It was a tough day on the road for the Rattlers, as both FAMU basketball teams suffered narrow, hard-fought conference losses to archrival Bethune-Cookman on Saturday afternoon.
The men’s team (3-9, 0-1 SWAC) came up just short in an 87-83 shootout, despite a blistering performance from beyond the arc and five players finishing in double figures. Jaquan Sanders led all scorers with 22 points, showing flashes of the offensive firepower that has made him one of the league’s most exciting guards. Tyler Shirley knocked down three triples on his way to 15 points, while Antonio Baker contributed 13 in the back-and-forth affair.
FAMU’s offense found its rhythm from deep, sinking nine threes on 22 attempts, but crucial stops down the stretch eluded them as the Wildcats (4-10, 1-0) managed to hold on in the final minutes.
It was even tougher for the women’s squad (1-11, 0-1), who fell 57-56 in a nail-biter that came down costly missteps in the final seconds. FAMU's Tahnyjia Purifoy led all scorers with 16 points and two steals, setting the tone with her aggressive play on both ends. Miya Giles-Jones delivered a strong all-around performance with 11 points and eight rebounds, while Shaniyah McCarthy added 10 points in the effort.
Despite leading for much of the contest, mistakes and costly turnovers plagued the Rattler women in the final minutes handing BCU the game.
Both Rattler teams will look to bounce back quickly as they continue SWAC play this week. The men host Southern on Saturday, while the women face a quick turnaround hosting Grambling on game Thursday.