Alabama State edges Jackson State 49-46

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Tramaine Butler scored 14 points and Ivory White added 11 as Alabama State edged Jackson State 49-46 Saturday night in the regular-season finale for both.

The Hornets (12-18, 9-9 Southwestern Athletic Conference) clinched the fourth spot in the regular-season standings and will be seeded accordingly in the conference tournament, which starts Wednesday. They’ll play fifth-seeded Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the opening round.

With the victory, Alabama State swept the regular-season series against the Tigers, who they also beat 81-78 in triple-overtime in January.

This contest needed just the allotted regulation, though, as the Hornets held onto a 25-22 halftime edge as both teams scored 24 points in the second half.

Butler’s trio of 3s led the Hornets, who shot 40 percent (6 of 15) from beyond the arc compared to a 25 percent (3 of 12) mark for the Tigers.

Sydney Coleman had 11 points to lead Jackson State (7-23, 5-13).