PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – With seconds ticking off the clock the Prairie View A&M men's basketball team was able to walk away with 69-67 victory over Alabama State for their 10th straight win on Monday at the Baby Dome.
 
"I think the team needed to go through something like this because the games we've been winning as of late, have been pretty decisive to a point," Head PVAMU men's basketball Coach Byron Smith said. "So we needed a game like this to grind it out, and I think it's going to get us ready for the second half of conference play."
 
After being down early, a made layup from junior guard Gerard Andrus tied the game 5-5 with 17:42 remaining in the half. A layup by senior forward Iwin Ellis then put the Panthers up 9-5 at the 15:35 mark. Two three pointers from redshirt junior guard Chancel Ellis pushed the PVAMU ahead 15-10 with 12:42 left in the period.
 
The Panthers went on a 7-0 run led by junior guard Antione Lister, which gave them a 22-15 lead by the 9:08 mark. With 6:49 left in the first half, a layup from senior Dennis Jones extended the team's lead to 26-20. A three pointer by Lister with under three minutes to go put the team up 33-27.
 
PVAMU went into halftime with a 36-30 lead off of a made three pointer from C. Ellis in the closing minute of the period. Lister led the team with 11 points.
 
Graduate guard Taishaun Johnson gave the Panthers their first points of the second half with a made jumper to put the team up 38-34. After trailing for the first time in the second half, on a 7-0 run led by Jones allowing the team to regain a 45-40 lead with 12:28 left in the half.
 
After being down by four, a 10-0 run led by junior guard Darius Williams allowed the team to take a 55-51 over ASU. A dunk from Andrus pushed the Panthers ahead 59-53 with under five minutes left in the game. After a back-forth scoring frenzy, with just under two minutes left to play, a made three point shot from Jones put the team up 62-60.
 
Made free throws from senior guard Gary Blackston and Johnson in the closing seconds of the half, excelled the Panthers past Alabama State to give them the 69-67 win.
 
Andrus led the team with 14 points and 11 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Lister followed with 13 points and three rebounds. Williams contributed with 12 points and three rebounds.
 
"It was a fight to the finish," Smith said. "We're excited about getting the W by [three] points, and now onto Texas Southern on Saturday night."
 
The Panthers will head back on the road as they travel to Houston to face Texas Southern, Saturday, Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m.