The FAMU men’s basketball team snapped its five-game losing
streak with a 75-70 victory over Sacred Heart University (SHU) in its final
game of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic.
Jamie Adams poured in a game-high 23 points, including
9-of-10 shooting from the free throw line. Trey Kellum was the only other
Rattler in double digits with 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting.
After shooting just 27.5% (11-of-40) from the floor in the
first half, FAMU began starting the half hot, hitting 5-of-6 shots
to take a 38-32 lead with 15:37 remaining. After exchanging a few baskets back
and forth, Steve Glowiak ignited Sacred Heart with back-to-back three-balls to
cut the Rattler lead to 43-42 with 12:18 left.
Following a missed Glowiak three and a turnover, the Pioneers claimed their first lead of the second half, 44-43 at 11:22. Phil Gaetano then found Mostafa Abdel Latif in transition to give Sacred Heart its biggest lead of the second half, 49-45 with 9:45 remaining. Chris Evans added a lay-up to put SHU up four again with 9:25 left.
FAMU responded with a 21-8 run to take a nine point lead
with 1:27 remaining. Gaetano knocked down a three from the right side to cut
the A&M lead to 68-62 with 1:08 remaining. Another three-point shot had the
Pioneers trailing 60-55 with 43.4 seconds remaining. SHU would close within
three points twice in the final 38 seconds but FAMU was clutch from the
free-throw line. The Rattlers finished the final 1:27 of the game 8-of-9 from
the charity stripe to close the door on the Pioneers.