COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (Interstat) — Michael Jacobs hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 26 seconds remaining Friday night, lifting Southern to a 73-70 victory over Florida A&M in a SWAC tournament men’s basketball game at Gateway Center Arena. The Jaguars, who led 43-37 at halftime, survived a late push from the Rattlers. Jacobs led all scorers with 19 points. Tyler Shirley scored 16 points for Florida A&M, and Micah Octave added 14. Southern improved to 17-15. Florida A&M’s season ended at 15-16. Attendance was 2,782.

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a frantic final minute, Michael Jacobs sank a go-ahead 3-pointer with seconds remaining to lift Southern to a 73-70 victory over Florida A&M in a Southwest Athletic Conference men’s basketball tournament quarterfinal on Friday night at Gateway Center Arena. The Jaguars, who led by as many as 14 points in the first half, saw that cushion evaporate under a persistent Florida A&M rally, setting the stage for a dramatic finish before an announced crowd of 2,782. Southern built its early advantage with a blistering first-half offensive display, shooting efficiently from the field and capitalizing on a series of Rattlers turnovers. The Jaguars took a 43-37 lead into halftime, but the second half became a grinding defensive struggle. Florida A&M methodically chipped away, finally drawing even and then taking brief leads as the clock wound down. The game’s pivotal sequence began with the score tied at 68. After a Florida A&M turnover, Southern’s DaMariee Jones stole the ball with under 30 seconds to play. The Jaguars worked the ball to Jacobs, a 6-foot-2 guard from Atlanta, who connected on a deep 3-pointer to put Southern ahead 71-68. Florida A&M’s Tyler Shirley answered immediately with a driving layup to cut the deficit to one point with 26 seconds left. On the ensuing inbound play, Southern’s Cam Amboree was fouled and calmly sank both free throws to restore a three-point edge at 73-70. The Rattlers had one final chance to force overtime, but a turnover on their last possession sealed the victory for Southern. Jaquan Sanders lost the ball, and Jones came up with another critical steal as time expired. Jacobs led all scorers with 19 points for Southern, providing crucial offense throughout the contest. Terrance Dixon added 11 points and was a force defensively with two blocks. Amboree directed the offense effectively, dishing out seven assists. Florida A&M was led by a balanced attack. Micah Octave scored 14 points, while Shirley and Kaleb Washington each contributed 16. Antonio Baker filled the stat sheet with 12 points and six assists, but his seven turnovers proved costly in the tight contest. The game was a reversal of fortune from the teams’ two regular-season meetings, both won by Florida A&M. The Rattlers had defeated Southern 67-59 at home on Jan. 10 and 82-71 on the road on Feb. 26. With the win, Southern improved its season record to 17-15 and advanced to the SWAC tournament semifinals. The Jaguars have now won three consecutive games. Florida A&M’s season ends with a 15-16 overall mark. The contest was a defensive battle in the second half, with both teams struggling to find consistent offense. Southern’s ability to force 18 Florida A&M turnovers, converting them into 19 points, proved to be a decisive factor. The Jaguars also outscored the Rattlers 34-24 in the paint, leveraging their interior presence. The most important part of the game was unquestionably the final 40 seconds. With the score knotted, both teams executed under intense pressure. Jacobs’ clutch 3-pointer provided the separation Southern desperately needed, and the subsequent defensive stand, culminating in Jones’ game-sealing steal, demonstrated the composure required to survive in postseason play. This sequence encapsulated the tournament’s win-or-go-home stakes and delivered a thrilling conclusion to a hard-fought conference battle.

Preview: Southern Jaguars vs. Florida A&M Rattlers COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (Interstat) — Two teams hovering around .500 will meet with potential postseason implications on the line when the Southern Jaguars face the Florida A&M Rattlers in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Friday. The neutral-site contest at Gateway Center Arena pits Southern (16-15) against Florida A&M (15-15). Both teams enter on winning streaks, with Southern having won three straight and Florida A&M riding a four-game win streak. The matchup is a quick rematch from Feb. 26, when the Rattlers defeated the Jaguars 82-71 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Florida A&M also won the season’s first meeting 67-59 on Jan. 10 in Tallahassee, Florida. Southern guard Cam Amboree, a key player to watch, scored 14 points in the most recent loss to the Rattlers. He is coming off a 14-point, five-assist performance in an 84-81 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Thursday. Over his last seven games, Amboree is averaging 11.4 points. Florida A&M will counter with guard Antonio Baker, who also scored 14 points and dished three assists in the February victory over Southern. Baker matched that output with 14 points in the Rattlers’ 70-60 win over Jackson State on Wednesday. He has scored in double figures in seven consecutive games. Southern’s recent surge has been fueled by balanced scoring. In the win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Fazl Oshodi led with 18 points and Malek Abdelgowad added 17 off the bench. Florida A&M has relied on defense during its streak, holding opponents to 68.5 points per game over the last four contests after allowing 80 points in a loss to Jackson State on Feb. 14. Despite the Rattlers’ head-to-head advantage this season, the National Statistical ELO system projects Southern with a 59.20 percent probability to win Friday’s game. Tip-off is scheduled for Friday, March 13, 2026.