Monday, January 21, 2019

SWAC-LEADING PVAMU PANTHERS TO HOST DEFENDING CHAMPION GRAMBLING

PRAIRIE VIEW, TEXAS (January 21, 2019) The Prairie View A&M men’s basketball team will end its three-game home stand against defending SWAC Regular Season champion Grambling Monday at 6 p.m. in the William J. Nicks Building.

It’s the Blackout Game for Monday’s doubleheader that begins with the 4 p.m. women’s game between the two of the three teams tied for first in the standings. The PVAMU women (6-8 overall, 3-1 SWAC) will face defending SWAC Tournament champion Grambling (7-10, 4-1) and can be viewed live at pvpanthers.com/women.

The men’s game between the Panthers (6-11, 4-0) and GSU (9-9, 3-2) can be viewed online as well at pvpanthers.com/men.

PVAMU has won five straight games, including four straight in league play. The five-straight wins ties the longest streak in the Byron Smith era, set last season. (Alabama St. 80-74 2/24/18, Alabama A&M 71-58 2/26/18, at Alcorn 79-69 3/1/18, at Southern 77-69 3/3/18 and vs. Alcorn 87-71 3/6/18.)

The Panthers rallied to win over Jackson State, only leading twice in the last four minutes. Gary Blackston had his second straight double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Gerard Andrus scored 12 points and seven rebounds, and Antoine Lister came off the bench to score 11 points and five rebounds. PVAMU held Jackson St. to only 20 points in the second half, tied for the fewest points allowed in any half this season.

After losses to open league play at Alabama St. (L 53-74) and at Alabama A&M (60-65 ot), Grambling posted wins against Southern (69-63), Alcorn St. (77-42) and at Texas Southern in overtime (88-87). Dallas Polk-Hilliard (12.8 ppg/t-9th SWAC) and Ivy Smith (11.5 ppg/t-14th SWAC) lead the Tigers in scoring. GSU is second in the SWAC in both scoring offense (71.0 ppg), scoring defense (69.9 ppg), and field goal defense (43.4%), and is first in field goal defense (39.6%).

The Panthers lost both meetings to Grambling last season, and PVAMU is 2-4 in the Smith Era against GSU.

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