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• The Texas Southern women's basketball team is back in action on the road on Saturday against Alabama A&M at 2 p.m.
• TSU is looking to stay undefeated this season after its first 5-0 SWAC start since 2017. A win on Saturday would move the team into uncharted territory with its best start since its AIAW days in the 70s.
• This season, the women's basketball schedule changes drastically as the women will play SWAC games on Thursday (single game) and Saturday (doubleheader). This marks the first time since 1995 that the SWAC has altered its league basketball schedule.
• This marks the third season for TSU head coach Vernette Skeete. This season also marks the first time the roster will be upperclassman heavy after fielding underclassmen-heavy rosters the past two years. Five newcomers were added via the transfer portal and two via the JUCO ranks. TSU returns three starters and six letterwinners as the Tigers also underwent a change in their coaching staff as they added a pair of assistant coaches and an operations director in the offseason.
• Since 2012-13, TSU is 17-6 against AAMU. AAMU had a four-game winning streak prior to last season as TSU won 16 straight from 2013 to 2020.
•Alabama A&M is currently 4-1 in conference play. Kaliah Walker is their leading scorer with 14.1 ppg. AAMU is led by first-year head coach Dawn Thornton. Thornton has faced TSU as head coach at Prairie View A&M and Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
• Junior forward Jaida Belton was named to the 2024 Southwestern Athletic Conference Preseason All-SWAC Second Team. A native of Baltimore, Md., Belton also has four double-doubles this season and is third in the SWAC with 14 blocked shots while the league's third leading rebounder (8.3). Jaida secured her 500th rebound in the win over Alcorn State.
• TSU ranks third nationally in offensive rebounds (17.8) and 11th in rebounds (43.8). They rank 44th in steals per game (10.6). Aaliyah Henderson leads the team and is 66th nationally with 2.4 steals per game. Jaida Belton has four double-doubles.
• TSU leads the SWAC in blocked shots (76), second in offensive rebounds (17.3), second in rebounds (43.4) and fourth in steals (10.6).
• TSU was picked to finish ninth in the SWAC's Preseason Poll.
• TSU has squared off against five NCAA D-1 conferences this year as they faced teams from the Big 12 (3), American (2), WAC (2), SEC (1), Southland (2).
• TSU head coach Vernette Skeete is 9-13 all-time in the month of January.
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Source: https://tsusports.com/news/2025/1/2...its-womens-basketball-saturday-afternoon.aspx