HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Alabama A&M (2-5, 0-0 SWAC) wrapped up three games in six days and used balanced scoring as they outpaced NAIA member Fisk (1-5, 0-0 GCAC) by a 71-55 score in an NCAA Division I men's basketball game on Monday, November 28.
Sophomore forward Austin Harvell (Athens, Ala.) led the Bulldogs with 14 points on perfect shooting on the night, going 5-of-5 from the field, 2-of-2 from beyond the arc and 2-of-2 at the foul line.
Senior guard
Garrett Hicks (Madison, Ala.) followed him with 12 points with a 3-of-6 performance from three along with two assists and a pair of steals and junior forward
Dailin Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo.) added 10 points and three steals. Graduate center Olisa Blaise Akonobi (Abuja, Nigeria) rounded out the top performers with eight points, four boards and four blocks.
The clubs would be neck and neck early on as they would be separated by no more than four points through the first 10:19. In that time they would battle through four ties and a whopping eight lead changes, the last seeing Fisk up 19-16.
At that point things would change dramatically as A&M scored 13 straight as part of a massive 20-4 run that put them up 36-23 with 3:04 on the clock. Over those final three minutes the teams would manage just one bucket apiece as the homestanding Bulldogs headed to the break up 38-26.
Following an opening jumper by Harvell that stretched it to a 14-point margin FU would get a jumper and triple from Tyon Thompson to cut it to a nine-point deficit at 40-31 by the 18:35 mark. That would be as close as they would get the rest of the way as five different scorers fueled a game-changing 11-0 run, capped by a steal and dunk by Blaise Akonobi to power out to a 51-31 lead with 15:15 to play.
They would not get any closer than 14 points, that twice with the last coming at 67-53 with 2:49 to play before A&M closed out the 71-55 victory behind solid defense.
Thompson led Fisk with 16 points along with four rebounds and five steals while Michael Ashley ripped down a game-high 12 boards – eight offensive – to go with seven points and three steals. They were joined by Blake Goodman with 15 points, four caroms and a pair of steals and Ethan Jones with nine boards. Jayden Lockett closed out the top performers with seven points, three rebounds and three steals.
The Bulldogs are now off until Friday, December 9 to accommodate finals week. When they return they will host Lipscomb in a familiar venue as they return to venerable Elmore Gymnasium as the result of a scheduling conflict with Fall Commencement. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
