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NBA All-Star players give HBCUs encouragement ahead of competitive game

Grambling State

The NBA HBCU Classic on Saturday afternoon was a battle of two of the best SWAC teams in an NBA All-Star setting that went to overtime. Grambling State came out on top, handing Southern a 69-64 loss. Grambling State went into halftime with a 31-25 lead, but Southern wouldn’t go down without a fight, tying things up at the end of regulation. The Jags couldn’t finish the job though, getting outscored 7-2 in overtime.

Shawndarius Cowart scored 18 points to lead the way for GSU. As a team, the Tigers shot 45 percent from the field, 22 percent from behind the arc, and 65 percent from the free throw line. The advanced stats told a similar story, as the team put up 0.93 points per possession on 50% true shooting.

Before the game tipped off, NBA All-Star players Jarren Jackson Jr. and Kyrie Irving dropped in on the Southern squad and gave them some words of encouragement. Perrenial NBA All-Star Dame Lillard dropped in on Southern.

Brion Whitley scored 13 points while Terrell Williams Jr. added another 12 to lead the way for SU. As a team, the Jags struggled to get things going offensively, scoring just 0.87 points per possession on 31% shooting from the field. They were heavily challenged near the hoop, going just 10-of-31 on field goal attempts in the paint.

Both sides have some time off before facing their next opponents, which won’t be until Feb. 25. Grambling State catches Florida A&M after a loss in its last game, while Southern hits the road to meet Bethune-Cookman. The Tigers will look to keep their momentum rolling and earn another win. On the other side, the Jags will try to turn things around.

The inaugural NBA HBCU Classic took place between Morgan State and Howard in 2022.

This content was partially produced using Artificial Intelligence technology before being approved and published by HBCU Gameday. Sam Quick is a moniker for our AI technology and is not an actual person.

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