SAVANNAH, Ga.- Savannah State won their 9th straight game while junior guard
Deric Rudolph set a new school record in made 3-pointers in a season.
The Tigers defeated Florida A&M 76-57 before a season-high energetic crowd of 3,110 fans at Tiger Arena.
Rudolph made six 3-pointers and now has 81 on the season. Rudolph broke the SSU record of 77 made 3-pointers in a season set by
Jovonni Shuler last season.
The Rattlers jumped out to a 13-7 lead but Savannah State answered with 11 staright points during a 18-6 surge to ahead 25-19 with 8:50 left in the opening half.
A layup by Savannah native Nathaniel Drayton, who finished with 9 points, got the Rattlers within two (25-23) at the 6:46 mark but a dunk by
Rashad Hassan and a 3-pointer by Rudolph gave the home team a 30-23 lead.
SSU finished the first half with a 3-pointer from Rudolph followed by a layup from Hassan and 3-pointer by
Stephen Wilson to take a 38-29 lead into intermission.
Savannah State increased their lead to 51-38 with 14:10 left in the second period but FAMU was able to get within nine after a jumper by Yannick Crowder.
SSU scored seven straight points as part of a 17-7 run to take a 70-51 lead with 3:50 remaining.
The Tigers were held without a field goal the final 2:38 but made 4 of 5 free throw attempts to close out the contest.
Hassan had 23 points and 5 rebounds for SSU (17-10,10-2) while Rudolph added 20 points.
Blackmon now has 142 assists which ties him with Rasha Williams for most assists in a season. Williams had 142 assists during the 1996-97 season.
FAMU (7-19, 5-7) was led by Crowder's 12 points.
SSU shot 47.4 percent from the floor and out-rebounded the Rattlers 45 to 37.
The Tigers have now won 9 staright games and 11 of 12 at home.
The last SSU team to win 17 games was the 1985-86 team that went 17-8.
The last Tiger team to win at least 9 consecutive games was the 1980-81 squad under Russell Ellington that won 15 in a row.
