TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida A&M returns home this week looking to turn strong effort areas into results as the Rattlers host Prairie View A&M on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and Texas Southern on Saturday at 4 p.m. Both games will air on SWAC TV.

Even with an offense still searching for consistent rhythm, Florida A&M has a formula that travels and plays in the halfcourt: the Rattlers get downhill, attack the rim and create extra possessions. FAMU ranks second in the SWAC in free throws made (14.15 per game) and sits fourth in the league in free throw attempts (20.40 per game), while also checking in seventh in offensive rebounds (13.1 per game) - a combination that can win games even when shots aren't falling early.

Individually, guard Tahnyjia Purifoy has been the tone-setter as a pressure release valve. She's second in the SWAC in free throw attempts (101) and free throw percentage (82.2%), and leads the conference in total free throws made (83) — production that matters in tight, whistle-heavy SWAC games. In the frontcourt, Breazia Robinson anchors the paint presence, ranking second in the league in blocks (25) and blocks per game (1.32), giving Florida A&M a reliable defensive "eraser" when opponents get into the lane.

Game 1: Prairie View A&M at Florida A&M (Thursday, 6:30 p.m., SWAC TV)

This matchup is a contrast of rim protection and perimeter containment, and it leans into the parts of the game Florida A&M must value most: possessions and discipline.

Prairie View enters with one of the league's best defensive identities on the arc - the Panthers are No. 1 in the SWAC in 3-point defense (27.7%), a number that can shrink the floor and bait opponents into tough twos. Prairie View also blocks shots at a high rate (3.7 blocks per game, No. 2 in the SWAC) and generally keeps games in a grind-it-out range.

But there are clear pressure points Florida A&M can lean on. Prairie View's rebounding has been a problem all season (-14.3 rebound margin, last in the nation among ranked teams in that category) and the Panthers' efficiency at the stripe has been a swing factor (60.8% free throws, bottom-10 nationally). Prairie View also turns it over at a high clip (21.6 per game), which creates opportunities for FAMU to generate offense without having to "manufacture" it in the halfcourt.

Visitor snapshot: Prairie View A&M

Prairie View's key pieces show up in the minutes and usage. CJ Wilson is a load-bearing guard, ranking No. 1 in the SWAC in minutes (34.73) and sitting first in the league in free throw attempts (106). Crystal Schultz leads the scoring punch (15.1 points per game) and provides floor spacing (noted among league leaders in 3-point percentage tracking), while Ja'nya Polk gives them an interior deterrent with 1.25 blocks per game.

What Florida A&M must do to win

Florida A&M's cleanest path is to play to its strengths and Prairie View's weak points:

• Win the possession battle. FAMU's offensive rebounding (13.1 per game) should be a featured weapon against a Prairie View team struggling on the glass. Extra shots can offset a low team shooting percentage (FAMU 34.9%).
• Attack the rim and live at the line. Prairie View's free throw defense is "make them earn it," but the Panthers are also vulnerable in foul-and-free-throw math because they don't convert well at the other end. If Purifoy and the Rattlers can get into the bonus, it can tilt the game.
• Take care of the ball just enough. Florida A&M's turnover profile is the one area that can flip a winnable game. The Rattlers are fourth in the SWAC in turnovers (19.2 per game), but Prairie View forces 16.8 a night and thrives when games become sloppy. FAMU doesn't need perfection - it needs to avoid the two-minute stretches that turn into 8–0 runs off live-ball mistakes.
• Protect the paint without over-fouling. Prairie View doesn't rely on elite shooting efficiency, so Robinson's rim presence can be decisive. The key is defending vertically; Florida A&M is at 20.5 fouls per game, and giving Wilson repeated trips to the line is the fastest way to let Prairie View dictate tempo.

Game 2: Texas Southern at Florida A&M (Saturday, 4 p.m., SWAC TV)

Texas Southern presents a different challenge: depth, rebounding and wave-after-wave pressure. The Tigers are built to win with volume — more shots, more bodies, more chances.

Statistically, Texas Southern is the league's pace-and-pressure outlier in several areas: No. 1 in the SWAC in scoring (67.0 ppg), No. 1 in bench points (28.2 ppg; also 12th nationally) and No. 1 in 3-point attempts (22.3 per game). They rebound like a team that expects misses, too: No. 2 in the SWAC in total rebounds (40.67) and No. 1 in defensive rebounds (27.2), with an offensive rebounding rate that stays dangerous (13.4 offensive boards per game).

The defensive calling card that can change Florida A&M's shot profile is Texas Southern's perimeter defense. The Tigers rank third in the SWAC in 3-point defense (27.8%), which is especially relevant for a FAMU team still building confidence from deep (22.8%).

Visitor snapshot: Texas Southern

Texas Southern's identity is less about one scorer and more about lineup waves. Their bench production is elite for the league, and that depth helps them maintain physicality late. On the perimeter, Daeja Holmes is one notable finishing piece (listed among league leaders in 3-pointers per game tracking at 1.95), while the Tigers' rebounding numbers reflect a collective commitment to finishing possessions.

What Florida A&M must do to win

Beating Texas Southern usually comes down to whether you can withstand the second-wave minutes and keep the math from snowballing.

• Shrink the game. Texas Southern is at its best when possessions climb: more 3-point attempts, more offensive rebounds, more bench-driven spurts. Florida A&M needs a more deliberate possession game and must finish defensive possessions - especially because TSU is No. 1 in the SWAC in defensive rebounds.
• Make Texas Southern score over set defense. FAMU's defensive foundation can hold if it avoids self-inflicted damage. Texas Southern forces turnovers (17.86 per game) and thrives on quick strikes. Florida A&M's ball security must improve, because gifting extra possessions feeds directly into TSU's depth advantage.
• Control foul trouble and rotation stability. Both teams sit at 20.5 fouls per game, but Texas Southern's physical style and bench depth can punish thin rotations. Florida A&M must stay out of extended foul trouble stretches to keep Robinson on the floor and maintain rim protection.
• Win at the free throw line. Texas Southern's free throw percentage is modest (63.4%), while Florida A&M is second in the SWAC (69.4%) and has a proven closer at the stripe in Purifoy (82.2%). In a game likely decided by 6–10 "hidden points," that differential matters.