Courtesy of GSU Athletic Communications
Lady Tigers 69, Xavier (La.) 55
The Grambling State Lady Tigers put on a strong performance against Xavier (La.) on Saturday night, securing a 69-55 victory at the XULA Convocation Center.
Despite shooting struggles, the Lady Tigers defense and rebounding were the key factors in the win, as they overpowered Xavier throughout the game.
Zayla Tinner led the way for Grambling State with 15 points and 9 rebounds, while Alyssa Phillip added a monster 18 rebounds, alongside 11 points and 5 assists. Sharonica Hartsfield contributed 10 points and 6 rebounds, and Kahia Warmsley chipped in with 10 points and 5 rebounds. The Lady Tigers defense was stifling, forcing turnovers and turning them into easy points, while their rebounding advantage (61 total rebounds compared to Xavier’s 54) gave them the upper hand.
The game began with both teams struggling to find their rhythm offensively, but it didn’t take long for Grambling State to assert control. Strong defense from Sharonica Hartsfield and Douthshine Prien led to several fast-break opportunities. Xavier tried to stay within reach, but their shooting woes (just 27.4% from the field) kept them from keeping up with the Lady Tigers defensive intensity.
Grambling State took a 17-point lead into the second half, and their defense continued to suffocate Xavier, limiting them to just 10 points in the third quarter. Alyssa Phillip was a standout in the period, hauling in multiple rebounds and scoring key baskets. By the time the third quarter ended, Grambling State had stretched its lead to 55-41.
In the fourth quarter, the Lady Tigers cruised to a comfortable 69-55 win, with their defense and rebounding maintaining control of the game. Tinner finished with 15 points, while Phillip’s 18 rebounds were a game-high and helped to keep Xavier from generating any second-chance opportunities.
The win was a complete team effort for Grambling State, with several players contributing in multiple areas. Their defense, combined with a solid rebounding performance, was the difference-maker as the Lady Tigers improved to 2-0.
Grambling State will continue its road trip on Tuesday, November 12, as they head to Thibodaux, La., to face Nicholls. The game is set to tip off at 6:30 p.m. at the David R. Stopher Gymnasium.
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No. 24 Ole Miss 66, Tigers 64
The Grambling State University men’s basketball team took 24th ranked Ole Miss to the wire, but couldn’t pull the upset, falling 66-64 on Friday night The Sandy and John Black Pavilion.
GSU (1-1) led 33-25 at halftime, but a furious rally midway through the second half gave Ole Miss (2-0) a lead that it wouldn’t relinquish.
Grambling State had four players score in double-figures. Mikale Stevenson led the Tigers with 16 points paired with five rebounds, four assists and one steal. Kintavius Dozier added 15 points while newcomers Ernest Ross and James Flippin contributed 14 and 12 points respectively.
On a night where Grambling State shot nearly 50 percent from the floor (46.7%) and outrebounded the Rebels 39-33, the one glaring negative for the Tigers was the turnover column. While Ole Miss committed just six turnovers, GSU committed 22.
Grambling State got off to a fast start, knocking down its first five shots to open a 13-6 lead with 16:06 on the clock. GSU pushed its lead to 17-8 on a layup by Ernest Ross.
The Rebels used a 10-0 run to scoot in front of the Tigers 18-17 with 12:26 to go until the half.
Trailing 20-18, GSU embarked on an 11-0 run of its own to grab an 31-20 advantage with 4:27 to go in the opening period. It was a driving layup by Dozier that put a bow on that scoring spurt.
In the second half, GSU took its largest lead of the game, 39-27, on a deep 3-pointer by Stevenson with 17:25 left.
Ole Miss erased that deficit over the next six minutes, embarking on a 20-0 run to snag a 47-39 lead with 11:11 to go in the contest.
Flippin halted the Rebel’s with a 3-pointer. After a mid-range jumper by Ole Miss’ Matthew Murrell, Flippin knocked down another three to keep the Tigers within striking distance, 51-45, with 9:04 remaining.
The Rebels pushed their advantage to 56-45 with 6:39 left, but Grambling State continued to battle back. Trailing 58-54 3:39 to play, Ross drained a triple to make it a one-point game.
GSU couldn’t regain the lead down the stretch, falling to Ole Miss 66-64.
