Feb. 4, 2006

Final Stats

ITTA BENA, Miss. - Alabama State's frontcourt of Akeim Claborn, Richard Lott, Jr., and Andrew Hayles were too much for Mississippi Valley State as the Hornets cruised to a 58-48 win at the Harrison HPER Complex Saturday night.

Hayles scored a game-high 17 points, Claborn had 15 points and 11 rebounds and Lott chipped in with 10 points and seven rebounds for Bama State. The three combined to shoot 16-for-31 from the field, controlling their Valley counterparts all over the floor.

After and 0-4 start in Southwestern Athletic Conference play, the win gave ASU (7-14, 5-5) its first three-game win streak of the season and moved it into a tie for fifth place, one game behind the Delta Devils for fourth.

The game was close early as Alabama State went into halftime with a slim 21-20 advantage. But after a 3-pointer by Valley guard Tychius Snow gave the Delta Devils a one-point lead two minutes into the second half, Hayles answered with his own 3-ball that put the Hornets on top for good.

Hayles' basket sparked a 20-6 run, culminated by 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions by LaMarquis Blake and Hayles that gave ASU its biggest lead -- 44 -31 -- at the 10:34 mark.

Mississippi Valley would go on its own 9-0 run over the next two minutes to get the Delta Devils back in the game, but ASU answered -- behind Claborn and Lott -- and had the lead back to 13 with 4:09 remaining.