HOUSTON, Texas | The Grambling State University women's basketball team saw its five-game Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) win streak snapped on Monday night with a 66-56 loss to Texas Southern at the Health and Physical Education Arena.
Grambling State (12-12 overall, 9-4 SWAC) fell behind by six in the opening quarter, but used a 10-0 run over a five-minute stretch as the two teams enter the second tied at 14. However, Texas Southern (14-9, 9-3) out-scored Grambling State in the second, 21-12, to take a 35-26 advantage into the half. Grambling State scored nine points in the third and headed to the final period trailing, 55-35. Grambling State got as close as eight points in the final period, but couldn't get any closer in the loss.
Shakyla Hill paced Grambling State with 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Jazmin Boyd tallied 13 points and four assists, while
Kailyn Gideon finished with nine boards and a game-high seven blocks.
Joyce Kennerson led Texas Southern with 25 points, including for 3-pointers, with five rebounds and three assists. Kaitlyn Palmer chipped in with 14 points, while Taylor Robinson registered a double-double of 11 rebounds and 10 points.
Turning Point
Texas Southern raced out to a 10-4 advantage after a Kennerson 3-pointer with 5:39 remaining in the opening quarter, but Grambling State battled back and used a 10-0 run, capped by a Hill layup with 44 seconds left to grab a 14-10 lead.
Texas Southern scored the final four points of the quarter as the two teams were tied at 14 entering the second period.
Texas Southern began the second on a 10-3 run, capped by a Palmer trey to take a 24-17 advantage with 5:52 left. Grambling State cut the margin to 24-20 after a
Jazmine Torian 3-pointer with 5:28 remaining, but TSU closed out the half on a 11-6 run to take a 35-26 lead into the break.
Grambling State struggled in the third and were out-scored, 20-9, as Texas Southern extended its halftime lead to 20 points, 55-35, as the two entered the final quarter.
Grambling State failed to go away quietly and cut the double-digit deficit to 64-56 after two free throws by
Justice Coleman with 41 seconds left. Texas Southern sealed the game at the line as Palmer sank a pair with 36 seconds remaining and Hill missed a layup with 26 seconds left as Texas Southern ran out the clock to pick up the win.
Inside the Numbers
* Grambling State shot 20-of-67 (29.9 percent) from the floor and 8-of-13 (61.5 percent) from the free-throw line.
* Texas Southern was 24-of-56 (42.9 percent) shooting and 12-of-14 (85.7 percent) from the charity stripe.
* Grambling State registered 29 rebounds, including 16 on the offensive glass.
* Texas Southern recorded 53 rebounds, with 35 coming on the defensive end.
* Grambling State finished with 17 points off turnovers, 15 bench points, 12 points in the paint and six second-chance points.
* Texas Southern tallied 30 points in the paint, 17 bench points, 16 second-chance points and 10 points off turnovers.
News and Notes
* Grambling State head coach
Freddie Murray dropped his first game in the month of February (10-1)
* Grambling State head coach
Freddie Murray is 23-8 in his two years at the helm in SWAC play, with half of the losses coming to Texas Southern.
* During the five-game winning streak, Grambling State defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Mississippi Valley State, Southern, Alcorn State and Prairie View A&M.
Up Next
Grambling State returns home for three straight games, starting at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17 against Jackson State. Tip-off for Breast Cancer Awareness Day is set for 3 p.m.
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