FLORENCE, Ala. — A solid defensive performance led to a fifth straight victory for the University of North Alabama men's basketball team on Wednesday. UNA forced 18 turnovers and held Alabama A&M to 30.8 percent shooting on the night in a 56-45 victory at Flowers Hall.
The win gives the Lions a 6-3 record on the year, including a 3-0 showing against teams from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
Neither team found much offensive consistency for the game. North Alabama connected on just 16-of-59 shots from the floor.
UNA opened the game on an 11-4 run and led by as many as 10 points late in the first half. A three-point basket by Daniel Ortiz gave the home team a 25-15 lead with 2:57 remaining in the opening period.
The Bulldogs responded with four straight points before a jumper by Ortiz in the final minute gave UNA a 27-19 lead at the break.
Baskets by Isaac Chatman and Damian Forrest early in the second half extended the North Alabama lead to 31-19. The Lions, however, could never pull away. The Bulldogs used an 11-2 run to close the gap to 33-30 midway through the second half.
After the two teams traded jumpers, the Lions hit four straight free throws before a three-pointer by Omar Figueroa pushed the lead to 42-32 at the 8:23 mark. Alabama A&M would get no closer than six the rest of the way.
Ortiz finished with 12 points to lead UNA. Forrest and C.J. Brim added eight points each. Jamari Blackmon added seven points and also recorded two steals to move into the program's Top-10 in the category. The junior from Hoover now has 116 career steals.
UNA will play at Auburn on Tuesday. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. at Auburn Arena in a game that will be televised on the SEC Network.