GRAMBLING, La. | The Grambling State University women's basketball team ends the regular season with a pair of Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) games as the Lady Tigers visit Alabama to take on Alabama A&M and Alabama State.
 
Grambling State (15-12 overall, 12-4 SWAC), which could potentially end up in a tie for the top spot in the regular season standings, visit Alabama A&M on Thursday at T.M. Elmore Gymnasium and finish the regular season at Alabama State on Saturday at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively.
 
The Lady Tigers would need to take care of business against Alabama A&M and Alabama State, then watch the Texas Southern-Southern showdown on Saturday. Southern leads the conference by one game over Texas Southern and Grambling State. A Southern loss, along with two Grambling State wins, would give the Lady Tigers a share of the conference championship.
 
Alabama A&M (10-6, 5-10) is seeking a conference win after three consecutive losses to Southern, Texas Southern and Prairie View A&M.
 
Alabama State (8-19, 6-10) has lost its last three games to Alcorn State, Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern.
 
ABOUT ALABAMA A&M
* The Lady Bulldogs are averaging 55.2 points per game, while its opponents are shooting 61.5 points.
* Alabama A&M is shooting 35.3 percent (555-of-1573) from the floor and 62.0 percent (220-of-355) from the foul line.
* Ashley Dotson leads the Lady Bulldogs offense at 9.1 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, followed by Nigeria Jones with 7.8 points and 3.2 boards per game.
 
ABOUT ALABAMA STATE
* The Lady Hornets are averaging 55.0 points per game, while its opponents are averaging 36.5 points.
* Alabama State is shooting 518-of-1418 (36.5 percent) from the field and 62.6 percent (370-of-591) from the charity stripe.
* Tatyana Calhoun paces Alabama State's offense with 9.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Keimeshia Walker is second on the team in scoring with 8.4 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.
 
LAST TIME OUT
* Grambling State captured its third straight SWAC win after defeating Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Mississippi Valley State.
* Against Mississippi Valley State on Monday night, Shakyla Hill paced Grambling State with 21 points and 10 boards, along with six assists and three steals. Jazmin Boyd registered 13 points, seven boards, two assists and one steal, while Monisha Neal chipped in 11 points, eight rebounds and two steals.
* The Lady Tigers shot was 24-of-63 (38.1 percent) shooting and 12-of-17 (70.6 percent) from the free-throw line.
 
NOTABLES
* Kailyn Gideon remains the SWAC leader in blocked shots. (2.4 bpg.).
* Shakyla Hill ranks first in the conference in assists (156) and steals (132), second nationally in steals and steals per game (4.9) and third nationally in triple-doubles.
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
* Shakyla Hill surpassed the 1,000-point plateau on Dec. 10 in a 73-49 loss to Alabama.
* Monisha Neal became the second Grambling State women's basketball player this season to score 1,000 career-high points.
* In the Lady Tigers' 93-89 win over Jackson State, Jazmin Boyd and Justice Coleman set career-high points (Boyd with 31 and Coleman with 30).
 
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
* Shakyla Hill was named the Co-SWAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week by the conference.
 
PRESEASON POLL
* Grambling State was picked to finish second in the preseason coaches' poll as voted on by conference head coaches and sports information directors. GSU guard Shakyla Hill was selected the SWAC Preseason Player of the Year.
 
GRAMBLING STATE BASKETBALL HISTORY
* Grambling State became the only SWAC school to advance in a postseason tournament as the GSU defeated Ole Miss, 78-75, in the first round of the WNIT last season.
* Grambling State reached the SWAC Championship game last season, but fell to Texas Southern, 70-66.
  
UP NEXT
* Grambling State will host a SWAC Quarterfinal game on Tuesday, March 6 at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center. The Lady Tigers will either meet Alcorn State, Alabama State or Alabama A&M in the quarterfinal matchup. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m.
 
Follow Grambling State Athletics
For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter), /gramblingstateathletics (Facebook), @gramblingathetics01 (Instagram) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.
 

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