PINE BLUFF -- After opening the season in enemy territory, Coach Monte Coleman, his staff and players are anxious for some home cooking. "We're glad to be at home. It's lonely out there on the road, going to Arkansas State and then turn around and go to McNeese it was very lonely and we're glad to be at home," said Coleman after Wednesday's practice session. "We hope our fans come out and support us, root for the Golden Lions."

UAPB hosts Alabama State at Golden Lions Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff has been moved up from it's originally scheduled time of 6 p.m. to 4 p.m. to accomodate the ESPN schedule. The game is being broadcast live on ESPN3. John Sadak will have the play-by-play, while in a late change, Jay Walker joins the broadcast as color analyst.

With the addition of several players that were unable to play in the forThe Golden Lions in the first two weekends, Coach Coleman feels that the pieces are coming together in time to tangle with the Hornets. "We're starting to get some of the guys back that weren't able to play in the first two ball games," he said.

"Also playing a conference game, that's one thing as coaches that we've been hyping up the entire week. This is our first home game and of course it's the first conference game so it's important that we get off to a first start."

Coleman stressed the importance of having the SWAC opener being on their home turf. "The importance of playing a conference game, being our first home game, we don't want to go down in the conference," he said. "Then, of course being one game at a time, we play these guys, we win this ballgame and then we've got our second home game next week."

"I gave them the scenario last evening of the situation in the SWAC as far as where we are standing and right now, without playing a SWAC game, we look poised to stay in our number one position and have teams still come after us," Coleman advised his players. "I think that's one of the reasons they understand the importance of winning this game. It being a home game and also our first SWAC game."

Coleman wants to avoid having his Lions get tied up in the excitement of the weekend, remaining focused on the business at hand. "The thing I want to do is understand the importance of the game that comes with some of the hype," he said. "The other thing is we take it one game at a time. We've got to maintain our composure and get ready for this football game. It's going to be a great football game."

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