LORMAN &045; All you’ve got to do to get the attention of the Alcorn Lady Braves is holler one word.

Valley.

It represents the biggest chagrin so far this season, a game where the Lady Braves realized the most overused coaching adage in perhaps all of sport &045; anyone can be beaten on any given day. So when the Lady Braves hit the road for the Alabama road trip this weekend, they may be a little more poised and focused because of it.

And what a time for that to happen &045; when the toughest road trip of the year calls.

&uot;We weren’t really focused the day before,&uot; center Rasaan Powell admitted of Saturday’s loss at home to Mississippi Valley State. &uot;A lot of laughing and playing around. When the coaches want to make a point, they always bring up the Valley game. I guess that’s our wakeup call.&uot;

Fortunately for the Lady Braves, the loss didn’t diminish their first-place standing in the conference and keeps them sitting solid heading into Saturday’s game at Alabama A&M and Monday at Alabama State. The Lady Braves (4-1, 9-5) have the two road games ahead before a home date with a tough Southern University team to round out the first round of conference play.

So like a cup of burnt coffee early in the morning, the Lady Braves hope to use the Valley loss as a stimulant that tasted just awful.

&uot;It was a wakeup call, but we played against a good team and a good coach,&uot; said Alcorn head coach Shirley Walker, who notched career win No. 441 Monday against UAPB. &uot;Their point guard played 40 minutes, and she did an outstanding job. Some of (my players) came up and seemed to be down and out, and I told them it’s one game. We’ve got to forget about that and get ready for the next team. Five or six of them came to me and gave me their reason &045; ‘Coach, we didn’t do what we were supposed to do.’

&uot;They thought they could win because they were at home and people would lay down, but that’s not true. So they came back and regrouped.&uot;

The Lady Braves make the Alabama trip Saturday and Monday in the annual trek that in recent seasons has rarely resulted in glowing positives. It may be the toughest road trip in the conference, but at least the conference is fair &045; everybody has to do it.

The Lady Braves lost both games last season after splitting the previous two seasons. They’ll face 6-5 senior Crystal Kitt and the Lady Hornets Monday.

&uot;Alabama State is pretty good, and they’ll be a challenge for us,&uot; Powell said. &uot;(A&M) has been doing better than expected. The only problem we’ll have with them is their post play &045; her and a guard have been the main ones that’s been executing for A&M.; We’ll have to stay out of foul trouble in order to handle (their post).&uot;

LaShowann Smith may not be as imposing as Kitt in the middle, but Smith and the Lady Bulldogs got off to a solid start at 3-1 in conference before losing last week to Alabama State.

Smith is averaging over 14.5 points a game &045; just shy of Kitt’s average of 14.6 &045; but is more important of the two right now for the Lady Braves.

That’s because they’re the next game on the schedule.

&uot;I’m not thinking about Alabama State right now,&uot; Walker said. &uot;All that’s on my mind are the Bulldogs in Huntsville. We’ll think about Alabama State after the game on Saturday. My husband, Lonnie, always preached to don’t overlook any team. Coach (Altherias Warmley) and her staff have done a lot of good recruiting and have always been strong at the guard position. Now they’ve got a young lady about 6-2. She can do the things anyone in that position can do as well as play the 3 or the 4.&uot;

You can bet come Sunday morning Kitt will be the biggest focus for Walker and the Lady Braves heading into Monday’s game. Kitt lit them up for 24 points last season in Lorman, although Alcorn came away with a 74-71 win.

In Montgomery, Kitt had 22 points and 12 rebounds. In the game at Alcorn, the Lady Hornets went almost exclusively to Kitt on offense as she went up on the high post, caught the lob pass and nailed a turnaround jumper that no one could defend.

&uot;I’m pretty sure they (will hit her with the lob),&uot; Powell said. &uot;We did see where she tried to push us to the goal. We need to take charges. We don’t do too much of that, the post players. We’ll have to concentrate on weak side. If we do, we’ll be OK.&uot;

Both games are crucial in the standings for the home teams, and the Lady Braves will have a challenge on their hands. They’ll also be a bit short-handed without the services of speedy freshman Tanika Nunez, who is out with a tonsillectomy.

Yet senior forward Tnonealyer Powers should play after she came off the bench for a handful of minutes against UAPB.

&uot;It is a tough road trip, going to A&M,&uot; Walker said. &uot;We’ve got to be mentally and physically ready to play. We’ve got to want to go do Alabama. We’ve got five seniors, and the last time we won it was 2000. I’m hungry.&uot;