Home never felt so good for Mississippi Valley State.
The Delta Devils played their first 10 games of the season away from campus. The only home game during that rigorous stretch was played in Greenville.
"It's been tough," said veteran MVSU head coach Lafayette Stribling. "I don't know what to expect finally being at home, but it should bring out the best in us.
"I am playing a lot of first-year players, so I hope they won't be over anxious or try to do too much."
The Delta Devils host Alabama A&M Saturday night at the HPER Complex in Itta Bena. The game will start immediately following the women's game, which tips off at 5:30. Valley enters the Southwestern Athletic Conference matchup at 3-7 overall, 1-0 in the SWAC.
MVSU defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff 67-55 Monday. Stribling believes his young players grew up some during the tough road stretch that included losses to Hawaii, Fresno State, New Mexico and Pepperdine.
"Our young guys are coming around," Stribling said. "Now we need to get our older guys focused and make them realize they don't have to do everything."
Senior point guard Hosea Butler and senior forward Solomon Forbes, the only returning starters from last year's regular-season SWAC championship team, are the team's leading scorers. Forbes is ranked eighth in the SWAC with 13 points per game, and Butler is 12th with 11.
Stribling says there is plenty of parity in the league this year and doesn't expect a team to reel off a 16-2 SWAC mark like his team did last year.
"It looks pretty even from top to bottom. You can be beat in this league on any given night," he explained. "I've told our guys that defending a championship is much tougher than winning one, because everybody is gunning for you."
The Delta Devils will face two of the SWAC's tougher teams during this two-game home stand, hosting Alabama A&M
Saturday and preseason favorite Alabama State on Monday.
"We need these two games pretty badly, but it will be tough. You certainly need to take care of business at home if you're going to have a shot at winning the league," Stribling said.
Alabama A&M comes in 4-8 overall, 1-1 in the SWAC after beating Jackson State 64-60 on Wednesday. Saturday's matchup will feature two of the more prolific point guards in the conference, with Butler facing off against Obie
Trotter, who ranks first in steals (2.9), second in assists
(4.0) and fifth in scoring (13.5). Butler is third in assists (3.7) and fourth in steals (2.3).
"Alabama A&M has a lot of firepower. Their guards are strong, and this year they have some big guys to compliment them," Stribling said.
