From Grambling Sports Information:
GRAMBLING, La. | On a night when the Grambling State University men’s basketball team entered the evening needing to defeat by Alabama State by 22 points to hold the tiebreaker over the Hornets, the Tigers got that margin and more, shooting a blistering 67.3 percent from the floor, in a 93-66 victory in a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) game on Thursday night at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center.
Grambling State (15-15 overall, 9-8 SWAC) now controls its own destiny to hosting a SWAC Tournament game. The Tigers currently sit tied for third with Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Jackson State and Alabama State. Jackson State holds the tiebreaker over GSU, while the Tigers split with UAPB and Alabama State.
All five Grambling State starters scored in double figures as the Tigers had a total of six players post double-digit scoring.
Devante Jackson came off the bench to post a game-high 19 points, along with three rebounds and one assist. Ivy Smith, Jr. added 18 points, three assists, two steals and two boards, while Dallas Polk-Hilliard registered 16 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots. Axel Mpoyo and Nigel Ribeiro recorded 11 points each, while Zavier Peart chipped in 10 points.
Tobi Ewuosho led Alabama State with 18 points, five boards and two steals. Reginald Gee poured in 14 points and Leon Daniel chipped in 10 points.
Turning Point
Grambling State jumped out to a 14-4 lead to begin the game, but Alabama State closed the gap to 18-15 after a dunk by Tobi Ewuosho with 10:13 left in the first half.
The Tigers used a 20-7 run over the next seven minutes, capped by an Ivy Smith, Jr. 3-pointer to ggive Grambling State a 36-22 advantage.
Grambling State stretched the lead to 46-25 at the break as Smith sank a 3-pointer as time expired.
A quick bucket by Kevin Holston to begin the second half cut the deficit to 18 points, but that would be as close as the Hornets would get.
Inside the Numbers
> Grambling State shot 67.3 percent (35-of-52) from the floor and 92.3 percent (12-of-13) from the charity stripe
> Alabama State was 22-of-58 (37.9 percent) from the field and 18-of-21 (85.7 percent) from the foul line
> GSU registered 31 rebounds, including 26 on the defensive glass
> ASU pulled down 25 rebounds, with 12 coming on the offensive end
> The Tigers finished with 42 points in the paint, 27 bench points, 15 points off 14 Hornet turnovers, eight second-chance points and four fastbreak points
> The Hornets recorded 26 points in the paint, 20 bench points, 13 second-chance points and 10 points off 12 Tiger turnovers
News & Notes
> GSU was predicted to win the conference and are defending its regular season crown
> Grambling State leads the conference in nine different categories
> Dallas Polk-Hilliard paces the Tigers with seven double-doubles
> Ivy Smith, Jr. leads the conference in assists per game, free-throws made and total assists
> Ivy Smith, Jr. surpassed the 1,000-point plateau against Mississippi Valley State (3/4/19)
Up Next
Grambling State concludes the regular season on Saturday against Alabama A&M. Tip-off against the Bulldogs during Senior Day is set for 5 p.m.
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