HEMPSTEAD, Texas (Interstat) — The Grambling Lady Tigers used a dominant third-quarter surge to pull away from the Prairie View A&M Lady Panthers and secure an 80-64 victory in a Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at the William Nicks Building.

In a contest that saw the visiting Lady Tigers lead wire-to-wire, a decisive 27-point third quarter proved to be the turning point, transforming a competitive first half into a comfortable road win. Grambling improved to 8-16 overall, while Prairie View fell to 2-21.

The game began at a brisk pace, with both teams finding early offensive rhythm. Grambling’s Alieghya Bartholomew opened the scoring with a layup just 31 seconds into the game, setting the tone for a first quarter that saw the Lady Tigers edge ahead 23-21. Prairie View’s CJ Wilson kept the Lady Panthers close, scoring eight of her game-high 24 points in the opening period.

The second quarter, however, saw the Prairie View offense stall. The Lady Panthers managed only 11 points on a series of missed jump shots and turnovers. Grambling capitalized, though not with overwhelming efficiency, adding 20 points to take a 43-32 lead into halftime. Shaniah Nunn and D’Mya Griffin provided consistent scoring for Grambling, while Prairie View relied heavily on Wilson and Jacque Giron, who hit an early three-pointer.

The most important stretch of the game unfolded immediately after the break. Grambling emerged from the locker room with intensified defensive pressure, forcing Prairie View into rushed shots and costly turnovers. The Lady Tigers converted those opportunities into easy baskets, launching a 19-7 run over the first six and a half minutes of the third quarter. The run was fueled by interior scoring and transition plays, with Deborrah Seitu-Redmon contributing a steal and an assist during the flurry.

Prairie View’s offense, which had shown sparks in the first quarter, went cold, scoring only 10 points in the third. Grambling’s Alisha Murray came off the bench to provide a significant boost, scoring six of her 13 points during the quarter. By the time the period ended, Grambling had extended its lead to 70-42, effectively putting the game out of reach. The Lady Tigers’ 27-point quarter was their most productive of the night and highlighted their superior execution in the paint, where they finished with a 56-24 advantage.

The final quarter saw Prairie View outscore Grambling 22-10, but the deficit was too large to overcome. The Lady Panthers’ Wilson continued her strong individual effort, finishing with 24 points in 35 minutes. Marckalia Celestine added nine points and three blocks for the home team. For Grambling, the balanced attack was led by Nunn’s 16 points. Murray’s 13 points and Griffin’s 12 points provided crucial secondary scoring.

Grambling’s defense was a key factor, generating 19 points off turnovers compared to Prairie View’s eight. The Lady Tigers also controlled the glass, particularly on the offensive end, which led to numerous second-chance opportunities.

The win gives Grambling a season sweep of Prairie View, having previously defeated the Lady Panthers 85-60 on Jan. 3. Grambling will look to build on the victory when they travel to face Texas Southern on Saturday. Prairie View, still seeking its first conference win, will host Southern on the same day.

An announced crowd of 365 watched the game at the William Nicks Building. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Grambling entered the game with a 79.80 percent probability to win.