Braves Suffer Overtime Heartbreak in Houston

HOUSTON – Tycen McDaniels of Alcorn registered a career-high 26 points Thursday night as the Braves were ultimately unable to hang on to a late lead and dropped a heartbreaking 92-87 overtime decision away to Texas Southern in Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Men's Basketball action housed inside Health & Physical Education Arena.
 
For Alcorn (7-20, 6-9), the loss stopped what would have been consecutive wins for the second time this season in league play, while Texas Southern (11-16, 9-7 SWAC) moves into sole possession of sixth place in the league standings moving into the home stretch of the regular season.
 
Braves Standouts
• For the second time in as many games, Tycen McDaniels recorded a new career-high with 26 points on 12-for-17 shooting from the field, and a 2-for-3 effort at the charity stripe.
• Shane Lancaster knocked down five (5) three-pointers – the sixth time on the campaign he's netted four or more threes in a game.
• The Braves had four people in double figures scoring – McDaniels (26), Lancaster (17), Jameel Morris (17) and Nick Woodard (15).
• The 13 rebounds from McDaniels was a team high, as well as giving him back-to-back games with a double-double performance. He now has three altogether on the year.
• Omari Hamilton provided eight rebounds in a starting role for the Purple and Gold.
• Three different players finished perfect from the free throw line, including Davian Williams' 4-fo-4 effort.
 
How It Happened
• Alcorn was outscored 16-11 in the overtime period with the Braves shooting just 22.2 percent in the extra stanza.
• Duane Posey and Zytarious Morlte drove to the hole for baskets in overtime to extend the Tigers lead at 84-78 less than two minutes in.
• Twice Alcorn's Woodard and Lancaster converted free throws to cut the deficit at two – the last being 86-84 with 1:32 remaining in OT.
• Trailing 90-87 with eight seconds left, a Lancaster three-point attempt was wide of the mark allowing Texas Southern to seal the win.
• As a team, Alcorn shot 53.3 percent from the field in the opening half.
• With just eight available players on the squad, Alcorn's bench was outscored by TXSO, 28-2.
• The lone bench points for the Purple and Gold were supplied from Williams.
• Off the bench for the Tigers, Morlte scored 14 first half points.
• The Braves led by as many as nine (36-27) in the opener, before a 9-0 run sparked by the Tigers' Morlte tied the game at 36-36 with 2:38 remaining.
• After Morris hit both of his shots at the charity stripe for the Braves, an Alex Anderson driving layup knotted the game for TXSO at 41-all as the teams headed to the locker room.
• Alcorn began the second half on a 17-4 run to take a 58-45 lead behind the play of McDaniels who scored 12 of the team's 17 points during that span.
• TXSO immediately responded with a 15-0 run behind the strength of the trio of Anthony Andrews, Anderson and Morlte, putting the hosts up 60-58 with 8:49 left in regulation.
• However, the Braves would lead for a majority of the rest of the way until a Morlte layup down the lane with five seconds left knotted the game at 76-76 heading to overtime.
• The Tigers controlled the paint by scoring 64 of their 92 points in the post. Meanwhile, Alcorn countered with 38 points in the paint.
• The Braves finished the night 20 of 27 at the free throw line, and used a 7-for-24 shooting clip from long range.
• The Tigers were paced offensively by Morlte with a game-high 33 points, followed by Posey (16), Anderson (14) and Andrews (12) each touching double digits.
 
Up Next
Alcorn looks to steady the ship when the Braves return to action Saturday, Feb. 28, traveling to Prairie View A&M in Prairie View, Texas, for a game slated to begin at 4:30 p.m.
 
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