Florida A&M basketball broke even with the visiting Texas Southern in Saturday, Feb. 7’s Southwestern Athletic Conference doubleheader at the Al Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center.
FAMU women’s basketball beat the Texas Southern Tigers 86-73 behind 19-point performances of guard tandem Tahniyjia Purifoy and Shaniyah McCarthy.
Florida A&M Rattlers guard Tahnyjia Purifoy handles the basketball as Florida Gators guard Alexia Dizeko defends in an NCAA game at Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025.
Cornelia Ellington contributed 14 points, Breazia Robinson had 11, and Camille Jackson chipped in 10.
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The Rattlers moved their overall record to 7-15 and are now over .500 in SWAC games, at 6-5.
As for FAMU men’s basketball, the Rattlers continue to have trouble picking up victories.
The Rattlers lost their fourth consecutive game versus Texas Southern, 62-57.
Texas Southern had control of the game for the most part, but FAMU failed to hit untimely baskets. The Rattlers shot just 33 percent from the field and 28 percent from three.
Guard Micah Octave’s double-double, 18 points and 10 rebounds, led FAMU. Antonio Baker Jr. followed with 11 points.
It wasn’t enough as Texas Southern Tigers forward Troy Hupstead finished with a game-high 24 points and added nine rebounds.
Florida A&M Rattlers guard Antonio Baker Jr. handles the basketball versus a Jackson State Tigers defender in an NCAA Southwestern Athletic Conference men’s basketball game at the Al Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center in Tallahassee, Florida, Monday, Jan. 26, 2026.
FAMU men’s basketball’s record is now 8-13 and 5-5 in the SWAC, struggling since getting off to a program-best 5-1 record since joining the league in 2021-2022.
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The Rattlers return to action at home versus Prairie View A&M on Monday, Feb. 9, at 7 p.m. on SWAC TV.
The Prairie View A&M Panthers (9-14, 4-6 in SWAC) lost to SWAC-leader Bethune-Cookman 82-76 on Saturday.
FAMU women’s basketball’s next game is on the road at the SWAC’s second-place team, Alcorn State, on Thursday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. The Alcorn State Braves (12-10, 9-2 in SWAC) lost 64-60 to Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday.
Gerald Thomas, III is a multi-time award-winning journalist for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.
Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida A&M basketball women win; men lose to Texas Southern