Delta Devils, Jags, Tigers, Hornets Post SWAC Wins
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Mississippi Valley State 81, Alabama A&M 69
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- Falando Jones scored 18 points to pace five Mississippi Valley State players scoring in double figures for an 81-69 win over Alabama A&M on Monday night, keeping the Delta Devils unbeaten in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
Terrence Joyner added 16 points, while both Kevin Burwell and Cor-J Cox had 15 apiece for the Delta Devils (4-11, 3-0). Amos Studivant tallied a double-double, scoring 10 points and pulling down 11 rebounds.
The teams stayed close for the first half, with MVSU taking a 35-34 edge into the locker room. But a layup by Joyner and a 3-pointer by Jones sparked a 17-8 run out of halftime, and the Delta Devils cruised from there. They outscored the Bulldogs 45-35 in the second half.
The Delta Devils outrebounded the Bulldogs 38-26 and scored 14 points off 16 turnovers.
Green Hill led Alabama A&M (3-10, 1-3) with 17 points.
Southern 68, Jackson State 37
BATON ROUGE, La. -- Jameel Grace scored 12 points and Mike Celestin and Cameron Monroe scored 10 each as Southern University defeated cold-shooting Jackson State 68-37 in a Southwestern Athletic Conference game Monday night.
The Jaguars (7-10, 3-1) shot 55.3 percent (26 of 47) from the field, while the Tigers made just 25.9 percent (14 of 54) -- including just 14.8 percent (4 of 27) in the first half. Southern also had a 38-26 rebounding advantage.
After a jumper by Jackson State's Jenirro Bush cut Southern's lead to 21-13, the Tigers (3-13, 1-3) did not score for the final 9:32 of the half while the Jaguars added 11 unanswered points.
Monroe scored six of his points during that run, which put Southern up 32-13 at halftime. The Jaguars' lead never fell below 18 points in the second half.
Bush scored 11 points and Kelsey Howard 10 to lead Jackson State.
Grambling 72, Alcorn State 71
ALCORN STATE, Miss. -- Quincy Roberts scored 26 points and Grambling State held off Alcorn State to win 72-71 Monday night. Alcorn State turned it over with 10 seconds left and Brandon Dorsett made the second of his two free throws for the Tigers' victory.
Xavier Rogers added 17 points for Grambling State (2-12, 2-2 Southwestern Athletic Conference). Alcorn State (4-12, 1-3) turned it over 13 times, compared to nine by the Tigers.
Xavian Rimmer had five turnovers for the Braves. The Braves' turnovers negated a good night shooting, as they made 56.9 percent (29 of 51). Alcorn State also outrebounded Grambling State 23-18.
Ken McDonald paced the Braves with 22 points, on 10-of-18 shooting. Twann Oakley added 14 points, Chris Brand chipped in 12 and Ian Francis had 10 for Alcorn State, which went to the free throw line 12 times (making 10 shots) compared to 30 for the Tigers (who made 21).
Alabama State 62, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 56
MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Ivory White and Tramaine Butler scored 14 points each as Alabama State defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff 62-56 Monday night in a Southwestern Athletic Conference game.
The Hornets (6-10, 3-1) increased a 24-23 halftime lead to 30-23 in the first 1 1/2 minutes of the second half on a basket by Phillip Crawford and two by Butler. Alabama State's lead reached 15 points, 53-38, after White's jumper with 6:57 remaining and a basket by Crawford 15 seconds later after an offensive rebound.
Savalace Townsend, the conference's scoring leader, had 23 points to pace the Golden Lions (1-15, 0-3), who trimmed Alabama State's lead to 59-55 with 47 seconds left.
But Jeff Middlebrooks made a pair of free throws to restore a six-point margin for the Hornets, who were just 6 of 18 from the line in the game. Crawford added 10 points for the Hornets, and he and White each had 10 rebounds.