Alabama A&M Bulldogs End Historic 23-Game Skid Against Texas Southern While Observing Ramadan

For the Alabama A&M Bulldogs, Thursday night's victory represented far more than just another tournament win. It was a moment of spiritual strength, mental fortitude, and the breaking of a lengthy historical drought that had haunted the program for nearly a decade.

The Bulldogs ended a 23-game losing streak to Texas Southern with a hard-fought 85-74 overtime victory in the SWAC Tournament, a win made even more remarkable by the fact that several players were competing while observing the holy month of Ramadan.

Faith and Focus Under Pressure

Bilal Abdur-Rahman opened up about the unique challenge of competing in tournament play while observing Ramadan, which involves fasting from dawn to sunset along with communal prayer, reflection, study of the Quran, and community service activities.

Me and Sammy, we've been staying together in hotels, helping each other through it. It's a lot physically, but you've got to win the mental battle.



Once you do that, you'll be alright.

That mental battle proved crucial for a program seeking to overcome a streak that predated most of the current roster's arrival on campus.

Breaking Through at Last

Head coach Donte Jackson admitted he wasn't fully aware of the historical significance until just before tipoff, when a staff member informed him the losing streak stretched back to the 2014 season.

I didn't even know it was 23 straight until I saw it in the archives. That became a little extra motivation, because at the end of the day, it can't be 24. We had to find a way to win.

The Bulldogs delivered with a balanced offensive attack and stout defense when it mattered most. Koron Davis led all scorers with 24 points, adding six rebounds and two assists. Abdur-Rahman contributed 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting off the bench, while Kintavious Dozier provided a crucial spark by scoring all 12 of his points in the second half.

For Texas Southern, Jaylen Wysinger paced the Tigers with 16 points, four rebounds, three assists and one steal. Bryce Roberts and Duane Posey added 15 and 13 points, respectively.

For Alabama A&M, this victory represented the convergence of faith, perseverance, and competitive excellence. Coach Jackson summed it up perfectly in his postgame remarks:

It just feels great to advance. These guys earned it β€” every possession.

Originally reported by HBCU Sports.