TUSKEGEE, Ala. | For the first time in 42 days, the sounds of basketballs will echo through Chappie James Arena as the Tuskegee University basketball teams return home to play on Saturday afternoon.
 
The women will tip off at 1 pm, and the men at 3 pm against Central State (Ohio) University in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) action.
 
The last time the two teams played at home was on December 5, and since that time the women have played five games on the road and the men three consecutive conference games on the road. However, on Saturday, the programs will begin a stretch of nine of their final 13 regular season games taking place at Chappie James – including the beginning of a four-game homestand.
 
The Tuskegee (1-11, 0-4 SIAC) women will take the floor first against Central State (4-8, 1-5 SIAC). Although the Tigerettes have not won a conference game, they are only two games out of fourth place in the West Division and three from third place. Over the next four games, the Tigerettes will face teams that are right above them in the standings by one or two games.
 
Junior guard Rachel Brownlee continues to lead the Tigerettes in scoring and rebounding this season, narrowly missing her third double-double of the year on Monday against Paine. The junior is averaging 16.9 points and 6.7 rebounds per game through 12 games this season. She is also second on the team in assists (18) and steals (16).
 
Senior guard Demetries McNealey is second on the team in scoring at 7.5 points per game, while junior guard Jesslyn Mahone leads the team in assists at 3.1 per game. Freshman Aryana Jackson made her debut for the Tigerettes against Paine and scored seven points off the bench, while freshman Kierra Ward posted a career-high 15 points off the bench and is averaging nine points per game in conference play.
 
Meanwhile, the Tuskegee (7-5, 3-2 SIAC) men will take the floor at 3 pm against Central State (5-6, 5-3 SIAC), looking to move up in the West Division conference standings. In the West Division, from the top to the bottom, everyone is within four games of taking over the top spot.
 
The Golden Tigers come into the game fresh off a 76-57 victory over Paine on Monday (1/11/16), in which freshman James Eads posted a career-high 22 points and senior Camden Foster grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds.
 
Over the last two conference games, three different players posted career-highs including Eads and Foster, as freshman Daniel Roach scored a career-high 18 points on the road against Claflin.
 
For the first time in 12 games, the Golden Tigers went with a different starting line-up as Joshua Culver was inserted into the post and responded with nine points in the win.
 
The Golden Tigers will look to follow one of their best shooting nights of the season in which they shot 55.9 (33-of-59) percent from the floor in the Monday night victory.
 
Foster continues to lead the team in scoring at 12.9 points per game and rebounding at 6.8 rebounds per game this season, while Eads is second on the team in scoring at 12.2 points per game. Senior Kevin May is averaging eight points per game, and is also averaging 4.9 assists per game after posting 22 assists in the last three games for the Golden Tigers.
 
At halftime of the women's game, the Tuskegee University athletic department will welcome first-grader Jaylah Todd to perform her basketball skills; while at halftime of the men's game, several contests will take place including a free throw contest between the university's administration and a student.
 
Live stats will be available for both games by clicking on the links above.
 
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