LOCAL COLLEGE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Albany State men stay unbeaten at home

ALBANY — Albany State’s HPER Gym, or as head coach Michael Moore calls it “The House of No Return,” claimed its latest victim Saturday as Albany State defeated Kentucky State 71-66 to get their first conference win of the season and remain unbeaten at home.

The two teams began the game trading baskets and were neck-and-neck until KSU put together a few baskets and went ahead 16-11 with 13:11 in the first half. ASU’s Earl Farnum later knocked down a 3-pointer to make it a three-point deficit and a Jeremy Whitemore lay-up would then make it just a one-point game. The Rams went into halftime trailing 32-20.

The Rams went on a 13-6 run in the beginning of the second half, eight of those points coming from Larry Bullock, and they not only reclaimed the lead, but extended it to nine with 14:55 left.

The Thoroughbreds scored a basket with 14:20 left, ending a nearly four minute drought. Moore said he made an adjustment in the beginning of second half that paid off.

“Usually, I take a big out and we got with a smaller, quicker lineup,” he said. “So we tried to get off in the second half in the first five minutes.”

After a trey from Dominique Pollard, the Rams went up 55-45 with 10:26 left. KSU answered with a 6-4 run and remained in striking distance down the stretch. The Rams weren’t very clutch from the line in this contest as they finished 2-of-7 in the second half and 7-of-17 overall. They still did enough to hold on to the lead in spite of their free throw shooting woes.

“We executed the plays, got the fouls, I had my best free throw shooter shooting and we missed them,” Moore said. “It’s growing pains. We’re still growing, we’re still learning and all of the above.”

Both Bullock and Farnum finished with 14 points to lead the Rams, followed by Demetri Wheeler with 10 points and 12 rebounds. The Rams (5-4) face Lane College at home Monday at 7:30 p.m.

DARTON WOMEN 88, FORT GORDON 42: The Lady Cavaliers ended the weekend with a victory over Fort Gordon in the Darton Military Classic at Cavalier Arena. Shanea Armbrister finished with a game-high 24 points and seven rebounds. B’Kiya Webb and Tyesha Smith both finished with double-doubles.

Webb scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while Smith finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Shea Fluellyn finished with 11 points.

ALBANY TECH WOMEN 74, FORT BENNING 66: The Albany Tech Lady Titans got their second consecutive win, defeating Fort Benning. Quiondra Darrishaw finished with a game-high 23 points to go with six rebounds and five assists. Jenesha Hollin finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds, Kayla Bowens with 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Naomi Wilds added 10 points, three steals and a block.

Satashala Beasley grabbed a game-high 18 rebounds in the contest.