ATLANTA--Top-seeded Alabama A&M narrowly avoided an upset in the SWAC Women’s Tournament.
The Bulldogs rallied late to defeat No. 8 seed Florida A&M 72-68 Wednesday at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia.
Alabama A&M (22-9, 17-1 SWAC) trailed late in the fourth quarter before closing the game on a decisive run to advance in the tournament.
Florida A&M (9-22, 7-11 SWAC) pushed the conference’s top seed to the brink before faltering in the final minutes.
Florida A&M starts strong
Florida A&M controlled the early momentum.
The Rattlers jumped out to a 15-8 lead after the first quarter, holding Alabama A&M to just 2-of-12 shooting in the opening period.
Alabama A&M responded in the second quarter with improved offense. The Bulldogs scored 22 points in the second period, erasing the deficit and sending the game into halftime tied 30-30.
Kaila Walker powers Alabama A&M
Alabama A&M leaned on its star in the second half.
Kaila Walker delivered a dominant performance with 31 points, shooting 9-of-15 from the field while making three three-pointers and 10-of-11 free throws.
Walker also contributed six rebounds, four assists, and two steals in the win.
Her scoring helped Alabama A&M stay within striking distance as Florida A&M continued to apply pressure.
Florida A&M leads late before Bulldogs rally
The Rattlers appeared poised for the upset late in the fourth quarter.
A jumper from Breazia Robinson with 2:29 remaining gave Florida A&M a 66-62 lead, putting the No. 8 seed in control.
However, Alabama A&M responded immediately.
Aniya Palmer scored on a jumper in the paint and then forced a turnover on the next possession. Moments later, Palmer finished a fast-break layup to tie the game 66-66 with 1:45 remaining.
The Bulldogs took their first lead of the final stretch when Vanessa Wimberly scored in the paint with 50 seconds left, giving Alabama A&M a 68-66 advantage.
Florida A&M had several chances to regain the lead, but Alabama A&M’s defense stepped up. Wimberly blocked a layup attempt and the Bulldogs secured the rebound.
Walker then delivered the dagger.
With 26 seconds remaining, she drove inside for a layup to extend the lead to 70-66.
Walker later added a free throw in the final seconds to help seal the victory.
Palmer’s double-double provides key boost
While Walker carried the scoring load, Aniya Palmer provided a critical interior presence.
Palmer finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds, helping Alabama A&M control the boards.
The Bulldogs outrebounded Florida A&M 38-31 and scored 40 points in the paint.
Alabama A&M also converted 19-of-24 free throws, which proved vital in the closing minutes.
Florida A&M nearly pulls off upset
Florida A&M showed resilience throughout the game.
Miya Giles-Jones led the Rattlers with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Shaniyah McCarthy added 16 points.
The Rattlers also generated 24 second-chance points, keeping the pressure on Alabama A&M until the final possession.
However, several late turnovers and missed opportunities allowed the Bulldogs to escape with the win.
Alabama A&M advances in SWAC Women’s Tournament
With the victory, the Lady Bulldogs advance in the SWAC Women’s Tournament and keeps its championship hopes alive.
Despite entering as the No. 1 seed, the Bulldogs were pushed to the limit by Florida A&M and will likely look to start faster in their next matchup.