HOUSTON – The Prairie View A&M women's and men's basketball teams will travel to face Texas Southern in a Saturday night doubleheader at the Health and PE Arena.
 
The women's game will tip at 5:30 p.m. and the men's game around 7:45 p.m. The PVAMU Sports Network Broadcast will begin at 5:15 p.m. online at pvpanthers.com/sportsnetwork. The games will also be televised on ATT SportsNet Alternate Channel.
 
With a game of this magnitude, the Lady Panthers aren't just playing a rival game. This is an important game because it's a SWAC game and are looking to compete to be in the top three of the conference.
 
"This game is an important because each game counts now," said head PVAMU women's basketball coach. "TSU is a good team and they won it last year, therefore you always want to beat the number one or two team in the conference.  Yes, it's a rivalry game, but it's the game itself that you need to win to bump you in the top of the conference.  We are going to need to play really good defense and rebound the basketball."
 
Both teams will be entering Saturday's contest with a 1-1 SWAC record.  The Lady Panthers are 3-10 overall and Texas Southern is 6-7. 
 
Prairie View is coming off of a big 69-62 win over Southern, Wednesday night. The Lady Panthers are averaging 69.5 ppg, which is second best in the conference, and are third in free throw percentage (67%). 
 
Texas Southern rolled past the Lady Braves 91-57, but lost to Southern 67-57 earlier in the week.  They are led in scoring by two time SWAC Player of the Week Joyce Kennerson.  She is also the ranked 1^st in the nation in scoring.
 
"You can't stop a kid like Joyce Kennerson," Justice said.  "You can only try to contain and limit touches.  That will be one of our focuses to make sure that we try to contain her and limited her touches.  She's a great player, but we are ready for the challenge.  I think we have some really good kids that defensively good and get in her path a little bit.  We are just ready to play the game"
 
First place is on the line in addition to early season bragging rights in the men's game. Both teams are undefeated in conference play, with the Panthers (5-11 overall, 2-0 SWAC) off to their best start in league play since starting 3-0 in 2010. Prairie View A&M posted home wins over Alcorn St. (76-64) and Southern (78-74) earlier in the week.
 
The Panthers are shooting 47.7 percent from the field in SWAC play, including 40.5 percent from three-point range (17-42), and are averaging 18 assists per game. Prairie View A&M has also turned the ball over only 26 times in the two games, forcing 48.
 
"We have been so unselfish as a unit, and all five players on the floor get a chance to feel a part of the offense," said PVAMU head coach Byron Smith. "I feel this gives them all added incentive to play even harder on defense."
 
Texas Southern (2-13, 2-0) defeated Southern (78-66) and Alcorn St. (85-70) earlier this week as well. Derrick Bruce led the Tigers in scoring in both games with back-to-back 20-point games (28 and 25). Trayvon Reed posted a double-double in both games Southern (11 rebounds, 10 blocks vs. Southern; 17 points, 12 rebounds vs. Alcorn).
 
"We're excited about the opportunity Saturday night," Smith said. "I feel defending the perimeter and controlling the glass and tempo will be the recipe for success against TSU."