(Interstat) — In a tense, back-and-forth affair that came down to the final possession, the Alabama A&M Bulldogs survived a furious fourth-quarter rally from the Florida A&M Lady Rattlers to secure a 72-68 victory in a Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s basketball tournament quarterfinal on Wednesday afternoon at Gateway Center Arena.

The game, played before an announced crowd of 1,478, saw the top-seeded Bulldogs, who entered with a 21-9 record, nearly squander a 14-point second-half lead before holding off the eighth-seeded Lady Rattlers, who finished their season at 9-22. The win advanced Alabama A&M to the tournament semifinals.

The contest was defined by the spectacular performance of Alabama A&M guard Kaila Walker. The 5-foot-5 junior from Alexander, Arkansas, poured in a game-high 31 points, adding six rebounds and four assists in 40 minutes of action. Her scoring, particularly in critical moments, was the steadying force for the Bulldogs. She was supported by a double-double from forward Aniya Palmer, who contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Florida A&M was led by the interior presence of Miya Giles-Jones, who scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Guard Shaniyah McCarthy added 16 points, while point guard Tahnyjia Purifoy orchestrated the offense with 10 assists to go with nine points.

The game’s narrative unfolded in distinct chapters. Florida A&M controlled the opening period, leveraging a stifling defense to build a 15-8 lead after one quarter. The Lady Rattlers extended that advantage to 11 points early in the second quarter. However, the game turned decisively with a 22-7 Alabama A&M run to close the first half. Walker was instrumental in the surge, scoring 11 points in the quarter as the Bulldogs capitalized on Florida A&M turnovers and found consistent success in the paint, taking a 30-26 lead into halftime.

Alabama A&M continued to build its lead in the third quarter, stretching it to as many as 14 points at 48-34 following a Walker three-pointer with just over two minutes left in the period. The Bulldogs’ defense and efficient offense, which finished the game with an offensive rating of 111.8 on 64 possessions, appeared to have the game in hand.

The most important part of the game, however, was Florida A&M’s resilient and relentless fourth-quarter comeback. Refusing to capitulate, the Lady Rattlers unleashed a 22-point final period. They chipped away at the deficit with a combination of forced turnovers and aggressive drives, culminating in a dramatic sequence in the final minute.

Trailing 70-68 with under 30 seconds to play, Florida A&M had two chances to tie or take the lead. The first opportunity ended with a blocked shot by Alabama A&M’s Vanessa Wimberly. After a Bulldogs turnover, the Lady Rattlers regained possession with 9.9 seconds remaining. Purifoy drove the length of the court but her contested layup attempt was off the mark, and Alabama A&M secured the defensive rebound.

Jaida Belton was fouled and made one of two free throws with 4.4 seconds left to push the lead to 71-68. Florida A&M’s final attempt, a desperation three-pointer from Purifoy, missed, and Belton sealed the victory with another free throw for the final four-point margin.

Statistically, Alabama A&M’s efficiency proved decisive. The Bulldogs shot 46.3 percent from the field compared to Florida A&M’s 40 percent, and were markedly better from the free-throw line, converting 19 of 24 attempts. The Lady Rattlers struggled at the line, making only 15 of 23. Alabama A&M also dominated points in the paint, 40-26, and scored 18 points off 10 Florida A&M turnovers.

The victory continued Alabama A&M’s season-long dominance over Florida A&M, having now defeated the Lady Rattlers three times this season. It also validated their status as the tournament’s top seed, though not without a significant scare from a determined opponent playing to extend its season. The Bulldogs now move on, their championship aspirations intact but undoubtedly aware of the precarious nature of tournament play after Wednesday night’s narrow escape.