The Florida A&M men’s basketball team lost Sunday against Arizona State 97-70.
Junior point guard Jamie Adams, a third-year agribusiness student from Chicago, led the Rattlers with a team-high 24 points, shooting 40 percent from the three-point line. Adams also added four rebounds and two assists.
He said the Sun Devils’ more experienced shooters made the game a struggle.
“It was tough playing against a defense that had four shooters,” Adams said.
Head basketball coach Clemon Johnson’s new offense worked well against the Sun Devils, but the team could not execute.
The size of the Sun Devils’ 7-foot-2 center Jordan Bachynski caused problems for the undersized Rattlers.
The team was unable to finish in the paint because of ASU’s superior size. The Rattlers, however, were able to bring the game within five points by keeping the big men of ASU off the boards. Markee Teal, a power forward and transfer criminal justice student from Ocala, had eight points and three rebounds in 21 minutes.
Junior guard Reggie Lewis was not worried about his primary defender but more so about the 6-7 and 7-2 big men, ASU’s power forward Jonathan Gilling and Bachynski. Lewis, a third-year social work student from Cleveland, forced shots in the first half.
“I took what they gave me,” Lewis said.
Lewis began to take mid-range shots and was crafty around the basket. Although the Rattlers reduced the deficit against ASU, the Sun Devils soon put the game out of reach.
Teal had a tough game. He shot well but had difficulty getting rebounds.
“I’m real disappointed about the outcome,” Teal said.
The Sun Devils shot 55 percent. Gilling shot 3 of 7 from the three-point range. He also had a double double with 13 points and 15 rebounds.
This is the Rattlers’ third consecutive loss. They play Arkansas on Tuesday.