LORMAN, MS. — The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff men's basketball team delivered a dominant defensive performance Thursday night, holding Alcorn State to just 12.5 percent shooting from three-point range in an 83-48 road victory over the Braves.
With the win, the Golden Lions finished 10-8 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play, marking the program's first 10-win conference season since the 2018-19 campaign. UAPB also finished tied for fourth place in the SWAC standings in a four-way tie, positioning the Golden Lions with momentum heading into postseason play.
UAPB (13-18, 10-8 SWAC) placed four players in double figures, led by Quion Williams, who recorded a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Jaquan Scott added 17 points and seven rebounds, while Milhan Charles contributed 15 points in the win.
The Golden Lions showcased excellent ball movement throughout the contest, finishing with 21 assists on 34 made field goals, with Trevon Payton leading the way with seven assists.
Defensively, UAPB was outstanding, limiting Alcorn State to 32.1 percent shooting from the field and just 2-of-16 from three-point range. The Braves struggled to generate second-chance opportunities as well, finishing with only eight offensive rebounds and eight second-chance points, while UAPB secured 33 defensive rebounds.
How It Happened
After falling behind 2-0 early, UAPB responded with a 13-0 run with 17:11 remaining in the first half, capped by a basket from Alex Mirhosseini to give the Golden Lions a 13-2 lead.
UAPB continued to control the first half, extending the advantage to 37-19 at halftime. Much of the Golden Lions' early offense came in the paint, where they scored 24 of their 37 first-half points.
Coming out of the break, UAPB continued to pull away, stretching the lead to 72-42 before putting together an 8-0 run, capped by a Scott layup, to make it 80-42 with 2:39 remaining. The Braves trimmed the margin slightly in the final minutes, but the Golden Lions cruised to the 83-48 victory.
UAPB dominated inside, scoring 34 of its 46 second-half points in the paint.
Game Notes
• Quion Williams recorded a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds.
• UAPB held Alcorn State to 32.1 percent shooting from the field.
• The Golden Lions held the Braves to 12.5 percent shooting from three-point range (2-of-16).
• UAPB never trailed in the second half.
• The Golden Lions recorded 21 assists on 34 made baskets.
• UAPB forced 17 turnovers while committing just nine.
• UAPB finished with a 38-35 rebounding advantage.
• Williams led the game with 18 points and 13 rebounds.
