Courtesy of GSU Athletic Communications
Jalen Johnson had a big day for Grambling State, scoring a team-high 20 points. His performance helped guide GSU to a 69-63 win over Prairie View A&M in its Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) opener on Saturday afternoon at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center.
Johnson was also dominant on the boards, snatching a game-high eight rebounds and making two steals.
The victory improved GSU to 4-10 overall and 1-0 in SWAC play. PVAMU fell to 5-9 and 0-1 in the conference.
The first half was a close affair. With the score tied 15-12 with 9:42 remaining in the opening period, Grambling State used a 13-2 run over the next eight minutes to craft a 25-17 lead just before halftime. The Tigers held a 25-21 lead at the break.
After a layup by the Tigers to open the second half, PVAMU’s Charles Smith drained back-to-back 3-pointers tying the game 27-27 with 18:03 to go. That would be the last time the Panthers would be level with the Tigers as GSU scored the next seven points to grab a 34-27 advantage at the 15:56 mark.
Prairie View did pull within one point of the Tigers, 38-37, with 11:10 to play. Grambling took control of the game from that point, however.
Following a pair of free throws, a thunderous dunk by Jourdan Smith gave the Tigers 42-37 cushion with 10:19 to go. After trading buckets back-and-forth, and the Panthers trailing 44-41, GSU began to shake free of the pesky Panthers.
Grambling State embarked on a 17-6 run capped by a 3-pointer from Smith that gave the Tigers its largest lead of the contest, 61-47, with 4:04 remaining.
Prairie View A&M tried to rally late but the Tigers proved too much, securing the 69-63 triumph.
