Grambling avoids upset, beats MVSU 92-89 in OT

Jan 30, 2018, 04:58 am

ITTA BENA, Miss. -- Ivy Smith, Jr. had 26 points and nine rebounds, Nigel Ribeiro added 20 points, and Grambling beat Mississippi Valley State 92-89 in overtime on Monday night.

Ribeiro gave the Tigers (10-12, 6-3 Southwest Athletic Conference) a three-point lead when he made first of two free throws with five seconds left in overtime and Dante Scott missed a 3-point attempt for the Delta Devils (1-21, 1-8) as time expired.

Bobby Jackson's dunk with 44 seconds left in OT pushed Grambling in front for good at 88-87. Drake Wilks added a pair of free throws with 23 seconds left and Axel Mpoyo's free throw with 14 seconds left made it 91-87. Dante Scott hit a pair of free throw to cut the deficit to two for Mississippi Valley State.

MVSU's Jordan Evans scored on a layup with six seconds left in regulation to force overtime tied at 74.

Jason Perry-Murray added 12 points and Mpoyo had 15 rebounds to go with seven points for the Tigers.

Evans had 28 points and Scott scored 19 for the Delta Devils, who were coming in off their first win of the season, a 72-67 victory over Jackson State on Saturday.