HOUSTON (Interstat) — In a commanding wire-to-wire performance, the Grambling Lady Tigers avenged an early-season loss and snapped a three-game road skid by defeating the Texas Southern Lady Tigers 73-50 in a Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Health & P.E. Arena.

Grambling, which improved to 9-16 overall and 6-6 in the SWAC, established its dominance from the opening tip. The visiting Lady Tigers raced to a 20-9 lead after the first quarter, fueled by aggressive defense that forced seven Texas Southern turnovers, which they converted into eight early points. The defensive pressure never relented, as Grambling finished with 17 points off 19 Texas Southern turnovers and held a commanding 42-18 advantage in points in the paint.

The most important stretch of the game came in the third quarter, when Texas Southern threatened to make a run. After a slow start to the second half, Grambling’s lead was trimmed to 11 points. However, the visitors responded with a decisive 12-2 surge over a four-minute span to push their advantage to 21 points. The run was keyed by stifling defense and efficient scoring from guard Douthsine Prien, who scored seven of her game-high 19 points during the pivotal stretch. That sequence effectively extinguished any hope of a home comeback, as Texas Southern never got closer than 18 points the rest of the way.

Prien, a 5-foot-7 guard from Boynton Beach, Florida, led all scorers with 19 points in just 21 minutes, adding three rebounds and two assists. She was complemented by forward Shaniah Nunn of Birmingham, Alabama, who tallied 17 points, seven rebounds, an assist and a block. Zaria Johnson, a Houston native, contributed nine points, six rebounds and a block, while Jakiylah Esco pulled down a team-high eight rebounds.

Texas Southern, which also fell to 9-16 and 6-6 in conference play, was led by Ayanna Jackson of Chicago. The 6-foot forward posted 17 points and seven rebounds in 31 minutes. Taliyah Logwood added 14 points and four rebounds, and Alisa Blalock chipped in nine points and three assists. The home team struggled offensively throughout, shooting just 29 percent from the field and committing those 19 turnovers against Grambling’s persistent defensive schemes.

The victory was a measure of revenge for Grambling, which dropped a narrow 61-58 decision to Texas Southern at home on Jan. 1. It also marked Grambling’s second consecutive conference win following a victory at Prairie View on Thursday, signaling a potential late-season surge.

Texas Southern, which has now lost two straight, was without a double-digit scorer beyond its top two options and was outrebounded 46-38. The game was played before an announced crowd of 436.

Both teams continue SWAC play next week. Grambling travels to face rival Southern on Feb. 21, while Texas Southern visits Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Feb. 19.