GRAMBLING, La. | Prince Moss and Devante Jackson each posted 14 points as the Grambling State University men’s basketball team secured the fourth seed for next week’s Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Basketball Tournament with a 66-58 victory over Alabama A&M on Saturday at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center.
Grambling State (16-15 overall, 10-8 SWAC) finished tied for third in the conference standings with Jackson State. JSU swept the season series to claim the third spot as GSU earned the fourth position. The Tigers will play host to Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the quarterfinals of the SWAC men’s basketball tournament on Tuesday at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center. A time for Tuesday’s game will be announced on Sunday.
Moss came off the bench to provide 14 points, on 4-of-6 shooting, including 2-of-3 from behind the three-point line. He added seven rebounds and two assists. Jackson, also coming off the bench, chipped in 14 points, five boards and two blocks.
Andre Kennedy paced Alabama A&M (5-27, 4-14) with a game-high 21 points, five boards, two steals and one assist. Gerron Scissum registered 10 points and five rebounds.
Turning Point
Grambling State used a 9-4 run to take a 20-11 lead after a pair of free throws by Prince Moss with 5:27 remaining in the opening half and the Tigers took a 30-20 advantage into the break.
Alabama A&M cut the deficit to 37-32 after a three-point play by Andre Kennedy with 14:26 left, but the Tigers pushed the margin to 50-41 lead after a Moss 3-pointer with just under eight minutes remaining.
The Bulldogs kept the game close and trimmed the Tiger lead to 55-50 after a Shaquille Seville layup with 4:16 remaining.
Grambling State outscored Alabama A&M, 11-8, during the final four minutes to pick up its third straight SWAC win and secure the fourth spot in the conference tournament.
Inside the Numbers
> Grambling State shot 44.4 percent (24-of-54) from the floor and 76.5 percent (13-of-17) from the charity stripe
> Alabama A&M was 23-of-67 (34.3 percent) from the field and 8-of-9 (88.9 percent) from the foul line
> GSU registered 39 rebounds, including 26 on the defensive glass
> AAMU pulled down 36 rebounds, with 17 coming on the offensive end
> The Tigers finished with 38 bench points, 38 points in the paint, 15 second-chance points, seven points off eight Bulldog turnovers and two fastbreak points
> The Bulldogs recorded 36 points in the paint, 15 bench points, 14 points off 12 Tiger turnovers, six second-chance points and four fastbreak points
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)
> Grambling State honored three seniors – Axel Mpoyo, Zavier Peart and Nigel Ribeiro – as part of Senior Day
Up Next
Grambling State will play host to Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the quarterfinals of the SWAC men’s basketball tournament on Tuesday at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center. A time for Tuesday’s game will be announced on Sunday.
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