GRAMBLING, La. | The atmosphere on the court was just as electric as the energy in the stands on Monday night at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center, as the Grambling State University women's basketball team muscled its way to a 71-68 overtime victory over Florida A&M.

Leah Morrow served as the catalyst for GSU (4-11 overall, 3-1 SWAC) notching a double-double, scorching the Rattlers for 17 points with 11 rebounds and seven steals - all career-highs. She also added three assists.

Although FAMU (2-12, 0-3) shot a higher percentage from the floor, knocking down 50 percent of its shots compared to 36.2 percent for the Lady Tigers, it was the free-throw line that doomed the Rattlers. Florida A&M converted just 43.5 percent of their opportunities from the charity stripe. 

The Lady Tigers got off to a sluggish start, allowing FAMU to control the first period and carry a 21-10 advantage in the second quarter.

Morrow opened the scoring in the second frame with a mid-range jumper, jump-starting a 7-0 run for GSU. Kaci Chairs followed with a deep 3-pointer, before Morrow drove to bucket for a layup. Phylicia Allen capped the spurt with a basket from inside the lane, trimming FAMU's lead down to two, 21-19, with 7:48 to play in the half.

After FAMU stretched its advantage to nine, 32-23, GSU once again whittled the lead down. The Lady Tigers trailed 33-29 at the break. 

Trailing 35-33, Jurnee McLaurin nailed a deep 3-pointer, putting Grambling State up 36-35 at the 8:04 mark of the 3rd quarter. Morrow scored another bucket a minute later to make the score 38-35. FAMU's Ivet Subirats knotted the game up at 38-38 with the trey of her own with 6:44 left in the period. 

GSU then embarked on a 10-4 run to open a 6-point gap on the Rattlers, 48-42, with 1:58 to go in the quarter. FAMU led 50-48 heading into the fourth.

Grambling looked to have taken full control of the contest, widening its lead to 57-49 with 7:49 to go in regulation. A 10-2 run by the Rattlers tied the game a 59-59 at the 2:48 mark. Miracle Saxon's three-ball with 2:36 to go, made the score 62-59. Saxon finished the night with 10 pointes, eight rebounds, one assist and one steal. 

Florida A&M's Skylar Baltezegar converted split a pair of free throws to cut GSU's lead to 62-60. Following a missed shot by the Lady Tigers, Baltezegar scored a lay-up to score the bucket that would eventually lead to overtime. 

In the extra period, Grambling State never trailed, earning the hard-fought 71-68 victory. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Grambling State shot 36.2 percent from the field (25-of-69), connecting on 27.8 percent (5-of-18) of its three-point attempts. The Tigers went 16-of-26 (61.5 percent) at the free throw line.
• Florida A&M went 27-of-54 from the field (50.0 percent). The Rattlers went 4-of-12 (33.3 percent) from three-point range and 10-of-23 (43.5 percent) on free throws.
• GSU outrebounded FAMU 44-40
• Grambling State scored 34 points in the paint, 29 bench points, 29 points off 21 FAMU turnovers, 17 second-chance points and 10 fast break points
• Florida A&M registered 28 points in the paint, 26 points from the bench, nine points off  14 GSU turnovers, seven second-chance points and six fast break points
• Dylan Horton paced FAMU with 19 points, five rebounds, three steals, two assists and one block. 

UP NEXT 
Grambling State travels to Baton Rouge, La. to take arch-rival Southern University. Tip off is set for 12:30 p.m. at the F.G. Clark Activity Center

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