LORMAN &045; There’s a good reason to be watching out for Alcorn’s Lady Braves right now.

Not only did Saturday’s 57-55 win over first-place Jackson State keep them in the top half of the standings in the SWAC, but it also gave them a bucket load of confidence heading into the stretch run of the regular season.

The Lady Braves visit Grambling tonight to face a team, like Jackson State, who beat Alcorn in Lorman in the first matchup.

&uot;It’s starts here,&uot; post Candace Roberts said. &uot;We’ve got to get this winning streak going. It started Wednesday at home (against Houston Baptist). Everybody stepped up (Saturday). We want to continue our winning streak. It’s the whole team &045; we play together and we win together.&uot;

The win was hands-down their biggest of the season and their first over the Lady Tigers in Jackson in quite some time. It’s their first time to beat Jackson State since the 2001-02 season and ended a five-game losing skid to the Lady Tigers.

&uot;I really was thinking about that (Saturday),&uot; Alcorn head coach Shirley Walker said. &uot;I want to say it’s been maybe five years ago (since winning at JSU). I’m not sure, but I want to say five years. But it’s been a while. I think more wins like this later in the season is going to do the whole program some good. I think it’s going to do them some good.&uot;

Much of the credit goes to Roberts and her companions in the low post in containing 6-7 Amie Williams, who finished with 27 points but had just four late in the game when the Lady Tigers really could have used her points.

The Lady Braves had a 30-15 lead in the first half before Williams and JSU got back into it late in the game. But Williams &045; playing with a sore knee suffered in her last game &045; had no field goals in the final eight minutes.

&uot;When we got back in it, we didn’t have shots go in,&uot; JSU head coach Denise Taylor said. &uot;That’s what happens when you don’t come out aggressive. I’m thinking about the last two minutes, and we called plays to go to Amie, and we did something different. We’ve got to go to our bread and butter. We’ve got to execute and run the play that’s called.&uot;

Roberts had the dubious honor of guarding Williams &045; Roberts is seven inches shorter &045; but others helped out on the block guarding her. Even 6-5 freshman Tina Huff, who has seen little playing time this season, got two minutes on the floor guarding her early in the game.

&uot;The things we’ve been wanting (Roberts) to do &045; all of them &045; when they see a big girl, they fear that,&uot; Walker said. &uot;They know Amie is very legit. My team has a lot of respect for her, but they knew they had to play her. And Candace did that tonight.&uot;

After getting the win, the Lady Braves moved up in contention in the conference and have a chance to keep moving up when they host the Lady Tigers. Grambling, 6-4 in SWAC, sits tied with the Lady Braves and a game back of Southern after beating the Lady Jaguars Saturday in Grambling.

The Lady Tigers edged Alcorn last month, 74-72, thanks to 18 points from standout guard Sherwanda Boston.

&uot;We’ve got to go back and get mentally ready for each team,&uot; Walker said. &uot;We’ve got to make our free throws, our easy baskets and can’t give up easy baskets. When we give up easy baskets, it looks like it takes a toll on us mentally. (Boston) is Grambling’s coach on the floor. She’s a fine ball player. I’ve got a lot of respect for Sherwanda Boston. Grambling is going to be mentally prepared for us.&uot;