BATON ROUGE, La. -- Florida A&M competed with toughness Thursday night in a challenging road match up, battling until the final buzzer. The Rattlers relied on a collective effort throughout the game, with Cornelia Ellington leading the way offensively with a team-high of 22 points. Her aggressive scoring kept Florida A&M within reach and set the tone on the offensive end.
The Rattlers received key contributions across the lineup. Tahnyjia Purifoy directed the offense with seven assists while adding five points and three steals, and Brooklyn Swann delivered nine points and eight rebounds off the bench, providing a strong presence on the glass. The team's depth and unselfish play were evident in key stretches.
Defensively, Florida A&M forced 13 Southern turnovers. The Rattlers were active in passing lanes and applied steady pressure, with Purifoy's three steals leading the effort. Even on the road, Florida A&M showed resilience and togetherness against a tough conference opponent.
How It Happened
Florida A&M faced early adversity, trailing 16-7 at the end of the first quarter, but continued to compete and search for momentum. The Rattlers kept attacking despite a 36-21 halftime deficit, showing poise against Southern's early surge.
Southern extended their lead in the third quarter, building a 58-32 advantage before Florida A&M responded with a 5-0 run capped by a three-pointer from Cornelia Ellington to cut the deficit to 58-37 with 44 seconds left in the quarter. The Rattlers continued to battle inside, scoring eight of their 16 third-quarter points in the paint and staying aggressive around the rim. Southern pushed its lead to 62-37 heading into the fourth.
In the final quarter, Florida A&M continued to fight, answering an 80-53 margin with an 8-0 run punctuated by another Ellington three to make it 80-61 with 42 seconds remaining — the final score of the contest. The Rattlers found their rhythm from beyond the arc late, knocking down four three-pointers in the quarter to account for half of their 24 points. Even as the clock wound down, Florida A&M maintained its intensity and closed the game competing on both ends.
Game Notes
The Florida A&M defense forced 13 turnovers.
Cornelia Ellington led the Rattlers with a game-high 22 points.
Florida A&M got a team-high eight rebounds from Brooklyn Swann.
