BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Alcorn State University Braves showed flashes of brilliance but ultimately fell short in a tough 91-74 loss to UAB on Saturday afternoon at Bartow Arena.
Keionte Cornelius led the Braves with a stellar 22-point performance, hitting six of his ten three-point attempts and going 2-for-2 from the free-throw line. Jalyke Gaines-Wyatt added 14 points, including four three-pointers, while
Marcus Tankersley chipped in 10 points.
Despite a solid second-half effort, the Braves could not overcome UAB's early lead and size advantage.
GAME RECAP
First Half – UAB 50, Alcorn 31
- Alcorn started strong with Jalyke Gaines-Wyatt and Marcus Tankersley scoring early to keep the Braves within reach.
- UAB's Bradley Ezewiro dominated the paint, contributing nine points in the half and helping the Blazers build a 19-point halftime lead.
- Cornelius hit two late three-pointers, but the Braves struggled to match UAB's efficiency, shooting 38.7% from the floor.
Second Half – UAB 91, Alcorn 74
- The Braves came out firing in the second half, with Cornelius and Gaines-Wyatt hitting consecutive three-pointers to trim the deficit.
- Julian Lual and Josh Mitchell added key buckets, helping the Braves outscore the Blazers 43-41 in the half.
- UAB's depth proved too much to overcome, with Alejandro Vasquez and Yaxel Lendeborg scoring timely baskets to maintain their lead.
- Cornelius capped his performance with a deep three-pointer late in the game, but the Blazers' defense held firm.
BY THE NUMBERS
- 22 – Keionte Cornelius led all scorers with 22 points, shooting an impressive 6-of-10 from beyond the arc.
- 100% – The Braves were perfect from the free-throw line, going 9-for-9.
- 39 – Alcorn's bench contributed 39 points, with Daniel Braster and Julian Lual making notable impacts.
- 16 – The Braves scored 16 second-chance points
UP NEXT
The Braves (0-13) return to action on Saturday, January 4th, for the start of SWAC play as they take on rival Jackson State University. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. CST. The game will broadcast live on the HBCUGo App or at www.HBCUGo.tv.
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