MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Rodney Simeon had 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting, Tony Armstrong scored 17 and grabbed nine rebounds and Alabama State rallied for a 73-69 win over Grambling State in the Southwestern Conference opener for both teams on Monday night.

Grambling used a 21-3 run to take an eight-point lead 23 seconds into the second half but the Hornets (4-10) scored 20 of the 23 points to make it 52-43 with 9:13 left and never again trailed. Six Alabama State players scored and the Tigers had scoring droughts of nearly-six and nearly-five minutes before Drake Wilks hit a jumper with 8:44 to go.

Wilks made two free throws to pull Grambling (5-9) within six with 1:40 remaining and Marcel Thompson's 3-pointer made it 71-66 with 33 seconds left. After an Alabama State turnover, the Tigers got two offensive rebounds before a turnover of their own led to a Simeon layup gave the Hornets a 73-66 lead with six seconds to play.

Averyl Ugba had 15 points and Thompson scored 14, including four 3-pointers, for Grambling.

Grambling State Tigers will resume play Wednesday, January 4,  in Huntsville, Alabama versus Alabama A & M @ 7:30 p.m.