MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) Bobby Brown and Jamel Waters scored 15 points apiece and Alabama State hung on for an 80-78 win over Auburn-Montgomery on Thursday night.
Brown hit 6 of 12 from the floor and hauled in 10 rebounds, while Waters shot 5 for 10, including a 3-pointer. Mikel Tyson added 13 points to go with nine rebounds for Alabama State (3-4), which shot 49 percent from the field but just 2 of 18 from long range.
Leading by as many as 11 in the second half, Alabama State had to hold off an Auburn-Montgomery surge that closed the gap to 79-76 on a bucket from Phillip Rankin with 1:13 left. The Senators, an NAIA team, tightened it again with two seconds left on a pair free throws from Jeffery White and then missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer.
Rankin's 24 points led four Auburn-Mongomery players in double figures.
