TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The Florida A&M men's basketball team battled through a highly competitive rivalry match-up to defeat Bethune-Cookman 81–77 at home Thursday night. In a game that featured multiple lead changes throughout the second half, the Rattlers stayed poised and energized in front of an electric home crowd, responding to every Wildcat push to secure the victory.
Florida A&M relied on a balanced offensive effort, with three players reaching double figures. Jaquan Sanders led the way with 18 points and seven rebounds, while Tyler Shirley added 17 points and two steals. Micah Octave made a major impact across the stat sheet, finishing with nine points, 11 rebounds, five steals, and five offensive boards.
The Rattlers dominated the glass on the offensive end, collecting 16 offensive boards and converting them in 22 second-chance points. Defensively, Florida A&M forced 16 Bethune-Cookman turnovers, converting those takeaways into 18 points.
Despite trailing by as many as seven points late in the second half, the Rattlers remained calm and focused, leaning on their defensive pressure and rebounding to regain momentum. The composure and collective effort helped Florida A&M close out the rivalry win in front of a roaring home crowd, with Kaleb Washington sealing the victory at the free-throw line by knocking down two clutch free throws in the closing moments to secure the 81–77 final.
How It Happened
After falling behind 23-20, Florida A&M went on a 5-0 run with 4:23 left in the first half, culminating in a bucket from Antonio Baker, to take a 25-23 lead. The Rattlers then added one point to that lead by the end of the period and entered halftime with a 34-31 advantage. Florida A&M did most of its first half damage in the paint, scoring 22 of its 34 points close to the basket.
Bethune-Cookman proceeded to take a 65-57 lead before Florida A&M went on an 8-0 run, finished off by Sanders' three, to even the score at 65 all with 6:07 to go in the game. Florida A&M got a boost from its bench in the period, as non-starters accounted for 13 of its 47 total points.
Game Notes
- The Florida A&M defense forced 16 turnovers.
- Florida A&M cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 16 offensive boards.
- Jaquan Sanders led the Rattlers with 18 points.
- Octave had a game high of 11 rebounds.
