PRAIRIE VIEW, TX --In an exhilarating night at the William Nicks Building, Prairie View, TX, the Prairie View A&M Panthers demonstrated resilience and skill to overcome the Alcorn Braves with a final score of 62-52 on January 16, 2025. The game, marked by intense competition, saw both teams tied at 27 points each at halftime. However, the Panthers, true to their mascot, showed their fighting spirit in the second half, pulling ahead to secure the victory. This league game was crucial for the Panthers as they improved their season record to 5-9, including a 2-3 record in the SWAC.

The Panthers (5-9, 2-3) had four players score in double figures, led by Amauri Williams, who had 16 points, six rebounds and three blocks. Ash'a Thompson added 15 points and two steals and Crystal Schultz chipped in as well with 11 points off of the bench.

Led by CJ Wilson's four offensive rebounds, Prairie View A&M did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 10 boards that resulted in 11 second chance points.

Prairie View A&M's defense held Alcorn State to only 18.8 percent shooting from beyond the arc and 28.8 percent from the field.

How It Happened

Prairie View A&M started out the scoring by going on a 13-0 run, culminating in a three from Schultz, to take an early lead with 3:45 left in the first quarter. The Panthers then lost some of that lead, but still entered the quarter break with a 13-4 advantage. Prairie View A&M did most of its first quarter damage in the paint, scoring eight of its 13 points close to the basket.

Prairie View A&M kept its first quarter lead intact before going on a 7-0 run starting at the 9:41 mark in the second period to increase its lead to 20-4. The Braves then battled back to even it up at 27-27 heading into halftime. Prairie View A&M forced five Alcorn State turnovers in the period and turned them into four points.

After intermission, Prairie View A&M jumped out to a 31-29 lead before going on a 7-0 run to expand its lead further to 38-29 with 5:09 to go in the third. Before the third period was over, the Panthers added two points to that lead and entered the fourth quarter with a 47-36 edge. Prairie View A&M played well near the basket, scoring 10 of its 20 points in the paint.

Prairie View A&M kept its lead intact before going on a 7-0 run, finished off by Wilson's layup, to grow the lead to 60-48 with 1:22 to go in the contest. The Braves narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Panthers still cruised the rest of the way for the 62-52 win. Prairie View A&M took advantage of its opportunities in the post, scoring eight of its 15 points in the paint.

Game Notes

» The Panthers held the Braves to only 28.8 percent shooting from the field.
» The Panthers never trailed after taking a 13-4 first quarter lead.
» Prairie View A&M had a great day defensively, holding Alcorn State to 19 percent from beyond the arc on 16 attempts.
» The Prairie View A&M defense forced 18 turnovers.
» The Panthers were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, recording seven blocks as a team.
» Prairie View A&M cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 10 offensive boards in the game.
» Amauri Williams led the Panthers with a game-high 16 points.
» Prairie View A&M got a team-high six rebounds from Amauri Williams.

The victory over Alcorn comes as a morale booster for the Panthers, providing momentum as they prepare to face Jackson State at home on January 18, 2025. The Panthers will be looking to capitalize on this win to climb further up the SWAC standings.