THE HILL | Dylan Mclean scored a career-high 19 points as the Alabama A&M University men's basketball team jumped out to a double-digit lead less than three minutes into the game and didn't look back as the Bulldogs rolled past Florida A&M, 77-66, in a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) game on Monday night at the AAMU Event Center.
Alabama A&M (10-18 overall, 6-9 SWAC) opened the game hot from the floor and shot nearly 50 percent in the opening half in taking a 37-27 advantage into the break. Florida A&M (12-14, 9-6) struggled to begin the game, and cut a double-digit deficit to seven points with just over 12 minutes to play but could not get any closer.
Mclean posted career highs in points (19) and 3-pointers made (six), along with two assists, two steals and one rebound.
AC Bryant added 13 points, five boards, three assists and a pair of steals.
Sterling Young led FAMU with 31 points, two rebounds and one steal, while Milton Matthews recorded 19 points, six boards and two steals.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Alabama A&M opened the game 4-for-5 from the floor in jumping out to a 9-0 lead less than three minutes into the game and stretched the margin to 12-0 after a Bryant deep 3-pointer with just over 15 minutes to play.
The Bulldogs extended the advantage to 18-4 after a
Darius Ford layup with 12:40 remaining, but the Rattlers slowly chipped away at the double-digit deficit, cutting the margin to 18-10 after a Ja'Derryus Eatmon layup with 9:48 left.
AAMU answered by using the deep ball as
Jaylen Colon,
London Riley and Mclean all drained 3-pointers as the Bulldogs pushed the advantage back to double-digits, 30-10, with 7:20 remaining.
A Young's trey sent Florida A&M into the half with momentum as the Rattlers trailed, 37-27, at the break.
Alabama A&M got 3-pointers by Mclean and
Saliou Seye as the Bulldogs stretched its lead to 44-28 just two minutes into the second half.
Florida A&M answered with triples from Jordan Chatman and Matthews, cutting it to a 10-point game, 46-36, with 15:35 left and trimmed the margin to 51-44 after a Chattman trey with 12:25 remaining.
Each time the Rattlers cut it to single digits, the Bulldogs had an answer as Mclean's 3-pointer gave AAMU a 61-49 lead with just over eight minutes to play.
Mclean's back-to-back jumpers gave Alabama A&M a 68-54 lead with exactly four minutes to play and the Bulldogs didn't look back in winning its home finale.
GAME NOTES
- Alabama A&M shot 44.2 percent (23-of-52) from the floor and 73.3 percent (22-of-30) from the free-throw line
- The Bulldogs grabbed 34 rebounds, including 22 off the defensive glass
- Dylan Mclean posted career highs in points (19) and 3-pointers made (six), along with two assists, two steals and one rebound
- AC Bryant added 13 points, five boards, three assists and a pair of steals
- Alabama A&M finished with 28 points in the paint, 23 fastbreak points, 21 points off 19 FAMU turnovers, 20 bench points and six second-chance points
- Florida A&M went 19-of-46 from the floor (41.3 percent) and 18-of-24 (75.0 percent) from the charity stripe
- The Rattlers grabbed 28 rebounds, with 22 coming on the defensive glass
- Sterling Young led FAMU with 31 points, two rebounds and one steal
- Milton Matthews recorded 19 points, six boards and two steals
- Florida A&M finished with 36 bench points, 16 points in the paint, 16 fastbreak points and 13 points off 16 AAMU turnovers
UP NEXT
Alabama A&M returns to the road for its final three regular season games as the Bulldogs visit rival Alabama State on Saturday. Tip-off against the Hornets is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. from the Dunn-Oliver Acadome and streamed on HBCU GO.
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