PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – The stretch run of Southwestern Athletic Conference basketball season is here and the Prairie View A&M basketball teams are both still in the hunt for the regular season title.
 
Over the course of the next 15 days, every team will play five or six games to complete the regular season, and, unlike past years, both titles in women's and men's play are up for grabs.
 
The PVAMU teams begin the final stretch of four of the next six games on the road at Arkansas-Pine Bluff Saturday in a 5 p.m. doubleheader at the H.O. Clemmons Arena. The radio broadcast on the PVAMU Sports Network begins at 4:45 p.m. at pvpanthers.com/sportsnetwork.
 
The women's team has been playing exceptionally well in the course of their last five games.  They have come up big with wins over top seeded opponents.  Although they split last weekend, the 83-75 win over Jackson State was a much needed one to move the Lady Panthers as one of the top contenders.
 
Junior Shala Dobbins led the Lady Panthers with 29 points in the win, which continues to rank her in the top 50 in the nation at 24^th.  She remains as the number one player in the nation in free throws made (203) and attempted (262).  Dominique Newman finished with 13 points while Jhyrah Cobb and La'Neique Nealey each registered double-doubles.  Cobb posted 12 points and 14 rebounds in the outing making this her first career double-double.  Nealey tallied 11 points and 12 rebounds posting her fourth double-double of the season.  
 
Although the Lady Golden Lions (5-18, 3-10) record says one thing, they continue to be a challenge on both ends of the court.  The Lady Panthers edged UAPB 64-52 at the William J. Nicks Building, which wasn't an easy task.
 
"These road games are always tough," said head PVAMU women's basketball coach Ravon Justice.  "You have to have a different mindset and make the adjustments.  We know that UAPB is going to play us tough, but we are going to have play on both ends of the court, defensively and offensively.  Head Coach Nate Kilbert does a good job with those girls.  We are going to have to play even more aggressive than we did against them at home."
 
The Lady Golden Lions are led in scoring by Faith Ohanta who is averaging 12.5 ppg, she is also leading the team on the defensive end of the court rebounding 8.9 rpg.
 
In men's play, the Panthers have won five of their last six games to climb up the standings with the most recent win a 63-58 overtime home victory over Jackson St. on ESPNU. Dennis Jones scored a career-high 22 points with two rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Zachary Hamilton and Troy Thompson each scored 11 points, and J. D. Wallace scored seven points and had his third straight 10+ rebound game with 14.
 
 
Monday's win, combined with other action around the SWAC, moved the Panthers (10-16, 7-5) into a tie for fourth place with Texas Southern. The Panthers are currently behind Grambling State (10-3 SWAC), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (9-4), and Southern (8-5). Grambling, along with Alabama A&M, are ineligible for postseason play.
 
The Panthers are averaging 85.2 points per game in the last six games, scoring 85 points in five of the last six games, including a SWAC high 96 against Texas Southern. Prairie View A&M won in the grind-it-out style of Jackson St. (7-6), which sits ½ game behind PVAMU and TSU. J-State is just ahead of Alabama St. (6-6) in the standings.
 
It's the second meeting of the season between the Panthers and Golden Lions. Prairie View A&M nearly erased a 25-point first-half deficit, cutting it to two before losing at home 72-66.
 
"In the first game I felt we didn't match up very well," said PVAMU head men's basketball coach Byron Smith.  "We know that we will need to defend and rebound the ball at a high level.  We are going to need to attack their two three zone and contest every shoot, because they are a very good shooting team.  Playing on the road is always different. They have a very good enthusiastic fan base.  If you allow the fans to become a part of the game it could definitely effect."
                                                                        
After opening SWAC play with seven straight wins and leading the league at 9-1, the UAPB has lost three straight games to fall into second place. Martaveous McKnight leads the SWAC in scoring, averaging 19.8 points per game. He is also tied for second in steals (1.8 spg) and made 3s per game (2.3) sixth in 3-pt field goal percentage (38.8%) seventh in field goal percentage (45.3%), fifth in assists (3.5 apg), 12th in free throw shooting (73.7%).
 
"In order to contain McKnight we will have to use our length and be very physical with him without fouling," said Smith.