AVALON, Miss. (Interstat) — Asjon Anderson scored 24 points and Micah Simpson added 25 as Alabama State pulled away in the second half for an 89-69 victory over Mississippi Valley State in a Southwest Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at LeFlore County Civic Center.

The Hornets, who led by just three points at halftime, used a decisive 16-2 run early in the second period to seize control and snap a three-game losing streak. Alabama State improved to 4-9 overall and 1-0 in the SWAC, while the Delta Devils fell to 1-14 and 0-1.

The game’s pivotal sequence came with Alabama State holding a narrow 44-42 lead. Over the next four minutes, the Hornets clamped down defensively, forcing four Mississippi Valley State turnovers and holding the Delta Devils without a field goal. Anderson, a 6-foot-2 guard from Tacoma, Washington, was the catalyst, scoring seven points during the surge, including a three-point play and four consecutive free throws. Simpson capped the run with a 3-pointer from the wing, extending the lead to 60-44 with 14:15 remaining.

Mississippi Valley State never recovered, as its offensive struggles persisted. The Delta Devils shot just 22 of 50 from the field for the game and committed 17 turnovers, which Alabama State converted into 14 points. The Hornets, meanwhile, were efficient offensively, shooting 52.9% from the floor and a remarkable 93.3% from the free-throw line, making 28 of 30 attempts.

Anderson, the game’s top performer, filled the stat sheet with six assists and three steals to go with his team-high point total. Simpson, from Morristown, Tennessee, hit five 3-pointers. R’Chaun King provided a boost off the bench with 12 points for Alabama State.

Lamont Sams led Mississippi Valley State with 22 points and played all but 20 seconds of the contest. Michael James added 13 points and five assists for the Delta Devils, and Patrick Punch contributed 11 points.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair featuring eight lead changes. Mississippi Valley State’s Sams was active early, scoring 12 points before halftime to keep the Delta Devils close. Alabama State took a 41-38 lead into the break after Simpson connected on a pull-up jumper just before the buzzer.

Alabama State’s defensive pressure was a constant theme, generating 15 steals and limiting Mississippi Valley State to an offensive rating of 94.7 points per 100 possessions. The Hornets also dominated the glass on the offensive end, securing nine offensive rebounds that led to 13 second-chance points.

The announced attendance was 348. Alabama State will travel to face Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Monday, while Mississippi Valley State is scheduled to host Alabama A&M the same night.