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• The Texas Southern women's basketball team is back in action on Thursday at Mississippi Valley State at 6 p.m.
• TSU is looking for its first 3-0 SWAC start since 2020.
• 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 20-3 against MVSU but the Delta Devils swept the season series last year.
• MVSU was picked last in the SWAC preseason poll. Their leading scorer, Sh'Diamond McKnight, hasn't played since Dec. 5 which meant D'yanna Maxey has carried the load with 8.9 points and 3.3 rebounds.
• 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).
• TSU ranks third nationally in offensive rebounds (18.2) and 28th in rebounds (42.3). They rank 29th in steals per game (11.0). Aaliyah Henderson leads the team and is 49th nationally with 2.5 steals per game. Courtlyn Loudermill ranks 49th nationally in three-point attempts (100) while Jaida Belton has four double-doubles.
• TSU leads the SWAC in blocked shots (51), second in offensive rebounds (19.2), second in rebounds (42.5), second in steals (11.7) and first in three-point attempts (272).
• 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 6-13 all-time in the month of January.
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Source: https://tsusports.com/news/2025/1/9...-mississippi-valley-state-thursday-night.aspx