ITTA BENA, Miss. – The Alcorn men's basketball downs Mississippi Valley State 70-60 in a Thursday night thriller at the R.W. Harrison Complex. The Braves improve to 17-12 overall and 14-3 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The Devils move to 5-26 on the season and 4-13 in the SWAC.
Alcorn shot 44.8 percent from the field (26-58) and 56.2 percent from beyond the arc (6-13). The Braves shot 63.2 percent at the line, making 12 of 19 attempts.
Dekedran Thorn led the team with 17 points and six rebounds. Jeremiah Kendall added 13 points with five rebounds, and Keondre Montgomery scored 12 with six boards.
MVSU made 22 of its 52 shots to go 42.3 percent from the floor, including 10 of 27 from the three-point range for 37.0 percent. Terry Collins led the Devils with 16 points, Tyron Mosley had 15, and Danny Washington added 10.
Mississippi Valley won the tip-off, but a missed layup would put the ball in the Braves' hands. Thorn won the rebound, tossed the ball to Jeremiah Kendall, and Dontrell McQuarter scored the first two points of the contest on a layup. Terry Collins answered for Valley to lock the board at two. Two minutes would tick off the clock before Jeremiah Kendall started a run for the Braves. He hit a jumper and then a layup to give Alcorn a 6-2 advantage. Braves would continue to push away to grab a 15-8 lead with 12:39 left in the first half.
The run for Alcorn was short-lived once Mississippi Valley found success beyond the arc. In a span of four minutes, the Devils hit four three-pointers and were able to tie the game again. With 6:12 on the clock, the scoreboard read 22 for both teams. The Braves kicked up their offensive effort with Keondre Montgomery and Kendall knocking down threes. Alcorn won the first-half battle, entering the break with a 34-27 advantage.
Mississippi Valley came off the break to grab the first points. Collins stepped behind the arc and landed a three-point jumper. Alcorn would take over, scoring seven points in succession, before Valley free throws ended the run. With 16 minutes left, the Braves led 41-30.
The final minutes of the game were foul-heavy. From the 16-minute mark onward, twenty fouls took place between the Braves and the Devils, with 24 trips to the line. Alcorn remained ahead, closing the game with a 70-60 victory.
Alcorn will close out the regular season on the road and the University of Arkansas – Pine Bluff on Saturday, March 4. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m.
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