COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (Interstat) — In a taut, back-and-forth SWAC men’s basketball clash that came down to the final seconds, Jackson State edged Grambling 68-65 on Tuesday night at Gateway Center Arena.

The game, a rematch of a Jan. 31 contest won by Grambling by three points, followed a similar script of tight defense and clutch individual plays, but this time the home Tigers from Jackson State secured the final basket and the necessary defensive stops to split the season series.

The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the final half-minute with the score tied at 64. After a Grambling turnover with 30 seconds remaining, Jackson State called a full timeout to set up a play. Out of the break, Jalen Tatum took matters into his own hands, driving to the basket and converting a difficult layup while being fouled by Devyn Franklin with 24 seconds on the clock. The and-one opportunity gave Jackson State the lead for good. Tatum missed the subsequent free throw, but his bucket proved to be the game-winner.

Grambling, which had fought back from a second-half deficit, had two chances to tie or take the lead in the waning moments. After securing the defensive rebound on Tatum’s missed free throw, the visiting Tigers advanced the ball and called their own timeout with 20 seconds left. The ensuing play resulted in a contested three-point attempt by Jamil Muttilib that missed badly, caroming to Jackson State’s Dorian McMillian with just four seconds remaining.

Grambling was forced to foul immediately, sending Tatum back to the line with three seconds left. The junior guard from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, calmly sank both free throws to extend the lead to three. Grambling’s desperation heave from beyond half-court as time expired was not close, sealing the Jackson State victory.

The contest was characterized by runs and resilient responses. Jackson State held a narrow 28-27 lead at halftime after a back-and-forth opening period that saw eight lead changes. Grambling emerged from the break with energy, using a 9-2 spurt to take its largest lead of the game at 36-30. The home Tigers responded with a surge of their own, fueled by the explosive scoring of reserve guard Dorian McMillian. The Pascagoula, Mississippi, native scored 15 of his game-high 18 points in the second half, including a personal 7-0 run that featured a three-pointer, a stepback jumper, and a driving layup to keep Jackson State in front during a critical stretch.

Grambling’s defense, led by the interior presence of Devyn Franklin and the perimeter activity of Roderick Coffee, kept them within striking distance. Antonio Munoz provided a scoring punch off the bench with 14 points, while Derrius Ward orchestrated the offense with a team-high six assists to go with his 11 points.

Yet, every Grambling push was met with a Jackson State answer. When Ward hit a deep three-pointer with just over five minutes left to pull Grambling within one at 61-60, Jackson State’s Jayme Mitchell answered with two pairs of free throws on consecutive possessions to rebuild a five-point cushion. Grambling’s final rally, capped by a Munoz layup with 1:02 remaining, tied the game at 64 and set the stage for the dramatic finish.

Jalen Tatum led Jackson State with 18 points, four assists, and three steals, overcoming some early shooting struggles to deliver the decisive plays late. Delyle Williams added 13 points and seven rebounds. For Grambling, Munoz’s 14 points led the way, with Franklin adding 10 points and nine rebounds. Ward filled the stat sheet with 11 points, six assists, and five rebounds.

The game was a defensive struggle, with both teams combining for 31 turnovers. The victory improved Jackson State to 12-20 overall, while Grambling fell to 14-19. An announced crowd of 1,024 at the neutral-site Gateway Center Arena saw a contest that was projected to be close, with Jackson State holding a slight pregame probability to win according to analytical systems. The final total of 133 points fell well under the pregame over/under line of 143.5, underscoring the defensive nature of the matchup.