MONTGOMERY, Ala. | A sluggish second half costs Alabama State on Saturday in a 79-68 loss to Bethune-Cookman at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome on Saturday afternoon in Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) action,
 
Alabama State (10-11, 5-3 SWAC) dropped its second consecutive conference game, shooting just 21.2 (7-of-33) percent from the floor and hitting just one of 16 three-pointers in the second half. Meanwhile, Bethune-Cookman overcame a seven-point halftime deficit by shooting 46.2 (12-of-26) percent from the floor and 45.5 (5-of-11) percent from beyond the arc.
 
TJ Madlock led Alabama State with 17 points and four steals, leading five players in double figures. CJ Hines added 12 points and three assists, while Amarr Knox added 11 off the bench. Kendal Parker added 10 points and Micah Octave 10 in the loss.
 
Dhashon Dyson led Bethune-Cookman (10-11, 5-3 SWAC) with 19 points.
 
How It Happened

• The first half had six lead changes and three ties before Alabama State was able to pull away for a seven-point lead (38-31). For the game, the two teams traded the lead seven times.
• The Hornets used 29 points combined from Hines, Octave, Knox, and Madlock to take the halftime lead.
• Alabama State connected on 42.4 (14-of-33) percent of its shots from the floor and 38.5 (5-of-13) percent from beyond the arc. They also connected on 71. 4 (5-of-7) percent of her shots from the free throw line.
• Bethune-Cookman shot 40.7 (11-of-27) percent from the floor and 35.7 (5-of-14) percent from beyond the arc while hitting all four of its free throws.
• Bethune-Cookman shot 86.4 (19-of-22) percent from three free throw line in the second half and made 26 total trips to the line and missed just three times.

Alabama State Notes

• Madlock finished with career-highs at the free throw line by connecting on 11-of-14 in the loss, while coming up one steal short of matching his career-high.
• Octave recorded a steal for the 20th time in 21 games, recording a steal in back-to-back games after seeing his streak of 18 consecutive games snapped last weekend.
• Alabama State had five players score in double figures in the loss, marking the fifth time that feat has been accomplished in a game. The Hornets are 3-2 in those games, including 1-1 in conference play.
• Knox and Madlock combined to draw 14 of the 23 fouls called against Bethune-Cookman.

Quotable, head coach Tony Madlock
Opening statement…
"It's a tough loss playing at home. We are searching and trying to figure out how we can get this team to play at home. It just seems like we are more comfortable on the road than we are at home. That's been the story since the USC game, the Jackson State game, the Alcorn State game in the first half. We just have not been able to put two halves together. We were up seven at halftime and I told the guys we played just ok we knew we had to come in the second half and couldn't make a shot. You're not going to win the game shooting like we did in the second half. When you don't make shots, your energy drops, and we just couldn't get it back."
 
What is the significance of playing at home and how do you prepare your team?
"I guarantee we are going to push every button we can that we turn it. I don't know if it's a confidence thing, a peer in the stands thing, family here. I don't know. Those things are not going to change.  You are going to have your family here and your peers here. We just have to figure out a way to turn it, you can't and you don't shoot like that at home. You are supposed to be comfortable at home, and right now are the opposite.
 
Quick turnaround against FAMU…
"I just told our guys the good thing about our league is that is Saturday/Monday. Whatever happens on Saturday, you have a quick turnaround. You can cry about it all you want to. We can do that but we won't do that. We will watch the film breakdown of this game and prepare for FAMU. If we get that win on Monday, then all of this is forgotten."

Up Next
Alabama State closes out the homestand on Monday at 7:30 p.m. against Florida A&M at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome. The game is part of Coaches vs. Cancer/Play 4 Kay and all fans are encouraged to wear Pink to raise awareness for Breast Cancer.
 
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