AVALON, Miss. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a dominant first half and a frantic second-half rally, the Alcorn State Braves held off the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils 74 to 66 in a Southwestern Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Monday night at a sparsely attended LeFlore County Civic Center.

The most important part of the contest was unquestionably the opening 20 minutes, where Alcorn State built an insurmountable lead that Mississippi Valley State spent the entire second half trying, and ultimately failing, to overcome. The Braves raced out to a 36-25 halftime advantage, capitalizing on a disastrous start by the Delta Devils that saw them commit 10 turnovers and struggle to find any offensive rhythm.

Alcorn State’s early surge was a collective effort. Nick Woodard of Macon, Georgia, scored seven of his team-high 16 points in the first five minutes, including a three-pointer on the game’s first possession. Shane Lancaster from Bowie, Maryland, orchestrated the offense with five assists to go with his 15 points, while Jameel Morris of Willingboro, New Jersey, provided nine points and disruptive defense with four steals.

Mississippi Valley State, which fell to 1-23 overall and remained winless in the SWAC, was plagued by mistakes. The Delta Devils turned the ball over on four of their first five possessions, allowing Alcorn State to establish a 9-0 lead before Daniel Mayfield of Toccoa, Georgia, connected on a jumper nearly three minutes into the game. The Braves’ defense, led by rim protectors Tycen McDaniels and Travis Roberts, each with a block, stifled Valley’s attempts to attack the basket.

The second half presented a stark contrast, transforming the game from a potential blowout into a tense conference affair. Sparked by the relentless scoring of Michael James, the Delta Devils mounted a sustained comeback. James, a guard from Byhalia, Mississippi, poured in 28 points, with 20 coming after halftime. His driving layups and perimeter shooting, aided by the playmaking of X’Zaevion Barnett who finished with 13 points and seven assists, fueled a 41-point second-half outburst for the home team.

Mississippi Valley State slowly chipped away at the deficit, closing to within six points on multiple occasions in the final five minutes. A Barnett tip-in with 2:21 remaining cut the Alcorn State lead to 58-52, prompting a timeout. Each time the Delta Devils threatened, however, the Braves found a response. Lancaster and Davian Williams hit crucial three-pointers, and Woodard converted key free throws to keep Valley at bay.

The Delta Devils had a final chance to make it a one-possession game in the closing seconds, but Barnett’s driving layup was blocked by Woodard with seven seconds left. Alcorn State secured the defensive rebound and ran out the clock to seal the victory.

Beyond Woodard and Lancaster, Alcorn State (5-18) received significant contributions from Omari Hamilton of Atlanta, Georgia, who scored 13 points off the bench, and McDaniels of Columbus, Georgia, who added eight points and two blocks. For Mississippi Valley State, Mayfield posted 13 points, four assists and a block, while Mussa Mzein of Stockholm, Sweden, contributed seven points.

The game’s flow followed the pregame expectations, as Interstat’s ELO system gave Alcorn State a 90.6% probability to win. The Braves also covered the pregame spread of -6.5. The total combined score of 140 fell just under the over/under line of 141.5.

Alcorn State will look to build on the win when it hosts Bethune-Cookman on Saturday. Mississippi Valley State continues its search for a second victory on the season when it travels to face Alabama A&M, also on Saturday.