Donkey-kicking from ULM ends Grambling season, 102-76

^{title image via Grambling Basketball}

Courtesy of Grambling Athletics

76

Grambling 23-10,15-3 SWAC

102

Winner ULM 20-13,10-8 Sun Belt

The Grambling State University women’s basketball team concluded its season on Monday night with a 102-76 loss to Louisiana-Monroe in the second round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. 

The loss wrapped up a monumental season for first-year head coach Courtney Simmons and the Lady Tigers. GSU finished the 2023-24 campaign 23-10 overall and 15-3 in the SWAC. Simmons’ 23 victories tied the most wins for a GSU women’s basketball coach in their debut season. The wins were also the most in a season the women’s basketball program since the 1999-2000 season. 

Jazmyne Jackson led Grambling State with 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field. She knocked down 5-of-8 from three-point range and a was a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line. She also added five rebounds, two steals and one assist. 

Grambling State opened the game strong, building a 5-2 lead in the opening moments two minutes in the first period. 

After GSU took a 7-4 lead with 7:27 on the clock, ULM used a 17-2 run to take a 21-9 lead with 52 seconds remining in the opening frame. The Warhawks held a 23-11 advantage heading in the second quarter. 

In the second quarter, ULM continued to grow its lead, taking its largest lead of the half, 48-28, on a layup by Johnson with 59 second to go in the half. Zayla Tinner answered with a bucket of her own to bring the deficit back under 20.  GSU trailed 48-30 at the break. 

Louisiana-Monroe continued to put pressure on the Lady Tigers out of the locker room, starting the half on a 14-3 run heading into the first media timeout of the third period, growing it’s lead to 29 points, 62-33 with 5:42 on the clock. ULM led 81-48 at the end of the third. 

Grambling State didn’t give up, however, outscoring the Warhawks 28-21 in the final period.


INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Grambling State went 24-of-72 from the floor (33.3 percent), 10-of-19 (52.6 percent) from three-point range and 18-for-26 (69.2 percent) from the free throw line.
• Kahia Warmsley added 14 points with two assists, one steal and one rebound.
• Douthshine Prien scored 11 points with four boards, two assists and one steal. 
• Amanada Blake snagged a game-high 13 rebounds with six points, a block and steal in her final game for GSU. 
• Louisiana-Monroe shot 46.6 percent (34-of-73) and 44.4 percent (8-of-18) from behind the arc and 78.8 percent (26-of-33) from the charity stripe.
• ULM outrebounded GSU 52-42
• The Lady Tigers finished with 24 points in the paint, 43 bench points, , 13 second chance points, four fastbreak points and 14 points off 18 turnovers. 
• The Warhawks scored 48 points in the paint, 25 bench points, seven fastbreak points and 26 points off 20 turnovers. 
• Jakayla Jackson led ULM with a game-high 30 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals. 

Team Statistics