MONROE, La.- The Grambling State University women’s basketball team concluded its season on Monday night with a 102-76 loss to Louisiana-Monroe in the second round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
The loss wrapped up a monumental season for first-year head coach Courtney Simmons and the Lady Tigers. GSU finished the 2023-24 campaign 23-10 overall and 15-3 in the SWAC. Simmons’ 23 victories tied the most wins for a GSU women’s basketball coach in their debut season. The wins were also the most in a season since 1999-2000.
Jazmyne Jackson led Grambling State with 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field. She knocked down 5-of-8 from three-point range and was a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line. She also added five rebounds, two steals, and one assist.
Grambling State opened the game strong, building a 5-2 lead in the opening moments two minutes in the first period.
After GSU took a 7-4 lead with 7:27 on the clock, ULM used a 17-2 run to take a 21-9 lead with 52 seconds remaining in the opening frame. The Warhawks held a 23-11 advantage heading into the second quarter.
In the second quarter, ULM continued to grow its lead, taking its largest lead of the half, 48-28, on a layup by Johnson with 59 seconds to go in the half. Zayla Tinner answered with a bucket of her own to bring the deficit back under 20. GSU trailed 48-30 at the break.
Louisiana-Monroe continued to put pressure on the Lady Tigers out of the locker room, starting the half on a 14-3 run heading into the first media timeout of the third period, growing its lead to 29 points, 62-33 with 5:42 on the clock. ULM led 81-48 at the end of the third.
Grambling State didn’t give up, however, outscoring the Warhawks 28-21 in the final period.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Grambling State went 24-of-72 from the floor (33.3 percent), 10-of-19 (52.6 percent) from three-point range and 18-for-26 (69.2 percent) from the free throw line.
Kahia Warmsley added 14 points with two assists, one steal, and one rebound.
Douthshine Prien scored 11 points with four boards, two assists, and one steal.
Amanada Blake snagged 13 rebounds with six points, a block, and steal in her final game for GSU.
Louisiana-Monroe shot 46.6 percent (34-of-73) and 44.4 percent (8-of-18) from behind the arc and 78.8 percent (26-of-33) from the charity stripe.
ULM outrebounded GSU 52-42
The Lady Tigers finished with 24 points in the paint, 43 bench points, 13 second chance points, four fastbreak points, and 14 points off 18 turnovers.
The Warhawks scored 48 points in the paint, 25 bench points, seven fastbreak points, and 26 points off 20 turnovers.
Jakayla Jackson led ULM with a game-high 30 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and three steals.