The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff led nearly wire-to-wire and got 20 points from Kylen Milton on Saturday in a 67-54 men's basketball victory over Florida A&M University in Tallahassee.
UAPB (7-11, 3-2 Southwestern Athletic Conference) has won its third game in a row and established its longest winning streak since earning four straight in February 2019. The Golden Lions can match that mark Monday at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach (tipoff 6:30 p.m. Central).
Milton grabbed five rebounds and made 8 of 12 free throws in 31 minutes of action. Shaun Doss Jr. nearly earned a double-double with 18 points and eight rebounds while shooting 8 of 10 at the line and making three steals. Chris Greene added 8 points.
UAPB led for nearly 38 minutes of the game and only trailed 3-2. The final margin was the Lions' largest lead of the game.
Leading 32-26 at halftime, UAPB finished the game shooting 20 for 49 (40.8%) while overcoming a 4-for-19 clip from the three-point arc. UAPB made 23 of 30 free throws (76.7%) and outrebounded FAMU 35-27.
The Rattlers (2-13, 0-4) made 19 of 45 field goals (42.2%) and were cold from the arc (4 of 18) and free-throw line (12 of 21).
Jordan Chatman had 15 points and five rebounds, and Jordan Tillmon registered 11 points and four assists for the Rattlers.
East Central 66, UAM 59
In Monticello, Isaac Jackson scored 19 points and collected seven rebounds in 40 minutes, but he could not lift the UA Monticello Boll Weevils (5-9, 1-7 Great American) out of a skid that has now reached five games.
Mario Fantina scored 11 points and Josh Denton scored 10 for UAM. Quinton Johnson II dropped 24 points, Godsgift Ezedinma had 12 and Keyon Thomas scored 10 for Oklahoma's East Central University (8-6, 3-5).
UAM will host Arkansas Tech University at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
WOMEN
UAPB 71, Florida A&M 68
Also in Tallahassee, UAPB's 7-of-15 three-point shooting helped the Lady Lions win for the second time in three games.
Coriah Beck (16 points) and Demetria Shephard (13 points) led the three-point assault with three treys apiece. Maya Peat led the Lady Lions with 17 points and seven rebounds.
UAPB (4-11, 2-3 SWAC) shot nearly 50% from the floor (24 of 15) and converted 16 of 23 free throws, with Peat canning 7 of 8 at the line. Maori Davenport, who saw her minutes increase after dealing with an undisclosed injury, scored 7 points and had five rebounds in 18 minutes.
The Lady Lions had a 37-28 rebounding edge over the Rattlers (2-13, 0-4).
"We were very resilient and did a good job of controlling the pace of the game," UAPB Coach Dawn Thornton said. "We have to do a better job at protecting the ball, but our defensive play stood out and made up for those slight miscues. Kourtney [Rittenberry] has stepped [up] as an asset to our defense since joining the starting lineup, and Maya continues to show her presence in this conference night in and night out."
Rittenberry, a sophomore guard from Loganville, Ga., started for the third-straight game and has made eight steals in the past four games. She has 13 on the season.
UAPB will visit Bethune-Cookman for a 4:30 p.m. Central tipoff Monday.
UAM 73, East Central 53
In Monticello, Bailey Harris collected 21 points and seven rebounds and the Cotton Blossoms (6-8, 3-5 Great American) won their second in a row.
The Blossoms shot 26 for 55 (47.3%) from the floor. Seven of their 19 three-point shots were made, and they converted 14 of 19 free throws.
Cyarah Kensmil scored 14 points and Azaria Hulbert had 11 for the Blossoms. Izzy Cummins led East Central (4-8, 1-7) with 15 points.
UAM will tip off against Arkansas Tech at 5:30 p.m. Monday in Monticello.
HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS
Watson Chapel 48, Monticello 18
In Monticello on Friday, the Lady Wildcats' turnaround has extended to a sixth-straight victory, setting up a first-place battle against Star City at home Tuesday.
Kha'leyce Cooper scored 14 points and Christian Lovett totaled 8 for Watson Chapel (9-9, 4-0 in Conference 4A-8), which held Monticello to 1 point and led 27-4 at halftime.
In other high school games: Watson Chapel's boys team defeated Monticello 54-45; DeWitt's boys team beat Dollarway 53-39 and DeWitt's girls team beat Dollarway 64-20.