In a game that lived up to every bit of its semifinal billing, the FAMU Rattlers saw their season come to a heartbreaking end Friday night, falling 73–70 to the Southern Jaguars in a back-and-forth battle at The Gateway Center Arena.
In a contest featuring 10 ties and 9 lead changes, it was Southern’s depth and relentless attack in the paint that ultimately made the difference. The Jaguars’ bench outscored FAMU’s reserves 41–15, providing critical energy that helped them withstand every Rattler rally.
Southern held a 43–37 advantage at halftime, but FAMU, the tournament’s No. 2 seed, refused to go quietly. The Rattlers clawed back behind a team-high 16 points from senior forward Tyler Shirley, along with 14 from Micah Octave and 13 from Kaleb Washington.
But every time FAMU threatened to seize momentum, Southern answered. The Jaguars dominated inside, scoring 44 points in the paint and converting 22 points off turnovers, a testament to their aggressive, opportunistic defense.
With just over a minute remaining, the Rattlers tied the game. But Southern responded with a clutch mid-range three-pointer on the ensuing possession with .04 seconds remaining to put the game away.
The loss concludes FAMU’s season at 15–16 overall (11–7 SWAC). Despite the bitter ending, the Rattlers showed significant growth under first-year head coach Charlie Ward, improving both offensively and defensively while earning the No. 2 seed in a competitive conference.
For the Rattlers, the offseason begins earlier than hoped—but not without pride in a hard-fought year, and hope for what lies ahead.