Defending the Dome: Jaguars defend their territory against Grambling State

Historically long-standing competitors and rivals, the Southern University Jaguars and Grambling State Tigers met again to settle their rivalry on the court at the F.G. Clark Activity Center. Supporters from both schools came to show up and show out at this showdown between the two rivals.
Both teams came out the gate swinging, playing a solid first quarter. Grambling held the lead at the end of the first quarter, and they held onto it tightly until the end of the first half. At the end of the first half, the Lady Tigers were up by 2 points, with the score being 26-24. After the first half, however, the Lady Jaguars came back, applying pressure to the ball and sparked a turn in the score around the third quarter. The Lady Jaguars turned up the heat throughout the third quarter with a few fast breaks, causing multiple turnovers for Grambling and intensifying their defense.
By the end of the third quarter, Southern was up 3 points, with the score now being 36-39. By the fourth quarter, Grambling racked up 22 turnovers and a technical foul. The final score was 49-59, and Southern came out on top, defending their territory against long-time rival Grambling. Both teams played well, as their scores progressed consistently within the game; however, the Lady Jaguars managed to win by 10 points, with the final score being 49-59.
The game’s star player was Junior Guard Genovea Johnson, who scored 22 points and six total rebounds. Senior Guard Nakia Kincey also played a great game with 11 total points and ten rebounds. Overall, the Lady Jaguar’s defense won them the game as they forced the Lady Tigers into 22 turnovers and the Lady Jaguars scored 26 points off those turnovers.
Despite a long-suffering ankle injury, Johnson worked on her mid-range shot all week. Her performance Saturday made Southern’s head coach Carlos Funches very pleased; he added, “Down the stretch when we needed buckets (Johnson) took the game over.” Up next, the Jaguars play against Bethune Cookman on the road to what this team believes to be the SWAC Championship.