GRAMBLING, La. - The Wildcats survived a late Tigers barrage to take down the defending SWAC champs, 65-59, Saturday night at the FCH Assembly Center. 



FIRST HALF

Trey Thomas and Brayon Freeman carried the torch for B-CU out of the gate, as Thomas's fast break layup made it 12-8,  B-CU (3-13, 2-0 SWAC) in the early goings. That lead increased to seven as Jesus Carralero Martin's transition dunk made it 15-8 through the first nine minutes of play. 

B-CU saw its first double-digit lead of the game as Daniel Rouzan swiped a steal, sinking a pair of free throws on the other end to make it 22-11. The Wildcats run reached 12-0 as five straight Freeman points made it a 27-11 game. with five minutes to break. 

Grambling State (3-13, 0-3 SWAC) could come no closer as Freeman closed the half with five more to send the teams to the half with B-CU doubling up the Tigers, 34-17. 

SECOND HALF

Freeman's layup a minute into the second half made ti a 19 point lead for the Wildcats, their largest lead of the game. 

From there, the Tigers slowly crept back in the game. Kintavious Dozier's and-one with 11 minutes left made it a 10-point game, but the Wildcats kept them at bay until the five-minute mark, when the Tigers finally broke into single-digits on an Ernest Ross jumper that made it 54-46, Wildcats.

With four minutes to play, Ross's fast break dunk made it a five point game at 56-61, but B-Cu brought the lead back up to eight on a pair of Freeman free-throws. 

The B-CU lead fell all the way down to 59-57 on a Dozier layup, but Daniel Rouzan's layup with 14 seconds left made it a two-possession game, and the Wildcats rode the free throw line from there to a 65-59 win. 

• Brayon Freeman led the way again with 26 points on 7-14 shooting with seven rebounds, four assists, and a steal.
• Trey Thomas was the only other Wildcat in double figures - he scored 19 on 6-14 shooting with five rebounds, three assists, and three steals.
• Reggie Ward led the team in rebounds with eight.
• B-CU scored only two points off the bench to Grambling's 23. 
• 20 B-CU points came on the fast break. 

The Wildcats finish up their Louisiana trip with a date with Southern on Monday, Jan. 13 at 8 p.m. EST.


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