HOUSTON — The 2024 Starry SWAC Women’s Basketball Championship Game will be unforgettable between No. 1 Jackson State Lady Tigers (25-6, 18-0 SWAC) and No. 6 Alcorn State Lady Braves (12-19, 8-10 SWAC). Saturday’s match will tip off at 4:30 PM CT inside Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama. ESPNU will nationally televise the game.
The Lady Tigers head coach Tomekia Reed and Lady Braves head coach Nate Kilbert lead their teams to the big game in 2024. Last season, JSU lost a heartbreaker on a last-second shot by Southern University in the 2023 semifinal game.
Reed’s mission was clear for 2024: Return to the SWAC Championship and NCAA Women’s Tournament. “This team is hungry,” Reed said in her semifinal postgame interviews. “This team is resilient. This team is very disciplined, and there’s a lot of experience on this team, and that’s what makes this team special.”
Should JSU or ASU win today’s game, they will receive an automatic berth in the 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.
Coach Reed respects the Lady Braves, saying, “Alcorn is playing really good basketball. Alcorn had several winning streaks throughout the season. I mean, they’re just a good team overall.”
Defensively, Alcorn State holds opponents to 62.8 points per contest and will pressure Jackson State should they have another slow start. The Lady Tigers have the best defense, holding teams to an average of 57.0 points.
“If you don’t get over 60, you have a hard time beating us,” Coach Nate Kilbert mentioned in his press conference. And if we’re scoring the ball, you’re in trouble because we’re going to keep the game low because we play at a certain pace.”
The Lady Braves and Lady Tigers will clash tonight to determine who will wear the championship crown in a battle of willpower and grit!
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Alcorn State vs. Jackson State Championship Game Info
- Date: Saturday, March 16, 2024
- Time: 4:30 PM CT/5:30 PM ET
- Location: Birmingham, Alabama
- Venue: Bartow Arena
- Live Stream: ESPNU or fuboTV (click here)
- Radio Broadcast: Jackson State Radio – Rob Jay (Play-by-play)
- Coaches: Nate Kilbert (Alcorn State), Tomekia Reed (Jackson State)
- Team Records: No. 1 Jackson State Lady Tigers (25-6, 18-0 SWAC); No. 6 Alcorn State Lady Braves (12-19, 8-10 SWAC).
2024 SWAC Women’s Basketball Power Rankings
1st – Jackson State (25-6)
- National Rank: 73rd
- Strength of Schedule Rank: 260th
- Projected Record: 24-6
- Latest Result: 70-48 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff
- SWAC Offense: 2nd – 71.7 PPG
- SWAC Defense: 1st – 57.0 PPG
- SWAC Margin of Victory: 1st – 14.7 PPG
7th – Alcorn State (12-19)
- National Rank: 279th
- Strength of Schedule Rank: 241st
- Projected Record: 11-20
- Latest Result: 61-59 win over No. 2 Grambling State
- SWAC Offense: 11th – 54.4 PPG
- SWAC Defense: 6th – 62.8 PPG
- SWAC Margin of Victory: 8th – (-8.4) PPG
Jackson State vs. Alcorn State SWAC Title Prediction
- HBCU Legends’ Prediction: Jackson State Wins
- Spread: JSU by 8.0 points
- Total Points Prediction: 111 total points
- Offensive MVP Prediction: Ti’lan Boler
- Defensive MVP Prediction: Angel Jackson
- X-Factors: Maya Crump and Areyanna Hunter
Alcorn State Projected Starters
- Destiny Brown: 12.8 PTS, 7.6 REB, 1.9 AST
- Nakia Cheatham: 9.5 PTS, 7.5 REB, 0.9 AST
- Kiarra Henderson: 5.1 PTS, 3.7 REB, 1 AST
- Tyginae Wright: 6.1 PTS, 2.4 REB, 3 AST
- Zy’Nyia White: 11.8 PTS, 3.8 REB, 1 AST
Jackson State Projected Starters
- Angel Jackson: 10.1 PTS, 6.8 REB, 0.9 AST
- TI’lan Boler: 11.6 PTS, 3.8 REB, 0.8 AST
- Keshuna Luckett: 7 PTS, 2.5 REB, 3.8 AST
- Miya Crump: 11.7 PTS, 6.3 REB, 1.4 AST
- Andriana Avent: 12.1 PTS, 3.1 REB, 0.5 AST
