PINE BLUFF, Ark. (AP) Martaveous McKnight scored 25 points on 8-of-10 shooting and Arkansas-Pine Bluff beat Mississippi Valley State 64-52 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference opener for both teams on Saturday night.

McKnight was 4 of 5 from 3-point range and had six rebounds and five assists for the Golden Lions (4-10). Charles Jackson added 11 points and Terrance Banyard had 10.

The Lions took the lead for good at 36-34 on McKnight's layup early in the second half. The Delta Devils (2-13) got the deficit back to one before the midpoint of the period, but they never reclaimed the lead and UAPB led by double digits for the final 3:43.

UAPB trailed for most of the first half but closed the period on a 12-5 run to take a 33-30 lead into the break.

Gregory Jones-Rollins and Aleksa Koracin had 12 points each to lead Mississippi Valley State.

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