TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Jan. 16) – The FAMU Women’s Basketball team saw their penchant for struggle in 2016-17 continue Monday evening as they dropped a 64-41 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference decision to rival Bethune-Cookman Monday at the Al Lawson Center.
FAMU (3-15, 1-4 MEAC) fell behind in the first half due to ice cold shooting (4 of 29, 13.8%), as they scored just a single point (1) after playing the league-leading Wildcats (9-8, 5-0 MEAC) to a 13-13 count after one quarter.
Bethune-Cookman managed 16 points in that second quarter to forge a 29-14 lead by halftime, FAMU came out of the lockeroom inspired, shooting 71 percent in the third period to outpace the Wildcats, 24-17, edging back into contention, trailing just 46-38 after three quarters.
But FAMU’s penchant for running hot and cold struck again in the fourth, as the Rattlers managed just three points to 18 for the Wildcats who coasted to victory.
Junior Dawn King led FAMU with 11 points, the lone Rattler to score in double figures, followed by Cedricka Sweeting with seven points and Kalybriah Haskins with five points. Shakerrya Morrison led FAMU with nine rebounds.
Kendra Cooper led Bethune-Cookman with 18 points, while Ashanti Hunt ended up with 13 points and 11 rebounds, with Kailyn Taylor adding 10 boards.
The FAMU Men’s Basketball team spent the entire game playing catch up, as they dropped an 82-76 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference verdict to rival Bethune-Cookman at the Al Lawson Center Monday night.
Bethune-Cookman (4-14, 1-4 MEAC) captured their first MEAC win of the season, and it was their 11-point halftime lead of 49-38, and their winning of the free throw battle in the second half that sealed the victory for them.
The Wildcats hit 14 of 15 charity tosses in the final 20 minutes, which allowed them to hold off a determined FAMU bunch, whih nails five three-pointers to put themselves back into contention, only to have their free throw shooting – nine of 16 down the stretch, and 19 of 30 on the night seal their fate.
Desmond Williams led FAMU with 20 points and eight rebounds, while the sharpshooting duo of Marcus Barham (17 points, five rebounds) and Justin Ravenel (16 points, seven rebounds), each went 4-of-7 from three-point range.
B-CU’s Brandon Tabb hit five of 16 three-pointers en route to a 29-point, seven rebound performance. Quinton Forrest added 21 points and six rebounds, while Diamante Lewis finished with 14 points, six assists and five rebounds for the ‘Cats.
Both the FAMU men and women will be off until next Monday, when they host Maryland-Eastern Shore in the Lawson Center. The ladies tip at 6:00, the men follow at 8:00.
