MONTGOMERY – Alabama State's goes into Saturday's game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff searching for their first win of the season and will face a challenge in the ever-improving Golden Lions.
 
While the Hornets defense had their best outing of the season in last week's game against Texas Southern, it was the late passing game of TSU that let the Tigers back into the game and eventually win it on a long pass play.
 
The Hornets defense will once again face a stiff passing attack led by the Southwestern Athletic Conference's leading passer in UAPB's Brandon Duncan.  The junior leads the SWAC in completions (100), attempts (163), yards (1,094) and passing yards per game (273.5).
 
"They have a quarterback who gets rid of the ball very quick and does a lot of good things," ASU Head Coach Brian Jenkins said.
 
Duncan's talents were never more evident than when he led the Golden Lions to a triple-overtime 45-43 upset at two-time reigning SWAC Champion Alcorn State earlier in the year.  He had 52 pass attempts and completed 29 of those for 505 yards and four touchdowns.  He was not only named the SWAC Offensive Player of the Week, but was the FCS National Offensive Player of the Week.
 
The Hornets will counter with their own offense that seems to be gaining more and more momentum each game.  The past two games ASU has gone over 400 yards of total offense including 465 yards against Texas Southern last week.

One player that may be coming into his own is ASU's own quarterback Quinterris Toppings.  "QT" has he is known, has set career passing marks in each of the past two games.  First throwing for 248 yards at Southern and following that up with a 323 yards against Texas Southern.
 
Willis White was on the end of eight of those receptions last week for a career and team season-high 132 yards.  The Hornets also have not only one of the top rushers in the league, but in the history of ASU football in the backfield in Khalid Thomas.

Thomas finished last week with a game-high 84 yards and heads into Saturday's action the league's third leading rusher with 281 yards rushing on only 44 attempts.  He also stands ninth on the Hornets all-time rushing list with 1,790 yards.  He needs just 72 yards to move past former ASU great Larry Bias (1998-01) who finished his career with 1,861 rushing yards.
 
Game time for Saturday's action is set for 2 p.m.  The game can be watched and listened to live at bamastatesports.com.  The ASU Hornet Radio Network which includes 102.7 FM Montgomery and 96.7 FM Pine Hill along with HSRN Satellite radio will also be carrying the game live.