SENIOR NIGHT
PHOTOGALLERY
BOXSCORE
NORMAL, Ala. (AP) — Freshman DeMarquelle Tabb scored a season high 17 points while three other Bulldogs were in double figures. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough as the Alabama A&M men’s basketball team fell 83-78 in overtime to the Texas Southern Tigers on Saturday night.
A&M (12-12, 9-6 SWAC) did not see a lead in the first half and was even down by 14 (44-30) at halftime. The Maroon & White shot 46 percent from the field (12-26) but the number one team in the conference (TSU) shot 60% (15-25) to top the first half.
The second half started with Texas Southern leading 48-34 with 17:40 left to play before a 25-9 run gave the Bulldogs a 59-57 lead with 8:13 to go.
Alabama A&M continued to lead, 64-59, after a dunk by Casey Cantey with 6:10 remaining.
With time running down Texas Southern’s Harrison Smith was racing down the court with the ball hoping for time to run out but Cantey quickly fouled him with .7 seconds remaining. 24th year head coach Vann Pettaway then called his final two time-outs in hopes of icing the Tigers leading scorer. Smith stepped to the line with 1,786 screaming fans in his ear and missed his only two free-throws of the game.
TSU’s Kevin Galloway knocked down 1 of 2 free throws with 26 seconds left in regulation, tying the score at 70 and forcing overtime. Galloway finished with 10 assists.
The Tigers (16-10, 14-1 Southwestern Athletic Conference) shot 45.5 percent from the field (5 of 11), including 2 of 2 from 3-point range in the extra period en route to their eighth straight victory.
DeMarquelle Tabb scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Bulldogs. Cornelius Hester added 18 points; Cantey had 16 and Bo Amusa 10.
The night was deemed senior night for six Maroon & White players playing in their second to last home game in Elmore gymnasium.
The Bulldogs will go after SWAC win number 10 when they host Prairie View A&M University on Monday, February 28. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.
