Mississippi Valley State Women's Basketball (4-18, 3-8) vs. Alcorn State (3-20, 2-9); Southern (8-10, 3-2)
Date(s): Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019; Monday, Feb.18, 2019
Time(s): 2:00 p.m. (CT); 5:30 p.m. (CT)
Facility: R.W. Harrison HPER Complex (Itta Bena, MS)
 
PROBABLE STARTERS: G LaKendra Bassett (5-5, Sr., 10.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg); G Angelica Darcus (5-7, Jr., 5.5
ppg, 2.1 rpg); G Desiray Mosley (5-4, Sr., 6.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg); G Erin Smith (5-9, Jr., 5.3 ppg, 1.6 rpg); F Nyla Smith (6-2, Jr., 2.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg).
 
DEVILETTES OVERVIEW: Mississippi Valley State (4-18, 3-8) returns home for Saturday's matchup against Alcorn State (Feb. 16) and Monday's matchup against Southern (Feb. 18) after dropping close games to both teams on the road earlier in the season. The Devilettes are 1-3 in the Harrison Complex this season. This season, the Devilettes sit within the conference's top five in three-point field goals made (106), three-point field goals per game (5), turnover margin (1.24), fewest fouls (424), fewest turnovers (374), free throw attempts (433), free throws made (261), and free throw percentage (60.3). Majority of the MVSU team shoots free throws at a percentage over 50 percent. Senior LaKendra Bassett ranks third in the conference in assists per game (4.0), steals (50), and steals per game (2.38). For the Devilettes offense, Bassett (10.8) and Kristy Parker (10.7) pace the offense while Bassett also leads the team's rebounding efforts with 4.8 rpg.
 
ALCORN STATE OVERVIEW: Alcorn State (3-20, 2-9) is on a six-game losing streak with no road wins in conference play entering Saturday's contest in the Harrison Complex. The Lady Braves defeated Texas Southern in their season opener on January 5 and the Devilettes on January 19. The Lady Braves sought to defend their home court this past Saturday and Monday after playing host to Jackson State (82-61) and Grambling State (79-63), yet both ended in tough losses. Under the direction of fourth-year head coach Courtney Pruitt, Alcorn State went 8-10 in the SWAC last season, while splitting the series 1-1 with MVSU. Currently, the Lady Braves lead the conference in offensive rebounds per game (16) and rebounds (882). Alcorn's offensive rebounding has garnered them a number 12 ranking in the nation. Jada Hargrove sits within the top five in assists per game (3.0), steals (50), and steals per game (2.27). DeAsia Brown (11.6) and Hargrove (10.2) pace the Alcorn offense while Toddriana Isler leads the rebounding efforts with 6.9 rpg followed by Diamond Hall with 5.8 rpg.
 
SOUTHERN OVERVIEW: Southern (12-10, 8-3) is ranked No. 1 in the conference, yet they are 5-6 on the road and are coming off a loss to Jackson State 59-52, Monday evening. The Lady Jaguars play at Arkansas Pine-Bluff on Saturday before meeting the Devilettes Monday evening at 5:30 p.m. Southern leads the conference in three-point field goals made (115), three-point field goals per game (5.5) and won-lost percentage (52.5). The Lady Jags also rank in the conference's top three in turnovers forced (20.81), turnover margin (1.81), steals (217), scoring offense (62.1), free-throw percentage (62.3), field-goal percentage (39.9), assists per game, (13), assists (274), and assist-turnover ratio (0.69). Danayea Charles ranks in the top five in the conference in assists per game with 3.9 and leads the conference in assist-turnover ratio at 1.47. Sylar O'Bear paces the Southern offense averaging 9.4 points per game.
 
LAST TIME OUT
MVSU visited Alabama A&M (69-60) and Alabama State (73-67) and dropped both games by a total of 14 points. The Devilettes had four player score in double-figures for each of the games. Against Alabama A&M, Sydnie Ward paced the double-digit scorers with 15 points followed by Desiray Mosley with 12 points, and Kristy Parker and LaKendra Bassett both added 11 points. Against Alabama State, Parker led the scorers with 16 points followed by Erin Smith with 13. Makayla Bonner also added 13 points, which was her conference season-high and Ward registered her fifth double-digit game of the season with 10 points.
 
UP NEXT
MVSU prepares for their final road trip heading to Texas to avenge losses to Prairie View and Texas Southern earlier in the season. The Devilettes will head into Prairie View on February 23 before visiting Texas Southern in Houston on February 25.
 
NEWS & NOTES

• MVSU has had four players score in double-digits in the last three games (Grambling St., Alabama A&M, and Alabama St.)
• Sydnie Ward has recorded five double-figure scoring games this season
• MVSU through 22 games is shooting 36.5 percent from the field, 27.7 percent from beyond the arc, and 61 percent from the free throw line
• MVSU is averaging 32.5 rebounds per game, 10.3 assists per game, 8.4 steals per game, 2.1 blocks per game, and 14.8 points off turnovers