The Alabama State women's basketball team arrived in Grambling, La. to face the Grambling State Tigers Tuesday night at 5:30 p.m. at the Assembly Center. 
 
The Lady Hornets had an evening practice in the Assembly Center preparing for the bout with the Tigers.  As they practiced they concentrated on basic drills and different key position assignments.  The hour and half practice ended with a full court scrimmage.
 
“I am feeling good about the upcoming game against Grambling,” said Head Coach Freda Freeman-Jackson.  “I think that we have had three or four days to prepare for Grambling, and we have stressed the importance as far as trying to get off to a good start.   It's nothing like trying to win the first game of SWAC play so that you can take the momentum going into the next game, which is Jackson for us.  We've been doing a lot of talking to the girls and brainstorming trying to explain to the ladies the nature of the SWAC and the things that they should expect surrounding SWAC play.”
 
“We have come up short in a couple of games that we should have won, and I am hoping that the games that we played close and mishaps that we made during the other games that we should capitalize on in the SWAC.  So we are really excited about SWAC play, I think that we have a good group of ladies old and new and with this blend I think that we should do pretty well in the conference.   You really want to get off to a good start and we know its hard winning on the road, but we know that, this is the nature of the beast.   In order to win a SWAC championship you have to win on the road and that's one of the things that we have stressed to our young ladies.”
 
The Lady Hornets completed its non conference schedule against Kennesaw State last week falling 61-51 at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome.  Alabama State will be looking forward to improving its 3-6 record against the Tigers.
 
“Grambling is a veteran team and they are seasoned, they are playing a lot of young girls as well.  They have a senior point guard returning and Grambling also has some big girls that we should be able to match-up with.  They are averaging at least 60 points per game and they like to get up and down the court quickly.  I think the game should be interesting, and we are ready for the task.”
 
Alabama State will be led by senior's Tamara Wadlington, who is averaging 5.4 points per game, and dishing out a 4.0 assist percentage.  Millicent Jones is holding down the middle with 52 rebounds pulling down 7.8 rebounds per contest.
 
Freshmen Danielle Gazaway and Keirra Paige are leading the Lady Hornets in scoring.  Gazaway is averaging 9.0 points per game and is Paige is currently averaging 8.1 points per game.  As a team Alabama State is averages 51.9 points per contest.
 
During Grambling's final non-conference match-up the Tigers fell 62-47 to the Tigers of LSU falling to a 4-6 overall record.

-HORNETS-