PRAIRIE VIEW – Prairie View A&M women's basketball has started to find its way in recent outings, and the Panthers hope to continue that trend as they head east to face Alabama State and Alabama A&M this weekend.

Prairie View A&M (6-12, 3-4 SWAC) faces Alabama State (5-13, 2-5 SWAC) on Saturday in the Dunn-Oliver Acadome at 3 p.m. From there, the Panthers face Alabama A&M (8-10, 4-3 SWAC) the following Monday in the T.M. Elmore Gymnasium, with tip-off set for 5:30 p.m.

With the second half of the league slate looming, the weekend could be pivotal as all three teams are separated by a pair of games in conference standings. Alabama A&M is currently fifth in the ranks, followed by Prairie View A&M and Alabama State.

The Panthers are coming off a pair of double-digit wins this past weekend and have won three of their past four contests. Over those four games, the team has had four different players lead the team in scoring.

Freshman Kennedi Heard had the best game of her career in the team's dominant win over Mississippi Valley State, going for a career-high 18 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Additionally, senior Ke'Asia Williams has asserted herself on the offensive end over the last quartet of outings, posting a pair of double-figure scoring efforts.

Senior Bernesha Peters has been the steady hand all year, averaging a team-best 10.7 points per game.

Prairie View A&M has won two of the past three versus Alabama State, but has not defeated the Lady Hornets on the road since the 2013-14 season. Entering the weekend, the Panthers are riding a 15-game winning streak against the Lady Bulldogs.

Scouting Alabama State:
- The Lady Hornets have been trending downward as of late and enter the weekend looking to halt a four-game skid.

- Despite the recent trend, Alabama State has one of the better backcourt duos in the conference in sophomores Ayana Emmanuel and Jayla Crawford. Emmanuel, the 2018-19 SWAC Freshman of the Year, leads the team in scoring at 11.1 points per game, and Crawford is close behind at 10.8 points a night. Freshman forward Aniyah Smith has impressed in her maiden campaign, averaging 10.2 points and a team-high 5.9 boards per game.

Scouting Alabama A&M:
- After opening league play with a pair of losses, Alabama A&M has reeled off four conference wins in its past five tries. Defense has been a big part of that, as the Lady Bulldogs have held opponents to 55 points or less over that stretch.

- Player of the Year candidate Dariauna Lewis has been an interior force for the Lady Bulldogs, ranking second in scoring at 17.8 points per game, 9.7 boards per game and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting a league-best 64.3 percent from the floor. Deshawna Harper (12.2 PPG) teams with Lewis to give Alabama A&M an effective inside-out tandem.

How to Follow:
Fans are able to follow the Alabama A&M game via YouTube or Live Stats. Both games can be heard via PVAMU Audio.