HUNTSVILLE, Ala. | The Alabama A&M University men's basketball team looks to get back into the win column and split the season series with rival Alabama State in a key Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) game on Saturday at the AAMU Event Center. Tip-off during the Maroon & White Pride Night is set for 4 p.m. and streamed on Bulldogs All-Access.
Alabama A&M (8-20 overall, 7-8 SWAC) are looking to get back into the win column after back-to-back road losses to Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M last weekend. The setbacks kept the Bulldogs locked in the eighth spot, due to head-to-head results with Alabama State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Alabama State (12-16, 7-8) dropped a pair in the Sunshine State and moved into a three-way tie with AAMU and UAPB. The Hornets hold the tiebreaker currently with the Bulldogs, but split the season series with UAPB.
HEAD COACH - OTIS HUGHLEY JR.
Career Record: 23-38 (second season)
At Alabama A&M: 23-38 (second season)
SWAC Record: 17-16
SERIES HISTORY [note: since 1994]
All-Time Record vs. Alabama State: Alabama State leads series, 42-20
Record in Huntsville: Alabama State leads, 16-10
Last Meeting: Alabama State 72, Alabama A&M 55 (1/15/2024)
Hughley vs. Alabama State: 1-2
LAST MEETING VERSUS ALABAMA STATE
The Hornets scored 43 second-half points in winning the Bridge Builder Classic, 72-55, in Mobile, Ala., on Jan. 15, 2024.
Dailin Smith paced the Bulldogs with 19 points, while
Cameron Tucker added eight points and a team-high seven rebounds as Alabama A&M shot 40 percent (18-of-45) from the floor.
Isaiah Range poured in 20 points, with TJ Madlock and CJ Hines chipping in eight and seven points, respectively, as Alabama State shot nearly 50 percent in the second half.
LAST TIME OUT – ALABAMA A&M
The Bulldogs could not overcome a game-high 29 points, including six 3-pointers, from Keith Lamar in a 76-58 road loss on Monday to Florida A&M.
Omari Peek and
AC Bryant each recorded nine points, while
EJ Williams added eight points as Alabama A&M shot nearly 45 percent from the floor.
LAST TIME OUT – ALABAMA STATE
TJ Madlock sank three free throws with just under two seconds remaining to send the game into overtime, but Bethune-Cookman pulled away in the extra period for a 90-84 overtime win.
Madlock led the way with 23 points, including going 13-of-15 from the foul line. Micha Octave and CJ Hines registered 15 and 14 points, respectively, as the Hornets went 26-of-71 (36.6 percent) from the field.
TOP SCORERS
Alabama A&M
Omari Peek – 8.9 points
Cameron Tucker – 8.5 points
Jayland Randall – 6.9 points
Alabama State
T.J. Madlock – 15.8 points
CJ Hines – 10.2 points
Isaiah Range – 8.6 points
SWAC PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH IN PRESEASON POLL
Alabama A&M – seventh
Alabama State – eighth
BIGGEST NON-CONFERENCE WIN
Alabama A&M – vs. Tennessee State (85-83, OT // Nov. 29, 2023)
Alabama State – vs. Merrimack (65-60 //Nov. 25, 2023)
UP NEXT
Alabama A&M continues its three-game homestand on Thursday against Grambling State. Tip-off against the Tigers on Western/Country Night is set for 7:30 p.m. from the AAMU Event Center and streamed on Bulldogs All-Access.
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