 overtime road win at UAPB but were 2-3 prior to their streak.
Leak said she wants to see the Lady Lions dominate this time and not leave the Lady Hornets an opening.
“When you’re looking at your depth chart, look at their depth chart,” Leak said.
“One on one, player for player, we’re better, but State has found a way to win. They are playing together. They play hard. They rebound. They’re doing the little things, so now I tell my squad, now, let’s do that. Because we do have some breakout players, right? But now, you gotta match energy.”
Sophomore forward Clearia Peterson and junior forward Charlese McClendon have been two of the SWAC’s top three rebounders in conference play.
Peterson leads the league with 9.5 rebounds per game, while McClendon is tied for second with 8.3. They combined for 29 rebounds in Alabama State’s win in Pine Bluff.
Alabama State’s 52 rebounds in that game matched the most UAPB has allowed to an opponent all season, tying the marks set by Arkansas and then-No. 9 TCU.