TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Chanel Wilson scored 18 points while Kayla White netted 17 for Bethune-Cookman on Saturday afternoon, as the Wildcats fell away to in-state opponent Florida A&M 69-65 inside Al Lawson Center in a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) women's basketball contest. For Bethune-Cookman, the season comes to an end as the Wildcats fail to advance to this season's Starry SWAC Basketball Tournament presented by Buick.
 
Bethune-Cookman (15-16, 6-12 SWAC) knew the scenario – "win and in" against its longtime "Sunshine State" foe from the capital city. And, mixed with an Alcorn State win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff during the contest, both FAMU and BCU would have advanced to the tournament ahead of Prairie View A&M.
 
The script appeared to be written at the half as BCU overcame a 28-19 first quarter deficit to take a 44-36 lead into the locker room at the half.
 
Chanel Wilson scored 13 of her 18 points on the day in the second quarter, connecting on 5 of 8 shots from the field, including a three-pointer. The Wildcats limited Florida A&M (9-20, 8-10) to just 3 of 10 shooting from the floor as a team in the second quarter, after the Rattlers hit 66.7 percent in the opening stanza.
 
The Cats went on a 9-3 run with Chanelle McDonald's layup off the assist from Wilson with 3:51 left in the second quarter. Daimoni Dorsey drove for an and-one with the layup and ensuing free throw, while Wilson also connected on a jumper from the elbow to make it 39-33 in favor of the visitors in just over a minute of game time.
 
Another 5-1 run on the end of Wilson free throws and a three-point play from junior center Kayla Clark closed the half for the Maroon and Gold.
 
With BCU leading 56-43 with 4:31 showing on the clock in the third quarter, FAMU closed the period on a 14-1 run to tie the game at 57-all entering the final quarter of play. In the Rattlers run, Ahriahna Grizzle supplied the hosts with eight points, while Sydney Hendrix hit 3 of 4 at the foul line.
 
The game would be tied three times in the final period, most recently at 63-63 with 4:09 remaining.
 
Jaliya Sharp hit one of two at the foul line, and teammate Nya Bostic added a jumper extending from a BCU turnover to put the Rattlers on top 66-63 with 2:33 left.
 
Trailing 68-64 with just under two minutes remaining, BCU had several attempts to get back into the game.
 
The Wildcats missed their final 11 shots from the field over the closing 5:56 of the contest. In the final quarter, the Cats shot just 5.3 percent (1 of 19) from the floor, while hitting on 6-for-8 from the foul line.
 
For the game, BCU shot just 28.6 percent from the field, while FAMU registered a 49.1 percent touch. At the free throw line, the Cats were 23 of 29 – getting to the line consistently as they had all season.
 
FAMU was led in scoring by Grizzle with a game-high 23 points and five assists. Also reaching-double figures scoring were Olivia Delancy (14) and Hendrix (13), respectively.
 
Bethune-Cookman was paced by Wilson's 18 points in what was her last game for the Maroon and Gold. White added 17 points, giving the Cleveland native double digits in 11 of her last 13 games of the season. Clark brought in a game-high 12 rebounds, giving her 10 double-digit rebounding efforts on the season.
 
Despite the loss, BCU increased its wins total from a season ago, as the Cats were 11-18 across the 2022-23 campaign. The year prior in what was Head Coach Janell Crayton's first season in Daytona Beach, BCU was just 6-21. Thus, the Atlanta native has brought the Wildcats up in wins by at least four every year she has been at the helm in Daytona Beach.
 
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