HUNTSVILLE, Ala. | Shakyla Hill scored a career-high 35 points, but it wasn't enough as the Grambling State University women's basketball team dropped a 71-64 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) decision to Alabama A&M on Thursday night at T.M. Elmore Gymnasium.
 
Grambling State (15-13 overall, 12-5 SWAC) came into the contest one game back in the SWAC standings behind Southern and tied with Texas Southern. A win would have given the SWAC a three-way tie atop the standings as Texas Southern defeated Southern. However, Grambling State remained in third after the loss to Alabama A&M.
 
Hill led all scorers with 35 points, on 12-of-24 shooting, and three 3-pointers. She added 12 rebounds, with nine coming on the defensive glass, along with four steals and four assists. Jazmin Boyd tallied 16 points, four boards and three assists.
 
Nigeria Jones paced Alabama A&M (11-17, 6-11) with 22 points and three assists, while Natalie Collins added 12 points. Aubriana Bonner registered a double-double of 11 rebounds and 10 points and Ashlyn Dotson tallied 10 points and eight boards.
 
Turning Point
The Lady Tigers started out of the gate slowly and trailed 9-4 after a Natalie Collins 3-pointer with 6:30 remaining in the opening period, but Grambling State rallied and used a 9-3 run over the next four minutes to grab a 13-12 advantage after a bucket by Alexis Williams with 2:10 left in the quarter.
 
The Lady Bulldogs outscored the Lady Tigers down the stretch in the first quarter, 7-3, to take a 19-16 lead into the second.
 
Grambling State trimmed the deficit to 24-22 after a Takerra Parson's jumper with 8:56 remaining, but Alabama A&M extended the advantage to 34-25 after a layup by Ashlyn Dotson, giving the Lady Bulldogs a 34-25 lead with 3:26 left.
 
The Lady Tigers closed the gap to 34-30 with 2:05 left, but the Lady Bulldogs used a 6-2 run to take a 40-32 lead into the half.
 
Alabama A&M took a 51-43 advantage after a bucket by Nigeria Jones jumper, but Grambling State rallied and closed the gap to 55-54 after Jazmin Boyd sank a pair of free throws with 33 seconds left in the third.
 
Grambling State took a 70-58 lead after a Hill three-point play with 7:50 left and built a 64-58 advantage with 4:43 remaining. However, the Lady Tigers went scoreless down the stretch as the Lady Bulldogs closed out the game on a 13-0 run.
 
Inside the Numbers
* Grambling State shot 21-of-59 (35.6 percent) from the field and 18-of-24 (75 percent) from the free-throw line.
* Alabama A&M shot 37.3 percent (25-of-67) from the floor and 71.4 percent (10-of-14) from the charity stripe.
* The Lady Tigers tallied 38 rebounds, including 28 on the defensive glass.
* The Lady Bulldogs recorded 47 rebounds, with 16 coming on the offensive end.
* Grambling State registered 28 points in the paint, 14 fast-break points, 11 second-chance points and 10 points off turnovers.
* Alabama A&M finished with 18 points in the paint, 15 second-chance points, 13 points off turnovers and 12 fast-break points.
 
News and Notes
* The loss snapped a six-game winning streak against Alabama A&M, dating back to the 2014-15 season.
* Grambling State split the season series with Alabama A&M.
* Shakyla Hill was named Co-SWAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week on Tuesday.
* Shakyla Hill's previous career high was 26 points (at Alabama – 12/10/17; at Prairie View A&M – 2/10/18)
* Grambling State will host a SWAC Quarterfinal game on Tuesday, March 6 at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center (Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m.)
 
Up Next
Grambling State warps up the regular season with a 3 p.m. tip-off on Saturday against Alabama State in the Dunn-Oliver Acadome. The Lady Tigers will return home on Tuesday to open SWAC Tournament play with their quarterfinal matchup against either Alabama State, Alabama A&M or Alcorn State at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center.
 
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