Box Score
BIRMINGHAM,Ala.- Anyone canlight a match, but you have to be blazing to come out with a win.
JacksonState lit the match, started the fire and even burned for a little while, butAlabama A&M turned on the hose, watered the Tigers out and started a wildfirethat blazed all the way.
The No. 1seed Alabama A&M (17-13) advanced to the championship game of theSouthwestern Athletic Conference men’s tournament with an 74-56 win over No. 5seed Jackson State (16-16) Friday at the Birmingham-Jefferson Complex Center(BJCC) Arena .
JacksonState brought the heat as they started the first half with a high level ofintensity. A&M trailed behind Jackson State with 20-19 with 6:27 remaininguntil All-SWAC and Player of the Year, junior guard Obie Trotter , hit a 3-point shot at 6:03 in the first half.
After beingtied up twice in the first half, senior guard Rick Ricketts hit a jumper forA&M with 3:23 left and the Bulldogs never looked back as they enteredhalftime with the 30-24 lead.
“We didn’tplay that good defensively in the first half,” said Alabama A&M head coachVann Pettaway.
In thesecond half Alabama A&M blazed through Jackson State’s defense as they shot12-of-22 from the field while Jackson State shot 11-of-38.
“Thedifference in the second half of the ball game was our momentum andconfidence,” said Pettaway. “Wedid a good job defensively, held our heads up, and brought the fire.”
Juniorforward Joseph Martin led the Bulldogs with 17 points and 14 rebounds.
AlabamaA&M will face Alabama State on Sunday at 11 p.m. at the BJCC Arena, in theSWAC Championship game.
