TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida A&M fought past Southern and secured a 67-59 victory over the Southern Jaguars at home Saturday.

The Rattlers (4-9, 1-1) had three players score in double figures, led by Tyler Shirley, who had 17 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Miles Ndalama tacked on 13 points and six rebounds and Micah Octave chipped in as well with 12 points and eight rebounds.

Florida A&M grabbed 39 rebounds in Saturday's game compared to Southern's 32, led by Octave's eight boards. The Rattlers also put in work on the offensive glass, turning 12 rebounds into 10 second chance points.

The Florida A&M defense was a problem in Saturday's game, forcing 14 Southern turnovers. Those takeaways turned into 13 points on the offensive end of the floor. Shirley's two steals led the way individually for the Rattlers.

How It Happened

Florida A&M started off strong, putting together a 30-25 lead heading into halftime. Florida A&M took advantage of eight offensive rebounds to score six second chance points out of 30 total in the period

Florida A&M kept its lead intact before going on a 5-0 run, finished off by Shirley's three, to grow the lead to 50-40 with 8:32 to go in the contest. The Jaguars narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Rattlers still cruised the rest of the way for the 67-59 win. Florida A&M got a boost from its bench in the period, as non-starters accounted for 10 of its 37 total points.

Game Notes

» The Rattlers held the Jaguars to only 36.5 percent shooting from the field.
» Florida A&M never trailed in the second half on its way to victory.
» Florida A&M had a great day defensively, holding Southern to 15 percent from beyond the arc on 20 attempts.
» Florida A&M had a 39-32 edge on the boards in the win.
» The Florida A&M defense forced 14 turnovers.
» The Rattlers were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, recording five blocks as a team.
» Florida A&M cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 12 offensive boards in the game.
» Tyler Shirley led the Rattlers with 17 points.
» Florida A&M got a game-high eight rebounds from Micah Octave.