PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas- The Prairie View A&M University men's basketball team closed out their home regular season after topping Alabama A&M University 71-58, Monday night at the William J. Nicks Building in SWAC action.
 
Dennis Jones and Gary Blackston paced the Panthers in the scoring department, registering 14 points apiece. Iwin Ellis tallied 11 points on 5-6 shooting from the floor, while J. D. Wallace had a double-double with 13 points and snatching 11 rebounds in 35 minutes of game action.  Zachary Hamilton tallied nine points, six rebounds, and three assists in 27 minutes of action. Shaquille Preston chipped in with six points, three rebounds, 3 assists, one steal and one block off the bench for the Purple and Gold.
 
The Panthers broke fast out of the gates, taking a 6-0 advantage less than two minutes into the contest. AAMU would cut into the lead in the subsequent minutes. With 14:19 to go in the opening half the Purple and Gold responded outscoring the Bulldogs 13-5 thanks to key baskets from Jones, Blackston, Hamilton, and Preston. A Hamilton's three pointer put Prairie View ahead 23-13 with a little more than eight minutes left in the first half.  Although the Panthers scored just nine points in the remaining minutes of the half, AAMU was unable to capitalize as PVAMU remained in control as the half came to a close. At halftime Prairie View A&M led 32-23.
 
The Purple and Gold had a slow start to the second half. Alabama A&M took advantage outscoring the Panthers 13-4 to reducing the PVAMU lead to four. With 14:35 remaining in the contest the Panthers led 40-36. PVAMU went on a scoring run of their own, scoring 12 of the games next 17 points. The scoring spurt was punctuated by an and one from Blackston to widen the lead to a dozen points with less than 12 minutes remaining. The run was keyed by buckets from Blackston, Hamilton, Preston and Jones. Prairie View remained in control in the subsequent minutes leading by as many as 14 points. A Blackston jump shot off of a Jones assist put the Panthers ahead 66-54 with 4:12 left in regulation. The Panthers closed the Bulldogs out with strong play on both ends from Jones, Hamilton, Blackston, Wallace and Ellis to take the win.
 
The Panthers return to the hardwood for action on March 1st in Lorman, Miss.  to take on Alcorn State University for a 7 p.m. tip.