GRAMBLING, La. (Interstat) — In a game defined by frantic momentum swings and crucial missed opportunities, the Grambling Tigers edged the Prairie View A&M Panthers 76-72 in a Southwestern Athletic Conference men’s basketball opener Saturday at Fredrick Hobdy Assembly Center.

A crowd of 1,002 saw the Tigers (7-7, 1-0 SWAC) squander a 14-point second-half lead before rallying in the final minute, ultimately sealing the victory at the free-throw line. The Panthers (5-9, 0-1) fought back from a 52-38 deficit but could not complete the comeback, falling for the third consecutive game.

The most pivotal sequence unfolded in the final 30 seconds with the score tied at 72. Prairie View’s Dontae Horne fouled Grambling’s Roderick Coffee on a drive with 7 seconds remaining. Coffee, a 6-foot-4 guard from Painesville, Ohio, sank both free throws to put the Tigers ahead for good at 74-72.

On the ensuing inbound, Horne was immediately fouled by Grambling’ Devyn Franklin. Horne, who had 15 points, missed the first of two free throws and made the second, pulling Prairie View within 74-73 with 5 seconds left.

Grambling’s Antonio Munoz inbounded the ball to Coffee, who was again fouled by Horne with 4 seconds on the clock. Coffee calmly made both free throws to extend the lead to 76-73. Prairie View’s last-gasp attempt, a long inbound pass, was intercepted by Munoz as time expired.

The game’s conclusion capped a wild second half. Grambling appeared to take control with a 14-2 run early in the period, fueled by transition baskets and Prairie View turnovers, to build a 52-38 advantage. The Panthers, however, responded with a 21-7 surge of their own, keyed by defensive pressure and the scoring of Tai’Reon Joseph. His 3-pointer with 7:46 left tied the game at 59, setting up the tense finish.

Joseph led all scorers with 21 points for Prairie View. Lance Williams added 15 points, and Horne finished with 15 points and four assists. The Panthers forced 18 Grambling turnovers, converting them into 15 points, and outscored the Tigers 27-19 in fast-break points. However, they were hampered by 16 turnovers of their own and shot just 38.6% from the field.

Grambling’s offense was more efficient, shooting 46.9% from the floor and posting a 104.6 offensive rating. The Tigers were led by a balanced attack. Munoz, a 6-foot-6 guard from Chicago, tallied 15 points and five assists. Rickey Ballard scored 13 points, Coffee had 12 points, and Devyn Franklin came off the bench to contribute 11 points and critical late-game free throws.

The first half was a sloppy, back-and-forth affair featuring 10 lead changes. Grambling used a 10-0 run late in the period, capped by a Jimel Lane 3-pointer, to take a 37-30 lead into halftime.

Prairie View, which entered the game as a significant underdog according to advanced metrics, falls to 0-6 on the road this season. Grambling improves to 5-1 at home.

Both teams return to SWAC action Monday. Prairie View A&M travels to face Southern in Baton Rouge, while Grambling hosts Texas Southern.