ATLANTA–Grambling State opened the SWAC Men’s Basketball Tournament with a couple of hiccups before crushing the Cinderella dreams of the No. 12 seed.
The Tigers defeated Mississippi Valley State 77-52 on Monday night at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia, advancing to the next round of the tournament to face Jackson State.
Grambling (15-18) used a decisive first-half run and a season-best performance from beyond the three-point line to take control early and cruise to the victory.
Grambling catches fire from three-point range
The Tigers delivered one of their best shooting performances of the season.
Grambling connected on 13 three-pointers, a season high for the team. The Tigers shot 13-of-24 from beyond the arc (54.2 percent) and 43.6 percent overall from the field.
Jamil Muttilib led the offensive explosion with 22 points, knocking down five three-pointers while adding four rebounds.
Derrius Ward gave Grambling a major lift off the bench. He finished with 15 points and seven assists, helping the Tigers maintain offensive rhythm throughout the game.
Mekhi Fitts also provided an efficient scoring boost, adding nine points on a perfect 3-for-3 shooting night.
Roderick Coffee III chipped in nine points and five assists, while Jimel Lane contributed eight points and six rebounds.
Tigers use big first-half run to take control
Mississippi Valley State briefly held an early lead.
The Delta Devils opened the game building a 13-5 lead with key offensive rebounds and early success shooting the three. But the Tigers erupted on a 20-0 run fueled by perimeter shooting and a steady stream of trips to the free throw line.
The surge gave Grambling a 25-13 lead with just over five minutes remaining in the first half.
Muttilib sparked the run with back-to-back three-pointers. Ward added another triple and two free throws as the Tigers pushed their lead into double digits.
Grambling closed the half with additional three-pointers from Muttilib and Ward to build a 34-19 halftime advantage.
Grambling extends lead in second half
The Tigers continued their strong play after the break.
Muttilib opened the second half with a three-point play as Grambling steadily stretched the lead.
Ward and Coffee helped orchestrate the offense as the Tigers pushed their advantage past 20 points midway through the second half.
Coffee later knocked down two three-pointers during a late run, while Fitts added another triple to help Grambling build its largest lead of 29 points.
Grambling also capitalized on Mississippi Valley State’s mistakes. The Tigers turned 18 Delta Devil turnovers into 23 points.
Michael James leads Mississippi Valley State
Mississippi Valley State struggled to find offensive consistency.
The Delta Devils shot 34.6 percent from the field and finished 5-of-15 from three-point range.
However, star guard Michael James delivered another strong performance, but it comes with an asterik.
James scored a game-high 23 points, adding seven rebounds and three steals to lead Mississippi Valley State. But the majority of those points came after the game was well decided. When Valley needed James the most he was bottled up on Grambling double teams and ended up with a game high 7 turnovers.
Lamont Sams added nine points off the bench, while George Ivory III contributed five points.
Grambling bench makes an impact
Grambling’s depth also proved important in the win.
The Tigers’ bench outscored Mississippi Valley State’s reserves 32-24, helping maintain the momentum throughout the game.
Ward and Fitts combined for 24 points off the bench, giving Grambling consistent production beyond the starting lineup.
Up next in the SWAC Tournament
With the win, Grambling advances to face No. 7 seed Jackson State in the next round of the SWAC Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. at Gateway Center Arena. Grambling won the lone matchup between the two schools 69-66 in January.
The game will be streamed on ESPN+.