ALBANY, Ga. —
Albany State Golden Rams delivered one of their most resilient performances of the young season, despite falling 94–74 to the Florida Tech Panthers in a fast-paced non-conference matchup. The loss moves Albany State to 0–4 overall and 0–1 in SIAC play.
Shakur Poteat demonstrated once again why he is considered one of the most dynamic guards in Division II basketball. He scored 24 points—marking his second consecutive game with over 20 points—shooting 8-of-15 from the field. Poteat made four three-pointers, recorded eight assists, and secured four steals. He also executed a couple of impressive transition finishes that energized the ASU crowd.
The Golden Rams were within striking distance throughout the second half. The Golden Rams made 12 three-pointers, including standout performances from
Kendale Johnson, who scored 14 points and shot 4-for-8 from beyond the arc, and
Cameron Evans, who contributed 12 points on 3-for-8 from three-point range. Poteat also had four successful long-range shots.
Junior guard
Cameron Evans played with tremendous effort, finishing with 12 points, five rebounds, five assists, and a block—one of the most well-rounded stat lines of the night. He also delivered a highlight-reel dunk late in the first half that energized the building.
Forward
Christian Gary was a force inside, scoring 9 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, and battling on the glass against a long, physical Florida Tech frontcourt. His second-chance tip-in and interior presence sparked key ASU runs in the second half. Senior Zach Reinhart and junior Mike Walker gave the Rams productive minutes off the bench. Their energy helped ASU counter Florida Tech's depth.
After trailing at halftime, the Golden Rams improved their defense and moved the ball effectively, managing to outscore the Panthers 45-45 in the second half. Albany State demonstrated clear improvements in tempo, spacing, and shot selection, which provided the Rams with positive momentum as they prepared to return to SIAC competition.
UP NEXT
Albany State returns to conference play with a Thursday night showdown at Clark Atlanta on December 4 in Atlanta, Ga. The Golden Rams look to build on tonight's strong offensive showing as they seek their first victory of the season.
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ABOUT ALBANY STATE ATHLETICS
Albany State University is university currently fields teams in 11 sports: women's volleyball, women's tennis, women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, softball, men's and women's track and field, women's soccer, baseball, and football with all teams compete in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), except women's soccer, which participates in the Peach Belt Conference.
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ABOUT THE SOUTHERN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (SIAC)
The SIAC is a NCAA athletic conference consisting primarily of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with headquarters in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The SIAC includes 15 member institutions (Albany State University, Allen University, Benedict College, Central State University, Clark Atlanta University, Edward Waters University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Miles College, Morehouse College, Savannah State University, Spring Hill College, and Tuskegee University), which are located within a contiguous seven-state footprint (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio). The SIAC sponsors nine men's and seven women's sports and is a proud member of the NCAA Division II. For more information, visit
www.thesiac.com.