The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Golden Lions women's basketball team is set to face off against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs in a crucial Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) matchup on January 3, 2026, at the H.O. Clemmons Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m., marking an early-season conference clash as both teams look to bounce back from recent setbacks and build momentum in the league standings.

UAPB (3-10 overall, 0-0 SWAC) has endured a grueling non-conference schedule, facing several high-major opponents that exposed defensive inconsistencies, as evidenced by allowing 92.0 points per game on average earlier in the season. However, the Golden Lions have shown offensive firepower, averaging 78.8 points per contest with solid rebounding (36.2 per game) and ball movement (17.1 assists). Recent highlights include blowout home victories over Champion Christian (138-73 on Dec. 17) and Ecclesia (114-64 on Dec. 15), sandwiching tough road losses at Tulsa (117-84 on Dec. 10) and DePaul (76-72 on Dec. 6), plus a gritty win at UIC (63-62 on Dec. 3). espn.com Under head coach Solomon Bozeman, the team relies on a balanced attack led by senior guard Quion Williams (17.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 6.0 APG), who provides all-around production; senior forward Jaquan Scott (17.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG), a rebounding force in the paint; and redshirt junior guard Anthony Sellars (15.5 PPG,5.0 RPG), known for his scoring.Graduate guard Trejon Ware for playmaking and junior guard Ramel Lloyd Jr. for perimeter defense.

Alabama A&M (7-6 overall, 0-0 SWAC) enters with confidence after a solid non-conference run, boasting a 7-6 mark that includes wins over mid-major foes.

The Bulldogs average 68.0 points per game but have tightened up defensively, holding opponents to manageable outputs in recent outings while grabbing 36.1 rebounds per contest. Their last five games feature a dominant win over Fisk (90-58 on Dec. 30), a narrow loss to Chattanooga (73-66 on Dec. 21), a defeat at Ole Miss (80-66 on Dec. 17), and back-to-back victories against North Alabama (68-60 on Dec. 15) and Arkansas Baptist (67-59 on Dec. 13). e

Head coach Donte Jackson's squad is paced by senior guard Kintavious Dozier (14.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.3 APG), a reliable scorer; redshirt junior guard Koron Davis

(12.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG), who contributes on the boards; and senior guard Sami Pissis (11.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 3.6 APG), the team's top facilitator.

The Golden Lions' home advantage and recent blowouts could provide an edge, but the Bulldogs' winning form makes them formidable.