on the buffet

The schedule serves up an appetizing slate of games for many of the state's colleges this weekend. (Weather permitting, of course. It's March in Mississippi, so anything can happen and probably will.) Still, here's the best of the menu: Ole Miss hosts Tulane for a three-game set starting tonight that could test the nationally ranked Rebels' mettle. Alcorn State is at Mississippi Valley for a three-game Southwestern Athletic Conference series that begins with a Saturday doubleheader. Jackson State is at SWAC rival Alabama State for single games on Saturday and Sunday. Belhaven and William Carey play their first Southern States Athletic Conference games, the nationally ranked Blazers (12-4) visiting Loyola-New Orleans today and Saturday (twinbill) and the Crusaders (8-6) traveling to Truett-McConnell for a game today and two on Saturday. Mississippi College, off to a scuffling start at 3-6, faces a non-conference road series against McMurry. The main dish for the weekend is cooking at Twenty Field in Jackson, where Millsaps will host Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference foe Austin College for a three-game set (two Saturday, one Sunday). The Majors are 9-4, 4-1 SCAC, and 5-0 at home. Will Hawkins, the senior thumper from Nettleton, is hitting .456 with two homers and 20 RBIs. Another appealing entree will be served up in Raymond, where Hinds Community College is hosting the Wes Cliburn Memorial Tournament. Nationally ranked HCC (10-2) is scheduled to play defending NJCAA champion LSU-Eunice (8-3) on Saturday at 6. Anybody hungry?