DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. | Justice Coleman scored a game-high 21 points, leading the Grambling State women's basketball team to a much-needed 66-61 victory over Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) opponent Bethune Cookman on Saturday afternoon at Moore Gymnasium. 

Coleman connected on 50 percent of her shots, going 6-of-12 from the field, while going 9-of-10 from the free throw line. She was also active on the boards, snagging seven rebounds with two steals. 

Cierra Ellington notched a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double, her first of the season, while Alexus Holt contributed 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Grambling State (4-10 overall, 1-2 SWAC) got the action started early, opening the game on an 8-2 run. Coleman nailed a jumper near the charity stripe to put GSU up 2-0. Jurnee McLaurin and Ariel Williams followed with a pair of three-pointers, giving the Lady Tigers the six point lead with 6:45 to go in the first period.
• BCU (2-10, 0-2) settled down offensively, embarking on a 14-4 run to snag a 16-12 lead heading into the second quarter. 
• At 6:07 mark of the second frame, GSU hopped back in front 20-18, thanks to a lay-up by Holt. However, BCU's Kayla Clark sank a layup of her own as the half expired, giving the Lady Wildcats a 31-30 lead at the break 
• Grambling State kicked into another gear in the third quarter, however, starting the quarter on an 18-0 run while outscoring the Wildcats 19-4.
• Holt drove through the lane scoring a layup, giving GSU a 32-31 lead with 9:05 left in the third. From there, the Lady Tigers seized complete control. McLaurin stretched Grambling State's lead to seven, 38-31 with a long-range three-pointer at the 6:32 mark. Holt capped the run with a pair of free throws with 2:24 to play giving GSU a commanding 48-31 lead. The Lady Tigers led 49-37 heading the final stanza. 
• BCU made things interesting in the fourth quarter, closing the gap to just one, 62-61 with 31 seconds left to play, but Grambling State put the Wildcats away at the free-throw line, claiming the 66-61 victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Grambling State shot 17-of-50 from the field (38.1 percent)
• Bethune-Cokman went 21-of-53 on field goal attempts (39.6 percent)
• GSU connected on 4-of-13 shots from three-point range (30.8 percent)
• BCU drained 1-of-12 from behind the arc (8.3 percent)
• Grambling State hit on 77.27 percent of their free throws (28-of-35)
• The Wildcats sank 18-of-31 attempts from the free-throw line (58.1 percent)
• GSU outrebounded by BCU 40-35
• Grambling State scored 20 points off of 19 turnovers
• Bethune-Cookman tallied eight points on 18 turnovers
• GSU outscored BCU 15-7 in fast-break points
• Bethune-Cokman held a 16-11 advantage in bench points
• BCU posted 12 second-chance points. Grambling State scored eight second-chance points.
• The Wildcats held a 30-20 advantage on points in the paint

UP NEXT

Grambling State continues its road trip in the Sunshine State with a visit to SWAC opponent Florida A&M on Monday. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. (EST) at the Al Lawson Multipurpose Center.

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