UAPB men defeat Alabama State

The reigning SWAC champions couldn’t keep up with University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff on Monday night.

The UAPB men’s basketball team defeated Alabama State 90-79 at H.O. Clemmons Arena to extend its winning streak to four games.

UAPB (5-10, 2-0 SWAC) is off to its best start to conference play in five years and did so by defeating the reigning conference champions and the head coach who won the SWAC the year prior.

Head Coach Solomon Bozeman said this 2-0 start sends a message.

“We don’t really care about what the league thinks, but we want to let everybody know that we’re for real, man,” Bozeman said. “I let the refs know all the time, man. Look, this is a big-time team, NCAA tournament team.”

ASU (4-11, 1-1) won the SWAC tournament last season, then defeated Saint Francis in the NCAA Tournament First Four in Dayton, Ohio.

This win for the Golden Lions came two days after beating Alabama A&M, led by former Grambling State Coach Donte’ Jackson. The Tigers won the SWAC tournament two years ago and beat Montana State in the First Four. AAMU features several Grambling State transfers.

The Golden Lions got to the free throw line with ease. UAPB made 34 of 41 shots, by far a season high in both makes and attempts. UAPB made its first 12 free throws and finished the first half 15 of 16 from the line.

Senior guard Quion Williams made 8 of 9 from the line. Freshman guard Milhan Charles made 7 of 8, while senior guard Alex Mirhosseini made 5 of 5. Junior guard Ramel Lloyd Jr. made 7 of 10.

It took the Golden Lions more than nine minutes to make a two-point shot with ASU redshirt freshman Jerquarius Stanback playing dominant post defense. The 6-foot-9 forward blocked four shots in the first three minutes of the game before heading to the bench with two fouls at the 16:21 mark.

A combination of three-pointers and free throws had UAPB ahead despite the lack of shots inside the arc until senior forward Jaquan Scott dunked with 10:28 to go in the half, which extended the lead to 22-15.

Bozeman said the Golden Lions had to adjust and make good decisions against Stanback.

“I thought we were kind of forcing some things, and then he was going to get them,” Bozeman said. “So, once we drove, and then we started penetrate and pitch, I thought it opened up everything, because he’s a big-time shot blocker.”

Stanback finished with six blocks.

Mirhosseini led UAPB with 21 points, followed by Lloyd with 19. Williams finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.

Lloyd’s played a season-high 29 minutes and cruised past his previous season high of 9 points. He said he tries to give the team a spark off the bench.

“I’ve been working,” Lloyd said. “Early in the season, I was injured a little bit, dealing with injuries. Got back home, got some rest, and came back and just tried to do my best. … I’ve been waiting for this moment.”

The game featured 13 lead changes and six ties. UAPB led 42-32 at halftime, but ASU started the second half well and tied the game at 46 with 14:17 remaining.

ASU’s first lead of the second half came when guard Cameron Palesse hit a turn-around jumper with 11:45 remaining. The teams traded the lead until Williams started an 11-0 run midway through the half which put UAPB in front for good.

An Ahmad Johnson three-pointer gave UAPB its largest lead, 79-64, with 4:15 remaining. ASU got it as close as 86-79 in the final minute but didn’t score over the final 43 seconds.

ASU guard Asjon Anderson led the Hornets with 23 points but fouled out with 2:25 remaining. Palesse added 19 points.