GRAMBLING, La. (Interstat) — The Grambling Lady Tigers used a dominant performance in the paint and a career-high 20 points from Shaniah Nunn to pull away from the Prairie View A&M Lady Panthers for an 85-60 victory in a Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Fredrick Hobdy Assembly Center.

The game, a matchup of teams seeking their first conference win, was effectively decided by Grambling’s interior control. The Lady Tigers outscored Prairie View 48-22 in the paint and outrebounded them 46-31, leveraging their size advantage to consistently generate high-percentage shots.

Grambling set the tone early, overcoming a sloppy start from both teams. After Prairie View’s CJ Wilson opened the scoring with two free throws, Grambling embarked on a 14-0 run to seize control. The burst was fueled by aggressive drives and second-chance opportunities, with Jakiylah Esco and Arianna Mosley combining for three layups during the stretch. Prairie View struggled to find an offensive rhythm against Grambling’s defensive pressure, committing seven turnovers in the first quarter alone.

The Lady Panthers, led by the scoring of Crystal Schultz, managed to keep the deficit manageable for much of the first half. Schultz, who finished with a game-high 25 points, hit a trio of three-pointers to keep Prairie View within striking distance. A jumper from Schultz with 8:23 remaining in the second quarter cut Grambling’s lead to 27-25, marking the closest the Lady Panthers would come for the rest of the contest.

The most important sequence of the game followed immediately, as Grambling responded with a decisive 14-2 run to close the first half. The surge reestablished the Lady Tigers’ dominance inside. Shaniah Nunn, a 6-foot guard from Birmingham, Alabama, was instrumental, scoring six points during the run, while Monica Marsh capped it with a three-pointer just before the halftime buzzer to give Grambling a 41-29 lead. The run showcased Grambling’s ability to weather Prairie View’s best push and immediately reassert control, a momentum shift from which the Lady Panthers never recovered.

Grambling continued to extend its lead throughout the second half, methodically attacking the basket. Nunn, who added seven rebounds to her 20 points, was efficient from the field, while Esco recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Lady Tigers’ offensive rating of 97.7 points per 100 possessions starkly contrasted with Prairie View’s 71.4, highlighting the disparity in offensive execution.

Prairie View’s offense never found consistency, shooting just 35.1% from the field. Beyond Schultz’s effort, Wilson contributed 15 points, six rebounds and four steals for the Lady Panthers. However, 23 turnovers and a 5-for-18 performance from beyond the arc hampered any sustained comeback attempts.

Grambling’s balance proved overwhelming. Marsh finished with 14 points, Zaria Johnson added six points and six rebounds, and Alieghya Bartholomew chipped in five points and four assists off the bench. The Lady Tigers shared the ball effectively, assisting on 12 of their 34 made field goals.

With the win, Grambling improved to 4-11 overall and 1-1 in SWAC play. Prairie View fell to 2-11 and 0-2. The victory provided a positive start to the conference slate for the Lady Tigers after a narrow loss to Texas Southern two days prior.

Both teams continue SWAC action next week. Grambling travels to face Florida A&M on Thursday and Bethune-Cookman on Saturday. Prairie View returns home to host Mississippi Valley State next Saturday. The teams are scheduled to meet again in Prairie View, Texas, on Feb. 12.