The Hornets (11-5/7-0 SWAC) will step on the court as the top team in the SWAC after going through its first seven games without tasting defeat.  The Tigers of Texas Southern (9-11/6-1 SWAC) are the conference's second ranked team after dropping their first conference game at Arkansas-Pine Bluff last week.
 
"We know that this game will be a tough and physical affair," Head Coach Lewis Jackson said.  "Texas Southern is a well-coached team with a lot of good players.  We will have our work cut out for us as we try and get a road win."
 
ASU has been a balanced offensive team all season and leads the conference in seven offensive categories including points scored per game (75.2).
 
While the Hornets don't have the top individual scorer in the league they do have six of the top 27 led by Jamel Waters 13.1 points per game.  Maurice Strong is the only other Hornet scoring in double digits averaging 10.2.  DeMarcus Strong (9.8), Wendell Lewis (9.3), Luther Page (9.2) and Bobby Brown (8.8) have all been a game's leading scorer at some point this season.
 
Strong continues to lead the team in rebounding (7.3) and is third in the SWAC.  Page (6.2) and Brown (5.4) are ranked in the top 10 at fifth and seventh.
 
Texas Southern will enter the game third in the SWAC in scoring averaging 63 points per game.  Chris Thomas leads the Tigers averaging 14 points per game.  He also leads the team in rebounding (5.2) and in field goal percentage, shooting 45 percent from the field.
 
"TSU does a lot of good things and offensively they are a controlled and patient team," Jackson said.  "They are able to score from the inside or the outside so we are going to need to be at the top of our game on the defensive end.  We have to pressure the ball and make it hard on them to get open looks.  If they are able to get open looks it may be a long game for us."
 
Even though the conference schedule has not reached the midway point, this is a big conference game, especially for the Hornets.  ASU has won all three conference games they have played on the road which has helped them to a 7-0 start.  If ASU can pick up this road win they will have at least a two game lead on both of their closest teams in the rankings as TSU and Southern will both have at least two losses.  A TSU win could drop the Tigers and Hornets into a tie at the top of the conference.
 
"To win this conference you have to win some road games and we have been able to do that this year, but you also have to beat the teams you are battling with for the top spot in the conference and that is what we have to do in this game," Jackson said.  "This is a team that beat Michigan State and Kansas State so we will have to play our best game of the season to pull out a road win."
 
The game can be listened to live on HornetVIsion at bamastatesports.com and on HSRN.com.  Check Game Day Central for all your listening options.