HUNTSVILLE, Ala. | Shakyla Hill scored 24 points and Justice Coleman added 12 as the Grambling State University women's basketball team ended its 12-game road trip with a pair of victories, defeating Alabama A&M, 63-51, in a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) game on Monday night at T.M. Elmore Gymnasium.
 
Grambling State (5-9 overall, 2-0 SWAC), which held Alabama A&M to 27.1 percent shooting, led, 15-14, after one period, but Alabama A&M (6-7, 1-1) grabbed a 26-25 lead heading into the break. The Lady Tigers outscored the Lady Bulldogs, 18-12, in the third to take a 43-38 advantage into the final quarter.
 
Hill, who posted her 25th career double-double, finished with a game-high 24 points and 10 rebounds, along with six assists and a pair of steals. Coleman, who was 4-of-6 shooting, registered 12 points, six boards, two assists and one steal. Mylashia Yancey recorded a career-high nine points, along with a career-best seven rebounds and added one assist and one steal.
 
Elexis Evans paced Alabama A&M with 16 points, nine rebounds, three blocks and one assist. Jameica Cobb registered 10 points, five boards and one block.
 
Turning Point
Gambling State led 15-14 after one quarter, but Alabama A&M used a small 5-1 run to grab a 26-22 advantage after a bucket by Elexis Evans with 2:08 remaining in the first half.
 
The Lady Tigers scored the final three points of the half as Grambling State trailed, 26-25, at the break.
 
Grambling State began the third quarter on a 7-2 run, capped by a Mylashia Yancy jumper to give the Lady Tigers a 32-28 advantage with 6:40 left. Alabama A&M battled back and took a 35-34 lead after a Kenya Pye jumper with 4:14 remaining in the period.
 
The Lady Bulldogs held a 35-34 advantage after a Pye jumper with 4:14 left in the third, but the Lady Tigers closed out the quarter on a 9-3 run to take a 43-38 lead into the final period.
 
A Shakyla Hill jumper with just under nine minutes remaining gave Grambling State a 47-38 lead. The Lady Bulldogs refused to go away quietly as Evans' hit back-to-back jumpers to cut the margin to 56-51 with 1:53 left.
 
That would be as close as Alabama A&M would get down the stretch as Grambling State begins SWAC play with two huge road wins.
 
Inside the Numbers
> Grambling State was 23-of-55 (41.8 percent) shooting and 16-of-33 (48.5 percent) from the charity stripe
> Alabama A&M shot 27.1 percent (19-of-70) from the field and 61.1 percent (11-of-18) from the free-throw line
> The Lady Tigers registered 44 rebounds, including 28 on the defensive glass
> The Lady Bulldogs pulled down 49 rebounds, with 25 coming on the offensive end
> Grambling State finished with 36 points in the paint, 16 second-chance points, 14 points off 13 Lady Bulldog turnovers, 12 fastbreak points and seven bench points
> Alabama A&M tallied 30 points in the paint, 25 bench points, 20 second-chance points, six points off 10 Lady Tiger turnovers and two fastbreak points
> The score was tied nine times and there were eight lead changes
 
News & Notes
> Grambling State split the season series last year, with each team winning on its home court
> Grambling State, which last played a home game on Nov. 9 (McNeese State), is in the midst of an 12-game road swing
> Shakyla Hill has posted double figures in scoring in 12-of-13 games this season
> Shakyla Hill has scored 15 or more points in 60 times in her collegiate career
> Lady Tigers head coach Freddie Murray improved to 4-1 all-time against Alabama A&M
> Freddie Murray now sits seven wins shy of 50 for his collegiate career
> Shakya Hill was named the College Sports Madness SWAC Player of the Week on Monday
> Grambling State has now won three out of its last four in Huntsville, Ala.
> Shakyla Hill now has 25 career double-doubles
> Mylashia Yancey posted career highs in points (9) and rebounds (7)
 
Up Next
Grambling State ended its 12-game road trip on Monday night and will play host to rival Southern on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly 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), @gramblingathletics01 (Instagram) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.