DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Alcorn State men's basketball continued to show fight and resilience, but a first-half surge by Bethune-Cookman proved too much to overcome as the Braves fell 82–73 on Monday night at Moore Gymnasium in Daytona Beach, Florida.
The Wildcats jumped out early and carried a 45–31 advantage into halftime after shooting over 60 percent from the field in the opening period. Alcorn stayed within striking distance early, trading leads in the opening minutes, but Bethune-Cookman used a combination of transition baskets and second-chance opportunities to build separation before the break.
Alcorn responded with its best stretch of basketball in the second half, outscoring the Wildcats 42–37 over the final 20 minutes. The Braves shot 47.1 percent from the field in the second half and steadily chipped away at the deficit with strong interior play and improved ball movement. Alcorn also won the second-half rebounding battle and created multiple extra possessions that kept pressure on the home team.
Shane Lancaster paced the Braves with 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and three steals, attacking the rim consistently while also knocking down perimeter shots. Tycen McDaniels added 14 points and eight rebounds, scoring efficiently around the basket and providing a physical presence in the paint. Omari Hamilton delivered a spark off the bench with 11 points and four rebounds, converting all four of his free-throw attempts. Nick Woodard rounded out the double-figure scorers with 10 points to go along with five rebounds.
Alcorn finished with 40 points in the paint and held a commanding 19–6 advantage in second-chance points, a reflection of the Braves' effort on the offensive glass. The Braves also forced 13 turnovers and turned them into 11 fast-break points, using defensive pressure to fuel their comeback attempt.
Bethune-Cookman was led by Daniel Rouzan, who scored a game-high 24 points, while Jakobi Heady contributed 20 points to help the Wildcats maintain control late. Despite Alcorn trimming the margin to single digits in the closing minutes, timely baskets and free throws allowed Bethune-Cookman to close out the contest.
The Braves return home looking to build on the positive second-half momentum when they host Southern on Saturday at the Davey L. Whitney Complex.
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