DAYTONA BEACH, FL – Alcorn State men's basketball secured a thrilling 78-74 road win over Bethune-Cookman on Thursday night at Moore Gymnasium. The Braves controlled the game early and held off a late push from the Wildcats to earn their eighth SWAC victory of the season.
Jalyke Gaines-Wyatt led Alcorn with a game-high 24 points, shooting 9-of-15 from the field and 2-of-3 from three-point range.
Marcus Tankersley was a force at the free-throw line, scoring 23 points while going a perfect 9-for-9 at the stripe.
Djahi Binet added 10 points and five rebounds, while
Michael Pajeaud controlled the glass with seven rebounds and six points.
The Braves built a nine-point lead at halftime and maintained their advantage for most of the second half before Bethune-Cookman's late rally cut the lead to just four in the final seconds. Alcorn's clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch secured the win, as they shot an efficient 78.3% (18-of-23) from the line.
GAME RECAP
First Half – Alcorn 39, Bethune-Cookman 30
- The Braves started fast, with Gaines-Wyatt scoring five of Alcorn's first 10 points.
- Alcorn's defense forced early turnovers, leading to 21 points off Bethune-Cookman's mistakes.
- Tankersley attacked the basket relentlessly, going 7-of-9 from the free-throw line in the first half.
- Bethune-Cookman struggled from three-point range, shooting just 28.6% in the first 20 minutes.
Second Half – Alcorn 78, Bethune-Cookman 74
- The Wildcats opened the half strong, cutting the deficit to five behind Trey Thomas' three-point shooting.
- Gaines-Wyatt remained consistent, hitting timely shots to keep Alcorn ahead.
- Bethune-Cookman made a final push in the last two minutes, closing the gap to four points.
- Alcorn stayed composed at the free-throw line, with Williams and Gaines-Wyatt sinking key shots to ice the game.
BY THE NUMBERS
- 24 – Jalyke Gaines-Wyatt led all scorers with 24 points on 60% shooting.
- 23 – Marcus Tankersley added 23 points, including a perfect 9-of-9 at the free-throw line.
- 31 – The Braves won the rebounding battle with 31 total boards.
- 21 – Alcorn forced 21 points off turnovers, capitalizing on Bethune-Cookman's mistakes.
- 78.3% – The Braves shot 18-of-23 from the free-throw line to seal the victory.
UP NEXT
The Braves (8-16, 8-4 SWAC) will travels to Tallahassee, Florida to face Florida A&M University on Monday, February 17. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. CST
