Under the Radar Game of the Day – Monday, January 4: Alabama State at Grambling State

Under the Radar Game of the Day: Alabama State at Grambling State, 8:30 PM Eastern

At first glance, it may seem unusual for the UTR Game of the Day to be focusing in on a SWAC game between a 5-8 Alabama State team and a 3-9 Grambling State team.  However, after what happened this weekend, it became apparent when looking at tonight’s schedule that this was the only game to even consider.  After all, on Saturday the Grambling State Tigers did something that they had not done since March 11, 2014.  Grambling defeated a Division I opponent, knocking off Alabama A&M 81-78 in overtime.  Despite going 0-for-2015 against D1 opponents, the Tigers are undefeated in 2016 and will look to remain that way at home tonight.  Further, the Tigers are above the .500 mark in SWAC play right now, somewhere they have not been since February of 2008.  At 1-0 in the league, they actually enter play tonight in a four way tie for first place!  Strong efforts from Nigel Ribiero who tied for the team high with 18 points in the Alabama A&M win, Remond Brown, who scored 15 points, and Deonte Hearns, who had a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, as well as the rest of the Tigers, will be needed as they take their shot at moving to 2-0 in conference tonight.

Tonight’s opponent for Grambling is the Alabama State Hornets.  Alabama State enters play tonight with a record of 5-8, 0-1 in SWAC play after dropping their opener at Jackson State.  The Hornets made their most noise in their first game of the season, upsetting Virginia Tech in Blacksburg by a score of 85-82.  Senior Jamel Waters led the way in that game with 21 points.  He has also been knocking down threes this season, hitting 13 in total over his last three games, including a 6-for-8 effort in a December 22 loss to Winthrop.  Bobby Brown (18 points against Jackson State) and Corvon Butler (two double-doubles on the season) also bear keeping an eye on.  The Hornets won two non-conference games on the road this season and are certainly capable of making some noise in SWAC play.  They will, however, need to find ways to pick up conference road wins, such as in tonight’s game, if they want to contend for the league title.