North Carolina A&T Aggies Lose Close Contest At Grambling

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Grambling took advantage of North Carolina A&T mistakes on Thursday to come away with a 59-55 win at Frederick C. Hobdy Assembly Center. The Tigers scored 23 points off 22 Aggie turnovers to gain an edge in what was a close game. The win for Grambling avenges a loss to N.C. A&T from last season when the Aggies were able to beat the Tigers at Corbett Sports Center.

Junior Davaris McGowens, a junior college transfer, had his first career double-double as an Aggie with 22 points and 11 rebounds. McGowens was 7-for-9 from the floor and 8-for-11 from the free throw line in 36 minutes played. Junior Donte Watson, another junior college transfer, had his best game as an Aggie with 12 points on 5-for-10 shooting. Junior Eliel Gonzalez finished with nine ponts, eight rebounds and six assists.

It was a McGowens layup that gave the Aggies a 42-39 lead with 12:10 remaining in the game. Two minutes later junior point guard Austin Williams found graduate center Aaron Scales underneath for a dunk to give N.C. A&T a 44-43 lead. Albeit slim, the Aggies were able to keep the lead until the 6 1/2 -minute mark of the game. Deonte Hearns scored on a Diontae Jones pass to give Grambling a 48-47 lead. The Aggies were not able to recapture the lead from the there.

Hearns’ layup led to an 8-0 run by the Tigers in which the Aggies turned the ball over four times during the spurt. The run ended with a Hearns free throw that gave Grambling a 55-47 advantage with 2:40 remaining. A three-point play by Eliel Gonzalez kept the Aggies close. After another Hearns free throw, Gonzalez knocked down two more free throws to pull the Aggies to within four at 56-52 with 1:42 to play. A minute later Watson dropped a 3-pointer through the net to put the Aggies down 56-55.

The Aggies would then foul to put the Tigers on the line. Nigel Ribeiro was able to hit only one of two free throws, giving the Aggies a chance to tie or take the lead with their next possession. But the Aggies turned the ball over without getting a shot off. Remond Brown put the game away with two free throws as the Aggies fell to 1-2 on the season.

Grambling was able to improve to 1-1. Brown led three Tigers in double figures with 23 points and six rebounds. Ervin Mitchell and Hearns added 13 and 11 points apiece. The Aggies will return to action on Tuesday when they travel to Western Kentucky for an 8 p.m. contest.

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