STEPHENVILLE, Texas –– The Florida A&M Rattlers (3-8) fell to Tarleton State (5-10) 70-60 on Sunday afternoon at Wisdom Gymnasium, concluding one of the nation's most challenging non-conference schedules. Sterling Young led FAMU with 16 points, while Jordan Chatman added 11 points in the defeat.

The Rattlers showed resilience early, taking a 4-point lead with 11:44 remaining in the first half. However, Tarleton State responded with a 9-0 run during a key stretch and took a 39-26 lead into halftime. Keitenn Bristow proved challenging to contain, scoring 23 points for the Texans while shooting an efficient 9-of-14 from the field.

FAMU continued to battle in the second half, cutting the deficit to 8 points multiple times, including 68-60 in the final minute. The Rattlers' bench provided a spark, outscoring Tarleton State's reserves 36-19. Kaleb Washington collected eight rebounds to lead FAMU on the glass.

Despite the loss, the Rattlers showed promising signs against another quality opponent. FAMU shot 76.2% from the free throw line (16-of-21) and forced 11 turnovers.

The Rattlers now turn their attention to SWAC play, which begins with a rivalry matchup against Bethune-Cookman on Saturday, January 4, 2025. The conference opener represents a fresh start for FAMU after navigating through one of Division I's toughest non-conference schedules.

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