In the grind of a conference season, not every win is a masterpiece. Some are earned with grit, with defense, and with a refusal to bend when the pressure mounts.
The FAMU Rattlers women's basketball team authored that exact kind of victory Thursday night.
In a back-and-forth battle defined by tenacity, the Rattlers forced 20 turnovers and rode a career-high 22 points from junior guard Shaniyah McCarthy to a hard-fought 68-63 win over the Jackson State Lady Tigers at the Al Lawson Center. The victory pushed FAMU to 4-2 in the SWAC, solidifying their place in the upper tier of the conference standings.
“It wasn’t always pretty, but it was tough. And that’s what we need to be,” said Head Coach Bridgett Gordon. “Jackson State is a physical, well-coached team. We knew we had to match their intensity and be the aggressors. We made plays when we had to.”
The Rattlers (5-12, 4-2) were indeed the aggressors on the defensive end, turning the game into a chaotic, full-court affair. Their constant ball pressure resulted in 20 Jackson State miscues, which FAMU efficiently converted into 24 crucial points on the other end.
The catalyst was junior guard Tahnyjia Purifoy, who stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points, five assists, and a game-high four steals, setting the tone with her relentless energy.
“Our identity is defense,” Purifoy said postgame, a thin layer of sweat still on her brow. “We practice forcing turnovers every day. We knew if we could speed them up, we could get easy buckets. That was the difference.”
But for all the defensive chaos, the Rattlers needed a steadying force on offense. They found it in McCarthy, who attacked the rim with fearlessness, finishing through contact and providing a consistent scoring punch whenever Jackson State threatened to seize momentum.
“My teammates trusted me, my coaches kept calling my plays,” McCarthy said modestly. “I just tried to be aggressive and take what the defense gave me. We all just wanted this one bad.”
That desire was evident in the game’s final minutes. After Jackson State clawed back to narrow the gap, the Rattlers made the necessary winning plays. A key stop here, a tough rebound there, and clutch free throws sealed a victory that felt more significant than a single mark in the win column.
Adding to the defensive effort was senior center Breazia Robinson, whose presence in the paint altered countless shots. Her three blocks, including a pivotal swat in the final quarter, stifled Jackson State’s attempts to establish any interior rhythm.
As the final seconds ticked away, the buzzer signaled more than just a win; it signaled growth. For a team that has battled through a tough non-conference schedule, this was evidence that the fight is paying off.
“This is a confidence builder,” Coach Gordon added. “It shows we can win a close game, a tough game, by sticking to our principles. We’re learning how to win.”
The Rattlers won’t have long to celebrate. The conference grind continues Saturday afternoon when they host Alcorn, but for one night in Tallahassee, they proved they have the grit to survive it.