DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Interstat) — Bethune-Cookman used a strong first half and efficient shooting to defeat Alabama A&M 85-76 in a SWAC men’s basketball game Saturday at Moore Gymnasium. The Wildcats built a 44-30 halftime lead by shooting 59.3% from the field and held off a second-half push from the Bulldogs. Bethune-Cookman finished the game shooting 32 of 54, a 59.3% clip, including 9 of 18 from three-point range. Koron Davis led all scorers with 28 points for Alabama A&M. Bethune-Cookman was paced by Jakobi Heady’s 19 points and six assists. Ariel Bland added 13 points and three blocks for the Wildcats. Bethune-Cookman improved to 15-13 overall. Alabama A&M fell to 16-12. Attendance was 912.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Interstat) — In a game defined by offensive efficiency and a decisive first-half surge, Bethune-Cookman defeated Alabama A&M 85-76 in a Southwestern Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Moore Gymnasium. The Wildcats, improving to 15-13 overall, used a blistering 44-point first half to build a 14-point cushion and then weathered a persistent second-half challenge from the Bulldogs to secure the victory before a crowd of 912. Alabama A&M fell to 16-12. Bethune-Cookman’s offensive execution was the story, as they shot 59.3% from the field, connecting on 32 of 54 attempts, including 9 of 18 from three-point range. Their offensive rating of 127.8 points per 100 possessions underscored a highly efficient performance. Alabama A&M, by contrast, shot 43.5% overall and struggled from deep, making just 3 of 15 three-point attempts, finishing with an offensive rating of 105.7. The Wildcats established control early. After Alabama A&M’s Koron Davis opened the scoring with a dunk, Bethune-Cookman responded with a 13-2 run, fueled by three-pointers from Quentin Heady and Daniel Rouzan. The Wildcats maintained their hot shooting throughout the half, extending their lead to as many as 16 points before taking a 44-30 advantage into halftime. The second half saw the Bulldogs mount a determined comeback. A 12-2 run early in the period, capped by a James Graham dunk off a Kintavious Dozier assist, cut the deficit to 54-52 with just over 16 minutes remaining. Bethune-Cookman’s lead was suddenly precarious. The Wildcats, however, answered immediately and emphatically. Jakobi Heady steadied the hosts with a driving layup, and after an Alabama A&M turnover, he found Tyler Andrews for a three-pointer to push the lead back to seven. Every time the Bulldogs threatened, Bethune-Cookman had a response, often from Heady or Arterio Morris. A critical sequence came with just over seven minutes left; after an Ariel Bland turnover, Davis converted a layup to pull Alabama A&M within 70-68, but Bethune-Cookman scored the next four points to regain an eight-point cushion and never let the lead slip below six again. Jakobi Heady led Bethune-Cookman with 19 points and six assists, orchestrating the offense throughout his 38 minutes. Quentin Heady added 14 points, while Ariel Bland provided a major spark off the bench with 13 points, three blocks and several key offensive rebounds. Arterio Morris also scored 15 points, and Daniel Rouzan chipped in 10 points and four assists. For Alabama A&M, Koron Davis delivered a game-high 28 points in 31 minutes, relentlessly attacking the basket. James Graham added 18 points and eight rebounds, and PJ Eason finished with 10 points. The Bulldogs won the battle in the paint 40-38 and scored 14 points off turnovers, but they could not overcome Bethune-Cookman’s superior shooting and their own perimeter woes. The victory completed a regular-season sweep for Bethune-Cookman, which defeated Alabama A&M 80-62 on Feb. 2. The Wildcats now prepare for a road trip to face Grambling on Thursday. Alabama A&M returns home to host rival Alabama State next Saturday.

Preview: Alabama A&M Bulldogs at Bethune-Cookman Wildcats DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Interstat) — A key SWAC men’s basketball matchup with postseason implications is set for Saturday when the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats host the Alabama A&M Bulldogs at Moore Gymnasium. The Wildcats (14-13, 9-5 SWAC) enter with momentum, having won five of their last seven games. They defeated the Bulldogs (16-11, 9-5) decisively, 80-62, in Huntsville just three weeks ago on Feb. 2. That victory is part of a strong conference run for Bethune-Cookman, which is coming off an 82-71 home win over Alabama State on Thursday. Guard Jakobi Heady, the team’s leading scorer, poured in 26 points in that victory. Heady averaged 22.3 points over a recent three-game stretch and scored 19 in the earlier win over Alabama A&M. The Bulldogs aim to avenge that loss and solidify their conference standing. They have won three straight games since the defeat to Bethune-Cookman, including a 63-61 road victory at Florida A&M on Thursday. Guard James Graham led that charge with a season-high 27 points. Graham has been a consistent offensive force, scoring in double figures in eight of his last nine contests. The game features a contrast in recent trajectories. Alabama A&M has found its footing with a three-game winning streak after a 1-2 skid in late January. Bethune-Cookman has been inconsistent at home in conference play but boasts the head-to-head advantage from the prior meeting. With both teams tied at 9-5 in the SWAC and jockeying for seeding ahead of the conference tournament, Saturday’s rematch carries significant weight. The Wildcats will look to protect their home court and complete a regular-season sweep, while the Bulldogs seek to continue their late-season surge and even the score. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. EST.