MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Interstat) — A critical late-season Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s basketball clash is set for Tuesday when the Southern Lady Jaguars visit the Alabama State Lady Hornets at Dunn-Oliver Acadome. Both teams enter the March 3 contest looking to solidify their positioning ahead of the conference tournament. Southern (16-11 overall) brings momentum from a five-game winning streak, including a dominant 73-47 victory over Bethune-Cookman on Saturday. Alabama State (14-13) seeks to rebound from a 51-43 road loss to Alabama A&M that same day. The matchup is a swift rematch of a tightly contested game from Feb. 5, which Alabama State won 61-57 in Baton Rouge. In that game, Lady Hornets guard Alanah Pooler scored 17 points in 38 minutes, a performance Southern will aim to contain. Pooler is coming off a 10-point effort in the loss to Alabama A&M. Southern’s recent surge has been fueled by balanced scoring and defense, holding opponents to an average of 50.6 points during their streak. Guard Jaylia Reed, who scored 14 points in the win over Bethune-Cookman, is a key perimeter threat for the Lady Jaguars. Alabama State has been strong at home, boasting a 9-3 record in Montgomery this season. Their offense, which put up 86 points against Mississippi Valley State on Feb. 12, will test Southern’s defensive streak. The game will likely hinge on which team controls the tempo. Southern will look to leverage its current defensive form, while Alabama State will rely on its home-court advantage and the scoring of Pooler to secure a regular-season series sweep. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CST. Southern travels to Alabama A&M next on Thursday, March 5, while Alabama State hosts Grambling the same night.