Game 18
 
Jackson State at Mississippi Valley State
 
Saturday, Feb.1, 2020 • 2 p.m. • Itta Bena, Miss.
 
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Game Preview: Jackson State at Mississippi Valley State
 
JACKSON, Miss. – The Jackson State women's basketball team, winners of eight in a row and off to a 7-0 start in Southwestern Athletic Conference play, travel to SWAC rival and in-state foe Mississippi Valley State. The tip is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the R.W. Harrison HPER Complex.

Clear Bag Policy

Mississippi Valley State has a clear bag policy. 
 
History in the Making
 
At 7-0 in the SWAC, the Lady Tigers are off to their start in conference play. As the Blue Bengals continue through their conference slate, it's important to note the 2003-04 squad finished with a 16-2 SWAC record, which is the most wins in program history.
 
Quick Buckets
 
Marneisha Hamer and Dayzsha Rogan each rank in the top 10 in the conference in points per game. Hamer is fourth and is averaging 13.5 and Rogan ranks sixth with 13.1 points per game.
 
JSU sports the third-ranked offense in the SWAC with 64.5 points per game. The team is just a half a point behind Alabama A&M, which the Blue & White have already defeated 67-53. The Lady Tigers rank in the top half of the SWAC in defense and allow an average of 66 points a game.
 
Games are often won and lost in front of the basket. The Lady Tigers lead the conference in rebounding with 44.4 boards per game. JSU also averages 27.8 defensive rebounds and 16.6 offensive rebounds per game, which also ranks first. The team's rebounding margin is + 3.5, which is another metric that proves domination on the boards.
 
Hamer and Ameshya Williams both rank in the top five in the conference in rebounds. Williams is hauling in 8.7 and Hamer 6.4 rebounds per game.
 
The Blue and White lead the league with 77 blocks and average of 4.53 denials per game. Williams leads the conference with 41 blocks, which ranks first in the SWAC and fourth in the country.
 
Scouting Mississippi Valley State
 
Mississippi Valley State enters the match-up 1-17 and 0-7 in the conference. The Devilettes has lost 11 in a row.
 
MVSU will look to Ayonna Cotton. She has started 18 games and averages 10.3 points per game and is shooting 34 percent from the field. Cotton is also a dynamic 3-point shooter and is converting 37 percent of shots from beyond the arc.
 
Diamond Wraggs and Shelli Thigpen are the leading rebounders for the Devilettes. Wraggs leads the team with 4.7 boards per game and Thigpen is right behind with 4.6 boards per game.
 
MVSU is out-rebounded by an average of 42.3-35.4.
 
Last Time vs. MVSU (March 2, 2019)
 
ITTA BENA, Miss. – Christina Ellis scored a career-high 36 points on 14-of-20 shooting from the field to lift Jackson State past Mississippi Valley State 87-86 in a thrilling overtime SWAC tilt.
 
JSU improves to 13-13 and 9-7 in the SWAC, while MVSU falls to 4-23 and 3-13 in the SWAC.
 
Jasmine Redmon converted a pair of free throws with nine seconds remaining in overtime to clinch the win.
 
Hamer scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds and Sumer Williams scored seven points and hauled in a game-high 13 rebounds.
 
Redmon and Taylor Lattimore each scored six points, while Kaisah Lucky added five points and five assists. Ellis also recorded five steals and handed out a pair of assists.
 
The Lady Tigers dominated in the paint with 51 rebounds and 34 points.
 
JSU did a great job protecting the basketball and committed a season-low seven turnovers. Blue and White forced MVSU into 15 turnovers.