Grambling State just got a huge 88-81 overtime victory over Montana State in the First Four tournament, officially punching their ticket to their big dance with a date with top-ranked Purdue. The Tigers made a miraculous comeback to beat fellow FCS foe Montana State to become the only HBCU this year to compete in the March Madness bracket this season after Howard's First Four loss to Wagner on Tuesday.
Grambling State is talented, showing their sticktoitiveness and toughness with their comeback victory. But, are they ready to duel with a Purdue team that many predict could make a run to win the national championship?
Grambling made history by securing their inaugural spot in the March Madness tournament. With an impressive season, they concluded with a 20-14 overall record and a 14-4 conference record. By defeating Texas Southern, a team boasting three conference championships and numerous March Madness tournament appearances, Grambling claimed the SWAC Championship.
Their journey wasn't easy. They started the season with tough losses to Power Five programs such as Colorado, Iowa State, Washington State and the University of Florida. However, they turned the corner in conference play, finishing the year 14-4 in the SWAC.
Their dominance is punctuated by a stout defensive attack, as they rank second in the conference in points allowed at 69.4 points per game. They demonstrated offensive firepower, ranking second in the conference in team field goal percentage (44.2%) and three-point shooting percentage (34%). Grambling also knows how to clean the boards, sitting second in the conference in opponent rebounds allowed (33).
Their victory over Montana State was due to a demonstrative advantage in points off turnovers and second-chance points. Grambling got 23 points off turnovers, including 17 in the second half alone while getting 19 second-chance points overall. The Tigers dominated the paint, outscoring Montana State down low 52-28. Grambling's bench also had a great bit of depth as the reserves scored 35 points while Montana State's bench scored 18 points and only four in the second half and overtime.
After the game, coach Donte' Johnson spoke about the miraculous victory.
“It's what March is made of, baby. You gotta find a way to fight, stay in the game, and have that one last run.”
Can Grambling upset Purdue?
Can Grambling figure out a way to upset the Boilermakers? That remains to be seen, as Purdue has a litany of NBA-level talent and size. The Tigers would have to deal with 7'4″, 300-pound Zach Edey, who averages 24.4 points per game, 11.7 offensive rebounds, and 2.2 blocks on 61.9% shooting. Grambling doesn't have a significant amount of size to throw at Edey, which could pose problems if players such as 6'11” Jonathan Aku get in foul trouble.
But there is a symbol of hope that occurred in last year's March Madness tournament. Purdue entered the tournament as a top-ranked team last year that looked to make a run to the Final Four. They ran up against Fairleigh Dickinson, a scrappy FCS team that competes in the Northeastern Conference.
Fairleigh Dickinson was the shortest of all the Division I teams in the country, yet they stood tall in their remarkable upset over the Boilermakers. The bested SWAC contending HBCU Texas Southern in the First Four to advance to play the Boilermakers and beat them 63-58. Ironically, Fairleigh Dickinson's victory over Purdue looked similar to Grambling's victory over Montana State in the boxscore.
The Knights turned 11 steals into 15 points off turnovers and they had a +4 advantage in second-chance points over Purdue (11-7), even with Edey playing and finishing with 15 rebounds. The Boilermakers ultimately finished with 42 rebounds in the game.
Fairleigh Dickinson was also able to get help off the bench, receiving 16 points from the reserves thanks largely to Cameron Tweedy's 10 points on 5-6 shooting in his 18 minutes of play. If Grambling can duplicate elements of the performance of Fairleigh Dickinson while also pushing the pace and not allow Purdue to settle into an offensive rhythm, they can certainly follow the Knight's lead in pulling off an upset.
Magic Johnson weighs in on Grambling's win
Grambling had the attention of an NBA legend. Former Lakers star Magic Johnson took to his Twitter/X profile to show love to Grambling for their First Four victory.
“Congratulations to Coach Jackson, his staff, the players, and President Lamelle of Grambling State for advancing to play in the NCAA tournament in an 88-81 victory over Montana State! I’m happy that my company SodexoMAGIC is the food partner for Grambling State! It’s been a great partnership, and I’m excited to see how the team will do in the next round of the tournament!”
The Louisiana-based HBCU and Johnson have a connection through his company SodexoMagic, as he spoke about in his post. Grambling and Johnson launched a partnership in July 2019. The five-year partnership in total was estimated to bring a $51 million return on investment. The partnership also included a five-year option to renew.
SodexoMagic delivered $6.7 million in facility renovations, introduced major-brand quick-serve restaurants, and 24-hour dining for the institution. The partnership included new menus curated by Chef G. Garvin, a nationally acclaimed TV host, author, and NAACP Image Award winner. Additionally, a new mobile app feature was introduced for ordering takeout and made-to-order items, along with allergen-friendly meal programs to accommodate vegetarians and other specialized dietary needs.
“We are proud to partner with the Grambling State community and excited about investing in the students,” Johnson said. “My team is committed to providing excellent service that the Grambling students, staff, and community deserve so they can continue leading efforts to change the world in sports, technology, and in business.”
“This agreement is a great example of what is possible when Universities put our students first,” then-University President Rick Gallot said at the time. “We are fortunate to collaborate with a partner, like SodexoMAGIC who understands the holistic needs of our students.”
Then SGA President Steven Wilson added, “The best part of our new program is that we, as students, are driving the design. I’m grateful to President Gallot and the entire administration for how they’ve helped turn our comments, emails, and surveys into an experience that supports all of our students.”
When do Grambling and Purdue play?
Grambling is set to face off against Purdue on Friday, March 22nd at 7:25 PM EST. The game will be broadcast on TBS.
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