PINE BLUFF, Ark. | The Grambling State University men's basketball team trailed by as many as 11 points early to Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday and rallied late in the first half, but the Golden Lions proved to be too much in the second half in a 70-66 loss in a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) game at the H.O. Clemmons Arena.
 
Grambling State (13-15 overall, 7-8) SWAC trailed, 12-3 early in the first half and took a three-point lead with just under four minutes left in the opening period. However, Arkansas-Pine Bluff took the lead before half and was able to hold off a couple of late rally attempts by the Tigers to earn the conference win.
 
Axel Mpoyo and Dallas Polk-Hilliard each registered 17 points to pace the Grambling State offense. Polk-Hilliard, who was 7-for-14 from the field, added five rebounds, while Mpoyo, 6-of-14 shooting, tallied two rebounds, one assist and one block. Ivy Smith, Jr., who finished just one point shy of 1,000 for his career, recorded 16 points, a game-high 11 assists, seven rebounds and one steal.
 
Martaveous McKnight played all 40 minutes for Arkansas-Pine Bluff and led all scorers with 21 points. Also, he finished with 10 assists, one rebound and one block. Shaun Doss poured in 19 points, along with six rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal, while Charles Jackson chipped in 17 points, seven boards, three assists and three blocks.
 
Turning Point
Arkansas-Pine Bluff (12-17, 9-7) raced out to a 12-3 advantage after a Charles Jackson 3-pointer with 12:49 remaining in the first half. However, Grambling State used an 18-6 run over the next eight minutes, capped by an Axel Mpoyo layup to grab a 21-18 lead.
 
The Golden Lions got back-to-back 3-pointers by Jackson and a dunk by Terrance Banyard to take a 26-23 lead into the break.

The Tigers kept the game close throughout the second half and closed the margin to 51-50 after a Dallas Polk-Hilliard 3-pointer with 5:43 remaining.
 
However, the Golden Lions proved to be too much and sealed the game at the free-throw line.
 
Inside the Numbers
> Grambling State shot 38.9 percent (21-of-54) from the floor and 72.0 percent (18-of-25) from the charity stripe
> Arkansas-Pine Bluff was 24-of-53 (45.3 percent) from the field and 13-of-22 (59.1 percent) from the foul line
> GSU registered 30 rebounds, including 21 on the defensive glass
> UAPB pulled down 39 rebounds, with 26 coming on the defensive end
> The Tigers finished with 26 bench points, 13 points off 13 UAPB turnovers, 10 points in the paint and 10 second-chance points
> The Golden Lions recorded 17 second-chance points, 14 points in the paint, 13 bench points and 10 points off nine GSU turnovers
 
News & Notes
> GSU was predicted to win the conference and are defending its regular season crown
> Grambling State leads the conference in nine different categories
> Dallas Polk-Hilliard paces the Tigers with seven double-doubles
> Ivy Smith, Jr. leads the conference in assists per game, free-throws made and total assists
> Ivy Smith, Jr. needs just one point to reach the 1,000-point plateau
 
Up Next
Grambling State concludes its three-game road swing on Monday against Mississippi Valley State. Tip-off from the Harrison HPER Complex in Itta Bena, Miss. is set for 7:30 p.m.
 
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