PRAIRIE VIEW – Senior Cornelius Hester scored 15 points and junior Casey Cantey posted 11 points and 11 rebounds to lead Alabama A&M past Prairie View A&M 62-53 on Monday night.
The Bulldogs (9-9, 6-3 SWAC) used a 14-2 run early in the second half to open a 41-27 lead, their largest of the game. Prairie View (6-16, 3-6) came no closer than five points and not until the final 1:05.
A&M won the points in the paint battle (11-9). A 14 point lead was the largest in the game but the Bulldogs were able to maintain the points differential by shooting 46 percent (11-24) from the field in the second half.
The Bulldogs didn’t see their first lead of the game until the 5:03 mark in the first half off of freshman guard Jeremy Crutcher’s only three pointer. The Panthers would then tie the score (25-25) when Brandon Webb dunked the ball off a pick. Senior forward Bo Amusa then hit two of his ten points to ignite the 14-2 run A&M used to earn their ninth victory of the season.
Bo Amusa had 10 points, six during the momentum-changing run. Hester also had four steals. Cantey posted his second double double of his career.
Webb and Michael Griffin were the top scorers for the Panthers with eight points apiece. Griffin also had eight rebounds and four assists.
The Bulldogs end the first half of the Southwestern Athletic Conference season 6-3. Head coach Vann Pettaway is one victory away from his 450th career win.
The last time the Maroon & White won at least six games after playing the first nine contest of the conference season was the 2005-06 season when they went on to finish (11-7) and compete in the NCAA play-in game.
A&M will welcome Mississippi Valley State University on Saturday, February 5, at 6 p.m. in Elmore Gymnasium. It will be “Take a Kid to the Game Day” all kids 12 and under get in free.
