NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. | The Grambling State University men's basketball team had five players in double figures and held off a late Niagara charge as the Tigers earned a 74-68 road victory during the Fort Myers Tip-Off Classic on Saturday afternoon at the Frank and Barbara Layden Court at the Gallagher Center.
 
Grambling State (3-2) led 44-37 at the half and saw the lead dwindle down to five a couple times in the second half, but Niagara could not get over the hump as the Tigers won their second consecutive game.
 
Devante Jackson paced five Grambling State players in double figures with 16 points, including going 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. He also added three rebounds, two blocks and one assist. Lasani Johnson scored 15 points, on 6-of-12 shooting, with six boards and one assist, while Ivy Smith, Jr. tallied 12 points, a game-high nine assists, six rebounds and two steals. Dallas Polk-Hilliard registered a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds in playing all but two minutes of action. Zavier Peart recorded a career-high 11 points, along with four rebounds and one assist.
 
Marvin Prochet finished with a game-high 23 points, on 7-of-15 shooting and 6-of-8 from the charity stripe to lead the Purple Eagles. He also added 12 rebounds and one block. Dominic Robb also recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, along with three steals and two blocks.
 
Turning Point
With Niagara leading 7-6 early in the first half, Grambling State used a 15-6 run during a four-minute stretch as Devante Jackson drained a 3-pointer to give the Tigers a 21-13 advantage with 13:46 remaining.
 
Grambling State extended the lead to 29-19 after a jumper by Ivy Smith, Jr. with 10:52 left in the first half, but Niagara closed the gap to 31-26 after a Keleaf Tate jumper with 7:31 remaining.
 
The Tigers pushed the margin to 40-26 as Zavier Peart scored on a layup with four minutes to play as Grambling State continued to control the opening half and took a 44-37 lead into the break.
 
The Purple Eagles cut the deficit to 56-53 after a Dominic Robb layup with 12:19 remaining, but the Tigers got buckets by Travon Bunch and Axel Mpoyo to put the margin to 60-53 with just under 10 minutes left.
 
Niagara continued to chip away at the deficit and cut the margin to 65-62 after a dunk by Robb, but a Devante Jackson dunk gave the Tigers a 67-62 advantage with 4:36 remaining.
 
Grambling State continued its lead and took a 71-64 advantage after two free throws by Devante Jackson. However, two free throws by Chris Barton closed the gap to 71-66 with 57 seconds left.
 
The Purple Eagles never got any closer in the final minute as the Tigers earned a huge road win.
 
Inside the Numbers
> Grambling State shot 49.1 percent (27-of-55) from the floor and 63.6 percent (14-of-22) from the charity stripe
> Niagara was 22-of-66 (33.3 percent) from the field and 21-of-28 (75.0 percent) from the foul line
> The Tigers registered 39, with 34 coming on the defensive glass
> The Purple Eagles pulled down 40 rebounds, including 13 on the offensive end
> Grambling State finished with 30 points in the paint, 17 bench points, six points off nine Purple Eagle turnovers, six fast-break points and four second-chance points
> Niagara recorded 26 points in the paint, 15 points off 15 Tiger turnovers, 12 second-chance points, 11 fast-break points and nine bench points
> Grambling State held the lead for 96.5 percent of the game
 
Up Next
Grambling State concludes play at the Fort Myers Tip-Off Classic against IUPUI at 3 p.m. on Saturday at the Frank and Barbara Layden Court at the Gallagher Center.
 
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