The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff women's and men's basketball teams will open conference play Saturday at Mississippi Valley St. at the R.W. Harrison Hper Complex.

The doubleheader begins with the women's game tipoff at 2 p.m., followed by the men's game after at 4 p.m.  The UAPB Sports Network will have live radio broadcast on 99.3 FM The Beat, online at uapblionsroar.com, and on the free UAPB Athletics APP. 

Both team played an extremely challenging non-conference schedule. The Lady Lions enter SWAC play at 1-9, with first-year UAPB head coach Dawn Brown picking up her first win of the season Sunday with a 66-56 win at Philander Smith College. 

"I think this is a wonderful time of the year for the ladies," Brown said. "We had a tough pre-season schedule playing against some good ranked opponents. We came back from Christmas Break and picked up a win, which is always a good thing and now we get a chance to start conference play against Mississippi Valley State and witness the fruit of our labor.  I'm looking forward to seeing how our guards play because we match up with them on paper, and with junior Jayla Atmore and senior Kyeonia Harris, I'm looking forward to the excitement.  Also, this will be big for our post players. Junior Trasity Totten, who made a career-high 13 rebounds against Philander Smith, will be ready because this will be a homecoming for her.  Freshman Nissa Sam-Grant is doing good job of embracing her role and being able to rebound and clean up around the basket."
 

Harris leads UAPB in scoring averaging 10.1 points per game and ranks fourth in the conference in assists per game with 3.1.  UAPB has three players ranked in the conference in steals per game, Harris in fourth with 2.4, and Atmore and Noe'll Taylor tied for ninth with an average of 2.0 per game.  Sam-Grant ranks fourth in the conference in total blocks with 12.

The Devilettes enter the contest at 1-10, coming off 74-66 defeat to Louisiana at Monroe.  They are led in scoring by Avonna Cotton, who is averaging 12.6 ppg and Diamond Wraggs, who leads the team in rebounds averaging 6.2 rpg.
 
On the men's side, the Golden Lions start conference play at 1-11 after dropping a hard fought battle at Washington St. 65-50 Sunday night.
 
 "The guys are excited to start conference play, and I think it's going to be a very good matchup," said UAPB head coach George Ivory. "I think it's going to be a very emotional game for both sides, trying to get those jitters out the way. Playing the non-conference schedule we played will benefit us for this matchup against Mississippi Valley State."
 
Junior Dequan Morris leads the team in scoring, averaging 8.8 ppg and is third in the conference in steals with 22. Junior Markedric Bell is second averaging 8.6 points per game, while also ranking fifth in the conference in total blocks with 10. Senior Marquell Carter leads UAPB in rebounds averaging 5.6 rpg. 
 
The Golden Lions' defense ranks first in the conference in points allowed, holding their opponents to 72.4 points per game. 
 
Mississippi Valley State is led by Dante Scott, who's averaging 13.5 ppg and Jordan Evans averaging 12.9 ppg. 
 




 

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