Great teams are built around one concept: teamwork. The Prairie View Panther (4-19, 1-11) basketball team showed exactly that this past Monday, versus the Grambling State Tigers (11-9, 9-4). The Panthers played well on both ends of the floor leading them to a 72-68 victory.With this win, the Panthers ended a twelve game losing streak, and earned the first conference win against a number two ranked Tiger squad.
In their last meeting, the Panthers lost to the Tigers 67-74 at Memorial Gymnasium.
Monday, the Panthers got off to a slow start in the first half, but remained consistent on both ends of the court instead of giving up easy baskets and turning the ball over. At the end of the first half the Panthers shot thirty-seven percent from the floor but remained in strking distance of the Tigers, lagging behind by only five points.
The Panther defense held the conference’s leading scorer, Brion Rush to only nine points in the first half.
In the second half, the Panthers came out seemingly more determined to ruin the Tigers’ hopes of a road win.
The Panthers began to double the Tiger tandem of Rush and Andre’ Ratliff more, and began to force more turnovers. The Panthers forced the Tigers to turn the ball over 20 times.
Once the Panthers caught the lead, the Tigers were unable to regain it, despite missed freethrows late in the half.
The Panthers took the game 72-68. Oscar Thompson and Dominique Sharpe led the Panthers with 15 points each.
Prairie View’s defense and better shot selection led them to victory. The Panthers shot fifty-six percent from the field in the second half and held Rush to 18 points.
Andre’ Ratliff led all Tiger scorers with 20 points.
The Panthers will next face Mississippi Valley State February 18. The Delta Devils are ranked seventh in the conference and with this new found confidence in the Panther squad, it looks like we will come home with a victory.