Contributed
(Nov. 25, 2009)

Alabama State rallied from a sluggish first half posting a 64-58 victory over Columbus State Tuesday night in the squad’s 2009-10 home opener at the Acadome.

After shooting just 31 percent from the field in the first half, ASU (1-2) blistered the nets at a 56 percent clip in the second half en route to its sixth consecutive home win. Columbus State slipped to 1-1 on the year with the loss.

Senior Tramayne Moorer posted his first double-double of the season in leading the Hornets finishing with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Fellow senior Menji Mundadi poured in 19 points including 16 in the second half. Donta Ridley scored 19 points in leading a trio of Cougars in double digits.

The Hornets scored the first basket of the game, but Columbus State answered with the next six points grabbing a lead the Cougars maintained until Tramaine Butler drilled a three-pointer from the left corner with 5:16 left in the opening half. Butler’s long range connection put ASU briefly in front, 22-21.

Both offenses went cold during the final minutes of the first period as neither team scored during the last four minutes of play. CSU held a 26-24 halftime advantage behind Donta Ridley’s team-leading nine points. Moorer tallied eight points on 4-of-7 shooting to pace the Hornets at the break.

The Cougars kept a slight lead through the opening minutes of the second half. Menji Mundadi sparked the Hornets connecting on three straight buckets including a pair of treys to put ASU in front, 38-36, with 15:10 remaining in the game. From that point, the two squads traded the lead over the next seven minutes until an 11-0 spurt by Bama State gave them a 53-44 advantage with 7:35 left to play.

Mundadi opened the run hitting back-to-back threes followed by a trey and driving layup from Moorer. Columbus State continued to battle trimming the deficit to four points several times in the closing minutes, but could get no closer as the Hornets made their free throws to secure the victory.

Alabama State now plays its next five games on the road beginning Monday at Tulane University. The Tulane game opens a three-game, week-long road trip for the Hornets that also includes games at DePaul and Evansville.