BATON ROUGE, La. - The Prairie View A&M University men's basketball team knocked off Southern University 77-69 in SWAC action on Saturday evening at the F.G. Clark Activity Center. 
 
With the win the Panthers are the #2 seed in the conference and will host #7 seed Alcorn State at the Williams J. Nicks Building at 8:30 p.m.  General admission tickets for Tuesday's doubleheader are $15 and can be purchased online at pvpanthers.com/pvswachoops.
 
Gary Blackston led the Panthers in scoring with 24 points on 8-19 shooting from the field. Zachary Hamilton tallied 22 points on 7-16 shooting from the floor in 30 minutes of game action.
 
The Panthers started off fast, scoring seven of the game's first nine points. The hot start was keyed by baskets from Dennis Jones, Blackston and Hamilton. The Jaguars responded outscoring the Panthers 12-0 in the subsequent minutes to take a seven point lead.
 
With. 14:07 left in the half, Southern 14-7. The Panthers responded again outscoring SU 11-4 in the following minutes to tie the game up at 18-18. Again the scoring run was keyed by Hamilton, Blackston and Jones.  The Jaguars took control of the game during the remainder of the half, leading by as many 10 points as the first half came to its conclusion.  At the end of the first half Prairie View A&M University trailed 36-28.
 
The Panthers started the second half hot scoring six of the halves first eight points to cut the lead to 38-34 with 17:12 left in the contest.  The Panthers remained in striking distance in the subsequent minutes, with a Blackston free throw cutting the lead to 48-47 10:14 to go in the contest.
 
The Panthers took the lead on a Blackston jumper giving the Panthers the advantage with 8:21 left in regulation.  PVAMU led from that point forward, leading by as many as 14 points as the game wound down to a close. The Panthers got strong play from Troy Thompson, Jones, Hamilton, and Blackston.
 
The Panthers will return to the hardwood on Tuesday in SWAC Tournament action at the William J. Nicks Building against Alcorn for an 8:30 p.m. tip.   
 
 
                                                            #pvamumenshoops