GRAMBLING, La. | The Grambling State University women's basketball team returns to action with a pair of Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) games on Saturday against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Monday against Mississippi Valley State.
 
Tip-off against Arkansas-Pine Bluff is set for 3 p.m., while Monday's contest is set for 5 p.m. against Mississippi Valley State. Both games will be played at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center as Saturday's tilt is Military Appreciation Day, while on Monday, 157 student-athletes will be honored during halftime in an Athletics Directors Honor Roll presentation.
 
Grambling State (8-11 overall, 5-2 SWAC) last played a week ago in a 77-74 home loss to Jackson State. The Lady Tigers fell behind by 28 points, rallied to take a one-point lead, but came up short against JSU. Despite the loss, Grambling State remains in a tie for first in the conference standings, thanks in part to Alabama State's victory on Monday over Southern.
 
Arkansas-Pine Bluff (4-10, 1-6) is coming off an 80-41 home loss to Prairie View A&M on Monday. The Lady Lions enter having dropped five out of its last six games, with their last win coming on Jan. 21, a 59-57 victory over Alcorn State.
 
Mississippi Valley State (3-15, 2-5) will visit Jackson State prior to visiting Grambling State on Monday. The Devilettes have dropped their last four contests, including a 68-50 loss on Monday to Texas Southern.
 
ABOUT ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF
> Arkansas-Pine Bluff is averaging 50.9 points per game, while its opponents are averaging 66.0 points.
> The Lady Lions are shooting 31.8 percent (262-of-825) from the field and 53.6 percent (155-of-289) from the foul line.
> Aiya El Hassan paces the UAPB offense at 10.0 points and 2.0 rebounds per game, followed by Noe'll Taylor at 8.4 points and 3.9 boards per game.
 
ABOUT MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE
> Mississippi Valley State is averaging 59.8 points per game, while its opponents are averaging 76.6 points.
> The Devilettes are shooting 37.1 percent (384-of-1,035) from the field and 59.7 percent (219-of-367) from the foul line.
> LaKendra Bassett paces the MVSU offense at 11.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, followed by Kristy Parker at 10.8 points and 2.8 boards per game.
 
LAST TIME OUT
> Grambling State is coming off a 77-74 loss to Jackson State on Jan. 26
> Shakyla Hill led four players in double figures with 18 points. Camryn London and Jazmin Boyd each finished with 16 points and Mylashia Yancey added 12
> The Lady Tigers shot 38.8 percent (26-of-67) from the field and 60.0 percent (18-of-30) from the charity stripe
 
NOTABLES
> Grambling State head coach Freddie Murray needs just one win to reach 50 for his coaching career
> Shakyla Hill moved into fourth place on the GSU all-time career scoring list with 1,831 points
> Jazmin Boyd has posted double figures in scoring 66 times in her collegiate career
> Shakyla Hill has scored 15 or more points 65 times in her collegiate career, including 18 times this season
> Shakyla Hill has 28 career double-doubles, two triple-doubles and one quadruple-double
> Shakyla Hill ranks first nationally in free-throw attempts, third in steals per game and free-throws made
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
> Grambling State won two games at the Puerto Rico Classic, defeating Indiana and Loyola-Marymount
> The Lady Tigers snapped Indiana's 16-game win streak, which was the longest active winning streak
> Shakyla Hill was just two assists and two steals away from her second career quadruple double in a loss to South Dakota at the Puerto Rico Classic
> Jazmin Boyd surpassed the 1,000-point plateau on Nov. 11 against Southern Miss
 
PRESEASON POLL
> Grambling State was predicted to win the SWAC regular season champion
 
GRAMBLING STATE BASKETBALL HISTORY
> Grambling State won the SWAC Women's Basketball Tournament Championship in 2018, ending a nearly 20-year drought
> Under Freddie Murray, the Lady Tigers have defeated notable Power 5 opponents Ole Miss and Indiana
> Grambling State became the first SWAC school to win a postseason game, defeating Ole Miss in the 2017 WNIT opening round
> In the past two seasons, Grambling State has played in the WNIT and the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament
 
UP NEXT
Grambling State will play host to Mississippi Valley State on Monday, before taking to the road to visit Southern (Feb. 9) and Alcorn State (Feb. 11).
 
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