Florida A&M University’s men’s basketball team is preparing for a crucial road trip in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) East, facing Alabama A&M on Saturday, January 31 at 5 p.m. ET in Huntsville and Alabama State on Monday, February 2 at 7 p.m. ET in Montgomery. Both games will be broadcast on SWAC TV.
The Rattlers have developed a reputation for their defensive intensity and willingness to shoot from long range. Nationally, they rank No. 81 in steals per game (7.9) and No. 59 in turnovers forced per game (13.89). Their aggressive defense often leads to fastbreak opportunities, averaging 9.56 points per game in transition.
Offensively, Florida A&M focuses on spacing and shooting from beyond the arc, attempting an average of 22.1 three-pointers per game and making 7.1, with a success rate of 32%. This approach keeps opposing defenses spread out and opens up driving lanes for guards.
However, the team continues to face challenges with efficiency and ball security, averaging 15.6 turnovers per game with a 0.83 assist-to-turnover ratio. Free-throw shooting has also been inconsistent at 65.2%, and the team faces a -3.3 rebound margin.
Jaquan Sanders leads the team as point guard, playing over 32 minutes per game and averaging 13 points, 3.3 assists, and making an average of 2.35 three-pointers each contest. Sanders’ playmaking is seen as central to Florida A&M’s offensive effectiveness.
Supporting Sanders are Tyler Shirley (10.5 points per game), Jordan Chatman (9.3), Antonio Baker (9.3), who also leads in steals with an average of 1.44 per game, and Miles Ndalama (8.3), who anchors the interior defense with an average of just over one block per game.
In their first matchup against Alabama A&M, the Rattlers will contend with one of the conference’s top defenses: Alabama A&M allows opponents just a 43% field goal percentage and forces only 12 turnovers per game while maintaining a positive rebound margin.
Key players for Alabama A&M include Kintavious Dozier (15.9 points per game), Koron Davis (13.1), Sami Pissis (12.3), who maintains a strong assist-to-turnover ratio at just over two-to-one, and P.J. Eason (8.6 points, 8.1 rebounds).
For Florida A&M to succeed in Huntsville, they will need to win the possession battle by forcing mistakes from Alabama A&M—who typically protect the ball well—and capitalize on those opportunities while rebounding effectively as a group.
The second stop is against Alabama State, which plays at a faster pace with emphasis on athleticism and offensive rebounding—they lead the conference with an average of over twelve offensive boards per game and force more than fourteen turnovers each contest.
Alabama State’s leading contributors include Asjon Anderson (16.9 points per game), Micah Simpson (14.3), Tyler Byrd (10.5; also contributing two steals per game), and Jerquarius Stanback who averages two blocks each outing.
To compete successfully against Alabama State’s high-pressure style, Florida A&M will need disciplined rebounding efforts to limit second-chance opportunities for their opponent while taking care of the basketball themselves.
Both games are expected to test Florida A&M’s ability to execute its defensive identity while addressing ongoing issues with ball security and rebounding.
