Daimoni Dorsey poured in a game-high 22 points and kissed in the winning layup with two seconds remaining as Bethune-Cookman erased a double-digit deficit to stun Florida A&M, 57-56, in Saturday’s SWAC opener.
The Wildcats (3-11, 1-0 SWAC) shook off a sluggish first half and a hot start from the Rattlers to seize their first conference win, while FAMU (1-11, 0-1) squandered a double-digit cushion and a strong afternoon from leading scorer Tahnyjia Purifoy.
Daimoni Dorsey with the game-winning layup off a steal by Keiara Gregory to give Bethune-Cookman a one-point win over rival Florida A&M. SWAC play has gotten off to an exciting start. https://t.co/Q8O8ZA9yg0
— HBCU Sports (@HBCUSports) January 3, 2026
First half: Purifoy sets the tone
Florida A&M dictated the early rhythm, riding Purifoy’s shooting to a 16-10 lead after one. The guard scored 11 of the Rattlers’ 16 first-quarter points, slicing through the lane and hitting from the perimeter as B-CU searched for answers defensively.
The Rattlers stretched their advantage to 29-17 on a Breazia Robinson layup midway through the second quarter, their largest lead of the afternoon, before the Wildcats finally steadied themselves at the stripe. A pair of free throws from Keiara Gregory cut the margin to 29-23, and two more from Dorsey sent Bethune-Cookman to the locker room trailing 33-25 but very much within striking distance.
Lead changes, late drama defined second half
Bethune-Cookman flipped the script after halftime. The Wildcats shot 6-for-13 in the third period, drilling a pair of threes while clamping down on the defensive end and holding FAMU to just 11 points on 4-of-14 shooting.
Madison Holden buried a contested jumper to fuel the run, and Gregory again cashed in at the foul line to trim the deficit to a single possession. By the end of the frame, B-CU had whittled the Rattlers’ lead down to 44-43, turning Moore Gym into a cauldron heading to the fourth.
Dorsey gave Bethune-Cookman its first lead of the day at 47-46, calmly sinking two free throws with just under eight minutes to play as the Wildcats’ pressure began to wear on the visitors.
FAMU answered with a final push, rebuilding a four-point edge on a tip-in from Miya Giles-Jones with about four minutes remaining, but the Wildcats refused to fold. With 13 seconds left and B-CU still trailing, Sanai Tyler attacked the rim, drew contact and drilled both free throws to pull the Wildcats within one.
On the ensuing possession, Gregory jumped a passing lane and came up with a crucial steal, giving Bethune-Cookman one last chance. The ball found its way to Dorsey on the block, and the junior guard finished through traffic with two seconds on the clock, sealing the 57-56 comeback and igniting a raucous celebration in Moore
