Alabama A&M Women Capture First SWAC Title

Alabama A&M’s women’s basketball team made history Tuesday night on The Hill.

The Bulldogs held off a late push from Grambling State to secure a 55 to 50 win at the AAMU Event Center, locking up the Southwestern Athletic Conference regular season championship for the first time in program history.

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The win caps off an impressive season for Alabama A&M, which now sits at 20 and 9 overall and 16 and 1 in conference play.

Alabama A&M outscored Grambling 16 to 10 in the opening quarter and continued to apply pressure in the second, heading into halftime with a comfortable 37 to 25 lead. Strong defense and second chance opportunities helped the Bulldogs control the pace and keep the Tigers on their heels.

Kalia Walker led the way offensively with 19 points, along with four rebounds and two steals. Coriah Beck added 10 points and seven rebounds, while Aniya Palmer chipped in eight points and seven boards. Even as Grambling began to cut into the lead during the second half, Alabama A&M stayed composed down the stretch, making key plays on both ends of the floor to close out the game.

The Bulldogs also controlled the glass, finishing with a 41 to 36 rebounding advantage and turning second-chance opportunities into 23 points, a major factor in the tight matchup.

With the regular season title secured, head coach Dawn Thornton has Alabama A&M carrying serious momentum into postseason play as the Bulldogs prepare for the SWAC tournament.