ALCORN, Miss. — Tycen McDaniels scored a career-high 29 points to help Alcorn State secure a 67-64 win over Mississippi Valley State on Tuesday night at the Davey L. Whitney Complex.
The victory improves Alcorn’s record to 8-21 overall and 7-10 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The win keeps the Braves’ postseason hopes alive, as they remain in contention for a No. 9 seed in next week’s SWAC tournament in Atlanta. Mississippi Valley State’s loss drops the Delta Devils to 3-28 overall and 2-15 in conference play, securing their 12th-place finish and elimination from tournament contention, according to the school.
McDaniels added five rebounds and converted a crucial free throw with five seconds remaining to seal the win. Omari Hamilton scored 19 points, shot 7-for-8 at the free-throw line, and led the team with seven rebounds. Shane Lancaster contributed nine points, five rebounds, and four assists, while Nick Woodard added two blocked shots for Alcorn.
The game started with Alcorn jumping to a 6-0 lead behind McDaniels’ early baskets. Mississippi Valley State responded, tying the game at 8-8 on a layup from Mussa Mzein. The Delta Devils took their only lead of the game at 9-8, but Hamilton’s three-pointer 18 seconds later put Alcorn ahead for good. The Braves then went on a 9-0 run, highlighted by fast-break dunks from Davian Williams and Omari Hamilton, pushing the lead to 19-14.
Alcorn closed the first half on a 23-9 run to establish a 15-point advantage at halftime. Despite a late surge by Mississippi Valley State in the second half, the Braves held on, though they were outscored 41-29 in the final 20 minutes. The Delta Devils shot 56.5% in the second half and made 13 of 16 free throws, while Alcorn struggled with 39.1% shooting and went 0-for-5 from three-point range.
In the final minutes, Mississippi Valley State trimmed the lead to two points twice, with Daniel Mayfield scoring 12 second-half points, including a late three-pointer that made it 66-64 with 12 seconds remaining. Hamilton’s tip-in with under a minute left extended the lead to five, helping Alcorn secure the victory.
Alcorn hosts Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Thursday, March 5, for Senior Night at 8 p.m. at the Whitney Complex. Follow Alcorn State Sports on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for updates and behind-the-scenes content.
