From Grambling State Sports Information:
GRAMBLING, La. | The Grambling State University men’s basketball team closes out its regular season home campaign with a pair of Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) games against Alabama State on Thursday and Alabama A&M on Saturday.
Tip-off for Thursday’s game is set for 7:30 p.m.at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center as Grambling State will hold Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night. On Saturday, Grambling State will hold Senior Day, as tip-off against the Lady Bulldogs is scheduled for 5 p.m.
Grambling State (14-15 overall, 8-8 SWAC), which snapped a four-game losing streak to Mississippi Valley State on Monday, currently sits tied for fifth with Jackson State, but JSU holds the tiebreaker by virtue of sweeping the season series. A win against Alabama State could vault GSU into the top four.
Alabama State (11-16, 9-7) has dropped three out of its last four games, including a 96-69 loss to Prairie View A&M on Monday. The Hornets are looking to complete a season sweep of Grambling State for the first time since the 2014-15 season.
Alabama A&M (5-25, 4-12) will visit Jackson State on Thursday, before ending the regular season at Grambling State on Saturday. The Bulldogs, who are seeking a season sweep of the Tigers, enter the matchup having dropped its last six games, with the last victory coming on Feb. 9 against Mississippi Valley State (78-63).
ABOUT ALABAMA STATE
> Alabama State is averaging 67.6 points per game, while its opponents are averaging 71.5 points
> ASU is shooting 40.5 percent from the field and 65.3 percent from the foul line
> Reginald Gee paces the Hornets offense at 13.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, followed by Jacoby Ross at 13.3 points and 2.6 boards per game
ABOUT ALABAMA A&M
> Alabama A&M is averaging 61.2 points per game, while its opponents are averaging 71.7 points
> AAMU is shooting 41.1 percent from the field and 62.0 percent from the foul line
> Andre Kennedy paces the Bulldogs offense at 12.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, followed by Jalen Reeder at 9.6 points and 3.5 boards per game
LAST TIME OUT
> Grambling State is coming off a 77-75 victory, which snapped a four-game losing streak, on Monday against Mississippi Valley State
> Dallas Polk-Hilliard dropped a career-high 26 points to pace four players in double figures
> The Tigers shot 49.1 percent from the floor and 62.5 percent from the free-throw line
NOTABLES
> Ivy Smith leads the SWAC in assists per game, free-throws attempted, free-throws made and total assists
> Dallas Polk-Hilliard is second in the conference in double-doubles with six
> The Tigers lead the SWAC in 13 different categories, including total rebounds and total rebounds per game
> Ivy Smith, Jr. surpassed the 1,000-point plateau against Mississippi Valley State
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
> Grambling State surpassed the 100-point plateau in a 105-68 victory over Jarvis Christian to begin the season
> The Tigers defeated Niagara on Nov. 23 in the Fort Myers Tip-Off Classic
> Grambling State won back-to-back games over Portland and Southeastern Louisiana
> Ivy Smith, Jr. poured in 24 points, including the game-winner, in an 88-87 overtime win over Texas Southern on Jan. 19
PRESEASON POLL
> Grambling State was predicted to win to repeat as the SWAC regular season champion
GRAMBLING STATE BASKETBALL HISTORY
> Grambling State won its first SWAC regular season championship in 30 years last year
> Charles “Charlie Red) Hardnett and Willis Reed are notable alums of the basketball program
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