GRAMBLING, La. | The Grambling State University men's basketball team concludes the season with a trip to Alabama as the Tigers look to end a two-game Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) losing streak and avoid sweeps at the hands of Alabama A&M and Alabama State.
 
Grambling State visits Alabama A&M on Thursday and Alabama State on Saturday. Tip-off at T.M. Elmore Gymnasium (Huntsville, Ala.) is set for 7:30 p.m. The Tigers conclude the season on Saturday with a 5 p.m. game at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome.
 
Grambling State (15-14 overall, 11-5 SWAC), which controls its own destiny for a SWAC regular season championship, saw its 11-game winning streak snapped against Arkansas-Pine Bluff last Saturday. The Tigers continued its struggles on Monday with a 79-74 loss to Mississippi Valley State.
 
Despite back-to-back losses, Grambling State remains one game in front of Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the SWAC standings.
 
Alabama A&M (2-27, 2-14) is seeking a SWAC win and has not won a conference game since Jan. 8.
 
Alabama State (7-21, 7-9) has dropped three out of its last four games, including the Texas road swing against Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern.
 
ABOUT ALABAMA A&M
* The Bulldogs are averaging 59.8 points per game, while its opponents are averaging 76.7 points.
* Alabama A&M is shooting 39.1 percent (621-of-1589 from the floor and 64.6 percent (321-of-497) from the free-throw line.
* Arthur Johnson leads the Bulldogs offense with 11.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, followed by De'Ederick Petty at 8.7 points and 2.2 boards per game.
 
ABOUT ALABAMA STATE
* The Hornets are averaging 68.8 points per game, while its opponents are averaging 79.3 points.
* Alabama State is shooting 678-of-1652 (41.0 percent) from the floor and 385-of-583 (66.0 percent) from the foul line.
* Reginald Gee paces Alabama State's offense with 14.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Jacoby Ross is second on the team in scoring at 12.5 points and 1.8 boards per game.
 
LAST TIME OUT
* Grambling State dropped a 79-74 decision to Mississippi Valley State on Monday night.
* Anthony Gaston paced the Tigers' offense with 17 points, two rebounds and one steal. Ivy Smith, Jr. chipped in 16 points, five assists and four steals DeVante Jackson added 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocks, while Nigel Ribeiro recorded 10 points, six rebounds, two assists and one steal.
* Grambling State shot 36.8 percent (28-of-76) from the floor and 63.2 percent (12-of-19) from the free-throw line.
 
NOTABLES
* Grambling State is averaging 72.9 points per game, while its opponents are averaging 75.1 points.
* The Tigers are shooting 678-of-1598 (42.4 percent) from the floor and 71.0 percent (476-of-670) from the free-throw line.
* Sophomore guard Ivy Smith, Jr. leads Grambling State's offense, averaging 16.3 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, followed by Shirmane Thomas at 10.8 points and 4.7 boards per game. Anthony Gaston paces the team with 9.5 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. 
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
* Grambling State's 79-78 win over Texas Southern was the first season sweep of TSU since the 2005-06 season.
* After Vermont's 15-game win streak was snapped by Hartford on Feb. 18, Grambling State became the succeeding school in NCAA Division I to have the nation's longest winning streak. That streak lasted 48 hours as Michigan State defeated Illinois to tie the longest current streak in NCAA Division I.
* Anthony Gaston set career highs of points and rebounds against Prairie View A&M on Jan. 13. He poured in 30 points and grabbed seven boards along with four steals, two assists and one blocked shot.
* Shirmane Thomas scored 20 of his career-high 27 points in the first half in Grambling State's win over Texas Southern on Jan. 15.
 
PRESEASON POLL
* GSU was predicted to finish seventh in the preseason coaches' poll as voted on by conference head coaches and sports information directors. Grambling State did not have a player selected to the preseason All-SWAC first and second teams.
 
SCHEDULE NOTES
* Grambling State played just one game (Tougaloo) at home prior to opening conference play. GSU played nine SWAC games at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Athletic Center.
 
Follow Grambling State Athletics
For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter), /gramblingstateathletics (Facebook), @gramblingathetics01 (Instagram) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.
 

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