ESPN Men's Basketball

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- Tony Tate scored 17 points and Jon Mason drilled a go-ahead 3-point shot with 1:52 left in the game to lead Florida A&M to a 74-67 win over Alabama State on Saturday.

Mason's shot gave the Rattlers a 68-65 lead, and the Hornets managed only a layup by Alexander Oliver in the final stages of the game.

Florida A&M (3-4) made four free throws in the final 16 seconds to seal the win and stop a three-game losing streak. Alabama State (1-7) has lost five straight.

A jumper and foul shot by Josh Boel gave Alabama State a 61-53 lead with 5:29 remaining. The Rattlers then went on a 10-2 run, including five points by Tate, to tie the game at 63 on a free throw by Rome Sanders.

Brian Greene got the rebound off Sanders' miss and hit a jumper, but Alabama State's Richard Lott hit two from the foul line to tie it at 65 and set up Mason's 3-pointer.

Mason went 5 for 7 from 3-point range and finished with 15 points. Tate had five assists and four steals, and Florida A&M made 11 more foul shots that the visitors.

Cedric Mitchell scored 14 points for the Hornets, and LaMarquis Blake and Andrew Hayles scored 12 points each.

The Hornets led 41-30 with 17:57 left in the game, but that's when the Rattlers began slowly chipping away at the lead, coming to within five points at 44-39 on two free throws by Tate.