HUNTSVILLE, Ala. | The Alabama A&M University men's basketball team trailed by as many as 15 points during the first seven minutes of the game, but bounced back for a 75-67 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff in a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) game on Monday night at the AAMU Event Center.
Alabama A&M (8-18 overall, 7-6 SWAC), winners of five out of its last six games, completed the season sweep of the Golden Lions with the win. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (11-15, 6-7) led 28-13 with 12:28 in the first half and saw the lead disappear as the Bulldogs used a 16-2 run late in the second half to earn the win.
Omari Peek paced the Bulldogs with 15 points, on 6-of-11 shooting, with four steals, two assists, one rebound and one blocked shot.
Cameron Tucker recorded a double-double, with 14 points and 11 rebounds, with three assists, while
Jayland Randall added 14 points, seven boards, three assists, two steals and two blocks.
Chad Moodie also recorded a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds, with one blocked shot.
Rashad Williams led UAPB with 23 points, three boards, one assist and one steal. Joe French chipped in 16 points and five boards, while Lonnell Martin tallied 12 points, three boards and one assist. Ismael Plet grabbed 13 rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Arkansas-Pine Bluff raced out to an 18-6 lead after a Williams triple with just under 15 minutes to play in the opening half
- The Golden Lions pushed the lead to 28-15 after a Lonnell Martin trey with 12:28 left
- However, Alabama A&M used an 11-3 run over the next four minutes, capped by a Peek jumper, pulling the Bulldogs to within 31-26 with 8:53 remaining
- AAMU continued to trim the deficit, closing the gap to 34-30 after an AC Bryant pull-up jumper with just over seven minutes to play
- The Golden Lions went the final 8:39 without a field goal as the Bulldogs closed the margin to 35-33 after a Peek layup right before the half
- Alabama A&M erased the big first-half Moodie threw down a dunk and Peek sank a jumper as the Bulldogs grabbed a 40-37 lead with just under 18 minutes remaining
- Back came UAPB as the Golden Lions got free throws by Williams and Joe French, along with a Kylen Milton layup to grab a 47-45 advantage with 13:41 left
- UAPB used a 9-6 run, capped by a Milton layup, to grab a 56-51 advantage with just over seven minutes to play
- Alabama A&M responded with a 16-2 run over a six-minute stretch as Lorenzo Downey drained a trey and Moodie sank a foul shot as the Bulldogs took a commanding, 67-58, lead with 1:54 left
- Arkansas-Pine Bluff could not recover as the Bulldogs completed the season sweep
GAME NOTES
- Alabama A&M shot 39.1 percent (27-of-69) and 64.3 percent (18-of-28)
- The Bulldogs grabbed 48 rebounds, including 33 on the defensive glass
- Omari Peek tallied 15 points, four steals, two assists, one rebound and one blocked shot
- Cameron Tucker recorded a double-double, with 14 points and 11 rebounds, with three assists
- Jayland Randall added 14 points, seven boards, three assists, two steals and two blocks
- Chad Moodie also recorded a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds, with one blocked shot
- The Bulldogs finished with 42 points in the paint, 31 bench points, 15 points off 14 UAPB turnovers, 13 fastbreak points and 12 second-chance points
- Arkansas-Pine Bluff went 21-of-66 from the floor (31.8 percent) and 16-of-19 (84.2 percent) from the charity stipe
- The Golden Lions grabbed 46 rebounds, with 11 coming on the offensive glass
- Rashad Williams registered 23 points, three boards, one assist and one steal
- Joe French chipped in 16 points and five boards
- Lonnell Martin tallied 12 points, three boards and one assist
- Ismael Plet grabbed 13 rebounds
- The Golden Lions finished with 25 bench points, 22 points in the paint, 12 fastbreak points, 11 points off 10 AAMU turnovers and five second-chance points
UP NEXT
Alabama A&M returns to the road one final time during the regular season with a two-game swing in the Sunshine State. The Bulldogs visit Bethune-Cookman on Saturday, with a 3 p.m. tip from Moore Gymnasium in Daytona Beach, Fla. and conclude the road trip on Monday, Feb. 26 at Florida A&M.
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