GRAMBLING, La. | Lasani Johnson scored 19 of his career-high 30 points in the second half and sank a career-best seven 3-pointers as the Grambling State University men's basketball team got back into the win column with an 81-57 victory over Centenary (La.) College on Tuesday night at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center.
 
Johnson missed just four shots from the field in 33 minutes of action. The Dallas, Texas native was 11-of-15 shooting, including 7-for-10 from behind the 3-point line. He finished with 30 points, three rebounds, three steals and one assist to pace the Grambling State offense. Dallas Polk-Hilliard registered 17 points, three boards, two steals and one block, while Prince Moss chipped in with nine points. Defensively, Travon Bunch led the Tigers with a career-high and game-high 11 rebounds.
 
Kaharri Carter led Centenary (1-7) with 11 points, four rebounds and two steals. Treylan Matthews and Prentis Washington each added 10 points.
 
Turning Point
Grambling State (4-4) jumped out to a 19-7 advantage after two free throws by Dallas Polk-Hilliard with exactly 10 minutes remaining in the first half.
 
Centenary closed the gap to 19-12 after a 3-pointer by Prentis Washington to 7:59 left, but the Tigers used a 15-2 run over the next four minutes, capped by two shots at the charity stripe by Anthony Gaston, to give Grambling State a commanding 34-14 advantage.
 
The Gents cut the deficit to 37-21 at the half and trimmed the margin to 41-30 after a three-point play by Ty Prince with 15:45 remaining.
 
That would be as close as Centenary would get as Grambling State used a 26-8 run over the next eight minutes before cruising to the 81-57 victory.
 
Inside the Numbers
> Grambling State shot 50.0 percent (30-of-60) from the floor and 54.5 percent (12-of-22) from the charity stripe
> Centenary was 19-of-60 (31.7 percent) from the field and 13-of-19 (68.4 percent) from the foul line
> The Tigers registered 44 rebounds, with 32 coming off the defensive glass
> The Gents pulled down 37 boards, including 13 on the offensive end
> Grambling State finished with 34 points in the paint, 26 bench points, 15 points off 15 Gent turnovers, 11 second-chance points and six fast-break points
> Centenary recorded 26 bench points, 20 points in the paint, 14 second-chance points and 11 points off 15 Tiger turnovers
 
Up Next
Grambling State takes to the road for its next three games as the Tigers visit Central Florida on Saturday. Tip-Off against the Knights is set for 12 p.m. (central). The Tigers will travel to Louisiana-Monroe (Tuesday, Dec. 11) and Portland (Dec. 15), before coming back home on Wednesday, Dec. 19 against Southeastern Louisiana.
 
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