MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama State University men's basketball team returns home to the Dunn-Oliver Acadome where the Hornets have won three straight on Saturday to face Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) leader Texas Southern.
 
"We've been struggling on the road and hopefully we can come home and play better," Alabama State head coach Lewis Jackson said. "It's going to be a tough ballgame and any team that you play in this league, it is going to be a tough ballgame. We've got to be ready to step up and score early. If we score early, our energy is somewhat better. We can't have those draughts against a good team and think you'll be successful."
 
Texas Southern leads the conference by a game over Alcorn State. Meanwhile, Alabama State currently sits seventh in the standings.
 
Alabama State (8-18 overall, 6-8 SWAC), winners of three straight at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome, are coming off a pair of road losses as the Hornets fell last Saturday to Alcorn State and on Monday to Southern. Texas Southern (16-11, 12-2) has won six out of its last seven games, including back-to-back victories over Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Mississippi Valley State.
 
On Monday against Southern, the Hornets nearly climbed back from an 18-point deficit, but Alabama State fell just short in a 79-73 loss.
 
Tony Armstrong led four Alabama State players in double figures with 15 points, four rebounds and one assist. Rodney Simeon and Terrance LeFlore each had 14 points, while Warnock finished with 11 points and seven rebounds as the Hornets shot 35.5 percent (27-of-76) and 60 percent (19-of-24) from the free-throw line.
 
Texas Southern rolled past Mississippi Valley State, 92-61, on Monday.  The Tigers turned a close game at the half (36-35) into a rout by outscoring the Delta Devils, 56-26, in the second half.
 
Jalan McCloud led Texas Southern with 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting. Trae Jefferson and Zach Lofton finished with 17 and 14 points, respectively. The Tigers were 33-of-62 (53 percent) from the floor.
 
In the previous matchup this season, Texas Southern edged Alabama State, 70-68, on Jan. 28 in Houston, Texas.
 
Simeon led the way in that game with 17 points, including five 3-poiners. Armstrong finished with 14 points, while Wornock added 10.
 
Lofton paced Texas Southern with a game-high 25 points and Kevin Scott registered 14 points and eight rebounds.
 
The biggest difference in the game was the free-throw line where Alabama State finished the night at 40 percent (4-of-10), while Texas Southern shot 85.2 percent (23-of-27).
 
The Hornets will look to break a two-game losing streak and avoid the season sweep of the Tigers on Saturday at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m.
 
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