COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — Jameel Morris scored 22 points and Tycen McDaniels added 22 to lead No. 11 seed Alcorn State past 10th seed Alabama State 77-65 in the opening round of the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament Monday at The Gateway Center.
The Braves (10-22) used a second-half surge to secure the victory. They trailed by just one at halftime, 32-31, before outscoring Alabama State 45-34 after the break. They will face No. 8 seed Prairie View A&M in the next round.
Morris, a junior guard from Willingboro, New Jersey, was especially effective in the final minutes. He shot 7-of-15 overall, made 8-of-10 free throws, and scored 16 points in the second half. Morris scored eight points in the last two minutes, including back-to-back baskets and free throws that sealed the win.
McDaniels, a native of Columbus, Georgia, contributed on both ends of the floor. He shot 6-of-12 from the field and 10-of-13 from the free-throw line, pulled down nine rebounds, and recorded four steals and three blocks in 39 minutes.
Alcorn coach Jake Morton praised his team’s effort. “This win means everything to this program and to these guys,” Morton said. “They executed the game plan and responded well in the second half.”
Alabama State led by as many as 11 points in the first half, with Tyler Mason’s tip-in at 10:11 making it 19-8. But the Braves rallied late in the half, trailing just 29-32 at halftime. Omari Hamilton scored 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds for Alcorn, while Nick Woodard added 12 points, including two three-pointers. Davian Williams provided a spark off the bench with eight points.
The Hornets’ season ended with a 10-22 record. Jerquarius Stanback led all scorers with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Micah Simpson scored 15, and Mason added 12 off the bench. Alabama State struggled from the field, shooting 35.9% overall and just 21.4% from three-point range, and committed 16 turnovers compared to Alcorn’s 10. The Braves outscored the Hornets 36-30 in the paint.
Next up, Alcorn faces Prairie View A&M on Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET (1 p.m. CT). The game will be streamed on ESPN+. Follow Alcorn State Sports on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for updates and behind-the-scenes coverage.
