Grambling State University men's basketball coach Shawn Walker regularly tells his team "Work will win when wishing won't," and both GSU basketball teams are aiming to win a lot of SWAC games this season.
Both teams have a lot to prove this season, and both are off to a good start with victories over Alabama A&M University Saturday. Walker said the men's team hasn't won a conference opening game in five years, and that's evidence that his team can compete and win.
The GSU basketball teams plan to defy preseason predictions and current conference rankings. Jackson State University's men's and women's teams are ranked #1 in the SWAC with the JSU men's team record of 6-8 in the preseason with the Lady Jaguars 7-5 and both are 1-0 in conference play. The G-Men are ranked #4 in the SWAC and the Lady Tigers are ranked #4.
The men's 81-78 overtime victory over Alabama A&M ended the Tigers' 37-game Division I losing streak. The last D-I win was March 11, 2014 against Jackson State. "We got the monkey off our back. Now, these guys believe they can win," said Walker.
They should. Two of Saturday's starters put up double digits. Forward Deonte Hearns and guard Remond Brown each had 15, and Hearns added 10 rebounds while Brown was right behind him with 8. Though neither started Saturday, joining the on-the-court action success were forward Mark Gray and true freshman Nigel Ribeiro, both putting up 18 points.
Others may not see the GSU men as conference champions at this stage, but Saturday's win and recent practices say it's possible they can win the entire conference as champions. As the team looks ahead, they expect one team to be the most challenging: "Texas Southern," said assistant coach Kyle Jones. "They are a veteran team with experience and (TSU head coach) Mike Davis is a great coach."
Going into Monday's games, the GSU teams have ramped up expectations from earlier preseason predictions that they might not do as well.
The men's team SWAC rankings include JSU at #1, Alcorn State University #2 and GSU standing at #3 followed by TSU at #4 and Arkansas-Pine Bluff #5.
The SWAC women teams are ranked JSU #1, Prairie View A&M University #2, TSU #3 with GSU ranked #4 followed by Arkansas-Pine Bluff standing at #5.
Alabama State was ranked #1 during the preseason, and ASU wants to beat the Tigers to prove a point. The Hornets will have a challenge doing so if they play the way they did against Jackson State, losing 68-61. The Hornets' biggest problem was missed shots, connecting with 19 of the 59 attempted baskets in the weekend game.
There are several G-Men and Lady Tiger players to watch tonight and this season.
Ribeiro is leading his team in minutes played (32.3 per game) and points (13.8). The Chesapeake, Virginia, native put up 28 points in a 98-53 win over Selma University (Nov.30).
The Lady Tigers are off to a great start as well. Lady Tigers head basketball coach Nadine Domond is confident he "young team of players" will do well this season, and they beat Alabama A&M's women's team Saturday (January 2), 75-56.
Proving they can compete outside the SWAC with strong defensive and ball-handling skills , the Lady Tigers were victorious over Nicholls State, 69-65 (Dec. 29). Domond said what her ladies lack in age, they make up for with aggressive play - and stats. In Saturday's game against the Lady Bulldogs, 9 of 13 of the Lady Tigers put points on the scoreboard.
The Lady Tigers have a victory challenge when it comes to staying out of foul trouble, especially when calling on hoopsters John'ea Thompson and Shakyla Hill. Thompson fouled out in a Dec. 20 game against the University of Alabama Crimson Tide and Hill had four personal fouls against AAMU.
Hill, a native of Little Rock, is one to watch. The freshman guard had 23 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals in the Lady Tigers win 69-65 over Nicholls State (Dec.29). Teammate Jazmin Boyd is another. Boyd, also a freshman, contributed 16 of the Lady Tigers' 75 points against Alabama A&M.
Both teams play Alabama State University Monday. The women start on the court at 5:30 p.m. and the men follow about 20 minutes after the women's game ends, about 7:30 p.m. Listen live athttp://bamastatesports.com/watch/?Live=360.
Both GSU teams travel to Baton Rouge to take on Southern University's basketball teams. Catch that game live athttp://coxsportstv.com/featured-programs/southern-jaguarsorhttps://www.nmnathletics.com/PremiumVideo.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=28100.
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