GRAMBLING, La. (Women's Basketball)—The Grambling State University women's basketball team competed in a Southwestern Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament quarterfinal game against Mississippi Valley State University on Tuesday evening. The Lady Tigers soundly defeated the Devilettes by a ten points spread, 71-61.

With the win, Grambling moves to 17-13 and in to the semi-finals of the SWAC tournament. MVSU finishes the season at 10-20 and are eliminated from the tournament.

To open the game, the Lady Tigers were a bit sluggish out of the gate allowing Mississippi Valley to post ten rapid fire points in the first six and a half minutes of the first quarter. All-Conference First Team pick Shakyla Hill would take the reins of the GSU offense and work to get the Lady Tigers with in two, 11-9, with 2:04 left in the first quarter.

Heading into the second quarter, Grambling began to duel with the Devilettes. The two squads traded baskets most of the period. The last basket of the quarter was scored after Chantiara Lewis was fouled and she went one of two at the free throw line, 31-27.

With 5:21 left in the third quarter, GSU has spread the point difference to ten. Jazmine Torian flipped a layup into the goal to make the score, 43-33. MVSU hung around and closed the game back to four, 47-43.

In the final quarter of the contest, Grambling started to put the game away. Mississippi Valley made the ending of the game interesting by staying around and pulling within one. The Devilettes Ashley
Beals made a great move to the basket for a layup, 60-59 with 1:53 to go. Hill led the charge to close the game out with a lay-up and one, 62-59, at the 1:41 mark.

Though Hill led the offense, Monisha Neal was the spark for the Lady Tigers as she scored a team high 22 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals. Hill contributed 19 points and six rebounds.

Grambling was 41.4 percent from the field and 86.4 percent from the free throw line.

???????MVSU was led by Beals with a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds. Kenya Hailey scored 13 points and Kristy Parker contributed 12.

The Devilettes were 40.7 percent from the field and 68.2 percent from the stripe.

The Lady Tigers move on to Houston, Texas to the semi-final round of the SWAC basketball tournament. Grambling will face No. 4 Southern University on Friday, March. 10 at noon in the Toyota Center.