The real season starts now.
And Florida A&M basketball is getting straight to business.
On Saturday, the Rattlers men’s and women’s basketball teams will open their Southwestern Athletic Conference schedule by hosting a doubleheader versus rivals Bethune-Cookman at the Al Lawson Center.
The women’s game tips off at 4 p.m. The men’s game starts afterward at 6 p.m.
“It’s rival week. The only bad thing about it is that the students aren’t here. Hopefully, they’ll come back and pour in here and give my ladies the love and support they deserve,” FAMU head women’s basketball coach Bridgette Gordon told the Tallahassee Democrat.
“It’s exciting times. We’re just ready to play somebody. This is our homecoming.”
Both FAMU teams enter Saturday with a 3-8 record to wrap up their non-conference schedule. FAMU women’s basketball’s last outing was a 111-45 home victory over Thomas University, which moved its winning streak to three games. FAMU men’s basketball’s most recent game was a 70-60 loss at Tarleton State.
Bethune-Cookman women’s basketball is 3-9, last falling at Campbell 64-50 on Monday. Bethune-Cookman men’s basketball is 3-10, losing its conference finale at Mississippi State 87-73.
“We’re excited about the game and the first home conference game of the new year playing against Bethune,” said FAMU head men’s basketball coach Patrick Crarey II. “We’re looking forward to a tough matchup early to get league play started and have a good time.”
FAMU basketball’s SWAC opener vs Bethune-Cookman marks a clean slate
It’s a new era for FAMU basketball.
Saturday marks the Rattlers’ head women’s basketball coach Gordon’s second SWAC season.
Last year, Gordon led FAMU women’s basketball to a 9-21 overall record and an 8-10 mark in the SWAC, which landed the Rattlers a spot in the league’s eight-team postseason tournament as a seven seed. FAMU faltered to Grambling State 66-60 in the SWAC quarterfinals.
“Just an experience for me and a year under my belt as a head coach and in the SWAC,” Gordon said. “I’ve had a chance to go back down memory lane and watch games to see what the SWAC is all about.”
Before last season, FAMU women hadn’t reached the postseason since 2019 as members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
The Rattlers were predicted to be the fifth-best team in SWAC women’s basketball this season.
“It’s about us. We had to take care of home,” Gordon said. “I had to go back and try to bring in some young ladies that would fit my philosophy.”
Crarey is about to make his SWAC debut as FAMU’s head men’s basketball coach.
Saturday will be a chance for the newbie Crarey to make a good first impression on the SWAC if he claims the rivalry win over Bethune-Cookman.
Crarey’s Rattlers were chosen to finish 11th out of 12 in SWAC men’s basketball this season, which means they would miss out on the league’s tournament in March, which now holds 10 teams.
“Every conference game is of the utmost importance. But you’re not winning a championship in January,” Crarey said. “So, I think for us, it’s more important to build on the habits that put us in a position to be successful in March when we want to be playing our best.”
Florida A&M vs Bethune-Cookman SWAC Doubleheader
When: Saturday, Jan. 4 at 4 p.m. (women), 6 p.m. (men)
Where: Al Lawson Center; Tallahassee, Florida
Tickets: Purchase Here
Gerald Thomas, III is a multi-time award-winning journalist for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.
Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida A&M basketball to host Bethune-Cookman in SWAC opener Saturday
