Braves Grind Out 74-69 Victory over UAPB, Sweep Home-Stand

LORMAN, Miss. – The Alcorn State University men's basketball program led by 15 with 7:37 left and held off a late comeback attempt by Arkansas-Pine Bluff in a 74-69 win Monday at the Davey L. Whitney Complex.
 
The Braves (6-12, 2-4 SWAC) were up 57-42 when UAPB (6-12, 3-2 SWAC) came storming back with a 16-3 run to make it a 60-58 game with 4:40 remaining. However, Alcorn made enough plays down the stretch to not surrender the lead and went 10-for-11 from the free throw line in the closing minutes.
 
Alcorn never trailed in the game.
 
Sophomore Troymain Crosby turned in an all-around effort with 20 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals. Junior Maurice Howard netted 16 points and was four-for-seven from long-range.
 
Also in double-figures were senior Reginal Johnson with 13 points and junior Devon Brewer with 10 points and six rebounds. Four of five starters scored in double-figures.
 
Though, the hot-hand was on the other side of the court at UAPB's Martaveous McKnight scored a game-high 29 points on 9-of-20 shooting, including 6-for-12 from three. McKnight is the SWAC's leading scorer.
 
The Braves got off to a strong start as a jumper by Crosby and a pair of threes by Howard had them up 14-2 early. Alcorn was still ahead 20-11 when the Golden Lions answered on a 9-0 run to tie it 20-20 at the 8:01 mark. It was the only tie of the contest.
 
The Braves closed out the half on a high note. Four free throws and a three-pointer put them back on top 28-21 with 5:22 remaining. Alcorn extended it to 41-28 after back-to-back threes by sophomore Jael Scott and junior Khari Jabriel Allen. The Braves led 41-30 at the half.
 
Early in the second, a jumper from just beyond the free throw line by Brewer kept Alcorn on top 47-33 with 16:59 to go. A floater by Johnson made it a 57-42 game with 7:37 to go.
 
The Golden Lions went on their run after forcing turnovers. Their full court press was turning into lay-ups, and a three-pointer by Marcus Wallace had them trailing 60-58 with 4:40 to go.
 
After a pair of free throws by Crosby, the Braves got a stop defensively and followed it up with Crosby's old-fashion three-point play to push the lead back up to 65-58 with 4:03 left.
 
UAPB didn't go away, and after lay-ups by Shaun Doss and Cameron Posey, it trailed 69-66 with 1:02 remaining. The Golden Lions got the ball back after a missed shot by Alcorn, but Doss missed a jumper with 34 seconds left which would have made it a one-point game.
 
Howard made the final four free throws in the last 17 seconds to put the game away.
 
The Braves will hit the road Saturday when they travel to Alabama State for a 5:30 p.m. tip. The two teams split the season-series last year, but the Braves are 4-2 against the Hornets under head coach Montez Robinson.
 
NOTES
- Alcorn improved to 6-1 against the Golden Lions under Robinson who carries a 35-25 SWAC record in four seasons.
 
- The Braves are now 6-2 at home this year where they've outscored the opposition 627-481.
 
- Howard entered the game leading the conference in three-pointers made per game with 3.2 and drained four. It was his 33rd career double-figure scoring game, 11th this year and fifth in the last six games.
 
- Crosby neared his career-high of 23 points set against Rust College earlier this season. On the weekend, Crosby averaged 17.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists which included a 63-57 win over Mississippi Valley State. He notched his 19th career double-figure scoring game and eighth this year.
 
- Johnson, who is up to 1,202 career points, submitted his 63rd career double-figure scoring game and eighth this year.
 
- Brewer totaled his 11th career double-figure scoring game and fifth this season. He was coming off a career-high 18 points against MVSU.
 
Quoting Alcorn head coach Montez Robinson
Opening Statement
"I've been saying it over the past couple of weeks, you have to do the little things. The little things add up. Martin Luther King said, 'I'd rather do a lot of small things than on big thing, so that in the end they will amount to a big thing.' That quote fit what the guys did today. Diving on the floor, finishing plays, and even deflecting passes got the win tonight."
 
On defending Martaveous McKnight
"We did a good job of stopping at least one of their top-three scorers from getting their average. We did a pretty good job of guarding McKnight. He took some really tough shots and happened to make them. We were draped on him, and they gave him a few calls. I don't think he deserves every trip to the line, but that's how the game goes. There were a couple of questionable calls down the stretch."
 
On Reginal Johnson
"He had some good looks that we didn't make. He usually has ice water in his veins on those corner shot. He just couldn't knock down his shots tonight but still ended with 13 points."
 
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