Box Score PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – Facing the defending league champions, Alabama A&M (4-1, 2-1 SWAC) fell short on the road to Prairie View A&M (6-4, 5-0 SWAC) 79-57 in a NCAA Division I men's basketball game on Saturday, January 30 in the Williams Nicks Building.
 
Sophomore forward Jalen Johnson (Indianapolis, Ind.) posted 18 points on 8-of-18 shooting from the field, along with seven rebounds and two steals, while sophomore guard Garrett Hicks (Madison, Ala.) added 13 points, two assists and a steal on the afternoon.
 
The Bulldogs began the scoring in the contest with a basket by Johnson on the opening possession and started strong, gaining a 5-2 lead just over two minutes in after three free throws by Hicks.
 
The Panthers responded with scores on their next three offensive trips to take a 10-5 lead with 16:05 remaining in the half with consecutive threes from Jeremiah Gambrell and Dewayne Cox, respectively.
 
A&M took a 12-5 lead at the 13:42 mark behind a seven-point run on an inside score from Johnson, a three from freshman guard Dailin Smith (Colorado Springs, Co.) and a second chance layup from senior forward Brandon Houston (Birmingham, Ala.).
 
After a lay in to tie the score for the fourth time in the half at 14-14 with just under 12 minutes to play, the Bulldogs fell victim to a six-minute scoring drought, seeing the Panthers go on a 10-0 run to go up 24-14. A&M scored on a fast break basket from Smith with 5:49 remaining to end the scoreless streak, however, Prairie View stretched their lead to double digits once again after a pair of free throws from Cox with two minutes left in the frame and put the Braves went up 30-19.

Sophomore center EJ Williams (Cincinnati, Ohio) sank two foul shots of his own on the next possession, making the score 30-21 with 1:43 to play, before the Bulldogs went into the break trailing by 11 following a PVAMU basket.
 
The Panthers started the second on a tear, scoring the first six points of the half, before Williams responded to make the score 38-23 with an offensive rebound and put back for the first A&M basket at the 17:05 mark.
 
After the A&M made two of three foul shots with 16:45 to go, Prairie View's Cam Mack scored four straight points to put the Panthers up 42-25 before the two teams traded baskets over the next five minutes, going into the under 12 timeout with the Bulldogs down 47-31 after a second chance score by Johnson.
 
Coming out of the break, Hicks put together an old fashioned three-point play, sinking a free throw at the 11:28 mark to reduce the Panther lead to 47-34. The Bulldogs proceeded to score seven unanswered and brought the score within eleven, 49-38, with ten minutes to play.
 
With 8:42 remaining, Prairie View began to stretch their lead again and found themselves up 18 points before the Bulldogs sank three free throws to put the score at 63-48 with 5:33 to play.
 
After a six-point run by the Panthers fueled by Jawaun Daniels and Gambrell put Prairie View up 69-48, freshman forward Anjay Cortez (Charlotte, N.C.) finished strong with a dunk to end the run with 3:20 left in the game; however, Gambrell responded once more with a long ball, putting the Panthers up 22 for their largest lead of the game.
 
The Bulldogs cut the deficit to 15 on three occasions, the last at 78-63 with 2:13 to play, but fell 79-57 in their first conference road test of the year.
 
Five Panthers scored in double figures on the afternoon, led by Mack who finished the game with a double-double, scoring 15 points and dishing out 12 assists. Gambrell led the team in points with 18, including a perfect 7-of-7 from the free throw line along with seven rebounds and four steals, while Cox added 12, and Daniels and Lenell Henry each added ten points.
 
The Bulldogs are back in action on Monday, February 1 as they take on Texas Southern at 7:30 p.m. in the H & PE Arena in Houston, Texas.