COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — Milton Matthews emerged as a key player by scoring 23 points to lead Florida A&M to a 75-66 victory over Prairie View A&M in the opening round of the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament on Tuesday. With this win, the seventh-seeded Rattlers, who hold a 14-16 record, move forward in the competition to face the second-seeded Jackson State on Wednesday.
Matthews proved instrumental for Florida A&M, shooting 8 out of 16 from the field, which included 4 successful shots from nine attempts beyond the three-point line. Additionally, he went 3-for-3 from the free-throw stripe. Supporting Matthews, Kaleb Washington contributed 12 points, achieving 3 of 10 from the field and 6 of 8 from the free-throw line, while also securing 11 rebounds. Jordan Chatman was efficient from beyond the three-point zone, making 3 out of 6 shots for a total of 11 points, along with grabbing seven rebounds.
On the side of the 10th-seeded Panthers, who wrapped up their season with a 5-27 record, Marcel Bryant stood out with a commanding performance. He led with 19 points, 13 rebounds, paired with six assists, two steals, and two blocks. Tanahj Pettway also netted 19 points, while Zaakir Sawyer added nine points to the team’s efforts.
The contest saw Matthews score eight points in the first half; however, Florida A&M found themselves trailing with a score of 32-23 at halftime.
