MONTGOMERY – The Alabama State men's basketball team has been back on the court for the past three days preparing for their upcoming home game against Fort Valley State and this weekend's road start to the conference season.
 
Alabama State enters the game with a 4-7 record even though four of those losses were decided by eight points or less, including one at the buzzer.
 
Defense has been the theme of the post-Christmas practice sessions as the Hornets have been giving up 78 points per game it is something that Head Coach Lewis Jackson says "We must improve on defense.  While we have done a few things ok, we are not a good defensive team and for us to have a chance to win in conference we have to get better."
 
The Hornets offense has been picking up some and Jamel Waters leads the team averaging 15 points per game.  He has not played as the team's main point guard a lot during the first of the season, but has been working his way back into that role in the past two games.
 
He has moved up to 19^th among ASU's all-time leading scorers list with 1,198 points.  His next 31 points will move him into 18^th place passing Keith Gamble's (1998-03) 1,228 points.  He leads the team in assists (50) and in steals (23).
 
ASU is glad to have Tony Armstrong back who missed the first part of the season.  He has come back with a vengeance and his familiarity with the Hornets offense and defense has made the Hornets offense better and their rebounding stronger.  He is averaging 10.3 points and 6.3 rebounds.
 
Corvon Butler has worked his way into the starting lineup and is shooting 54 percent from the field while averaging 10.2 points per game.  He is also one of the better rebounders averaging 5.5.
 
FVSU (2-9) enters the game with three players of their own averaging in double digits.  Dareial Franklin leads the team averaging 11.8 points per game and is also the team's leading rebounder at 5.8.
 
Ralph Wilson is a name Hornets fans may remember.  The seven-footer played his freshman campaign with the Hornets.  He transferred to FVSU three years ago and comes into the game averaging 10.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.  His size and strength is a concern for the smaller ASU low post players.
 
Tyler Edwards is averaging 10.5 points per game.  The team's leader in assists with 26 is Maritea Duke who als has a team-high 12 steals.
 
The game is only the second home game of the season and is scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday) at 7 p.m. at the Dunn-Oliver Acadeome.  The game is free to the public, but for those who cannot make it to the game, it can be heard live on the ASU Sports Network at bamastatesports.com.