The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff fell short of reaching the Southwestern Athletic Conference men’s basketball tournament on the final day of the regular season.
The UAPB men’s basketball team fell 104-95 at Alcorn State on Saturday, missing an opportunity to clinch a spot in Birmingham, Ala.
The Golden Lions could have still gotten a spot in the tournament with an Alabama State loss, but the Hornets defeated Grambling State 87-84 in double overtime to take that spot in the postseason.
The two teams finish tied for eighth in the SWAC, but Alabama State controls the tiebreaker based on point differential in their two regular season meetings, which the teams split.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Seven players scored for UAPB (13-18, 8-10 SWAC) against Alcorn State, all reaching double digits. Rashad Williams led with 20 points, followed by Kylen Milton with 15. Joe French and Robert Lewis scored 13 each.
Alcorn State (14-17, 13-5) had six players reach double figures led by Jeremiah Gambrell with 28 and Byron Joshua with 20.
Alcorn State shot 52.4 percent from the field to UAPB’s 43.9. The Braves dominated the glass, outrebounding UAPB 44-28.
The Golden Lions led 11-4 early but trailed most of the game. Milton hit two free throws late in the first half to give UAPB the lead, but Gambrell did the same soon after to send the game to halftime tied at 42.
Joshua hit a shot 21 seconds into the second half, and Alcorn State led the rest of the game. The Braves led by as much as 81-62. The Golden Lions got it as close as 91-84 in the final two minutes, but Alcorn State made 13 free throws after that point to keep the lead intact and finish the regular season on a nine-game winning streak.
This marks the third-straight season in which UAPB has missed the SWAC tournament. The Golden Lions last reached it in 2021, where they lost to Jackson State in the first round.