Like the first time these two teams met in Grambling, the Hornets built a double digit lead before the Tigers started scoring at the free throw line to cut into the lead.  ASU held a 48-35 lead with 13 minutes left to go in the game, but GSU (7-23/4-14) outscored the Hornets 23-11 to cut the lead to the single point.  GSU's final shot went off the rim and ASU escaped with the victory.
 
"Obviously it's always good to win," Head Coach Lewis Jackson said.  "I thought we were in position to win going away, but like any team that is going to come out and compete Grambling just wouldn't go away.  They kept making plays and I thought they played really, really hard."
 
"I thought we had some guys that stepped up and did some things.  Our defense went away there for a while and allowed them to get back in the game and we got a little tentative.  The shots didn't fall like when we were making them early and we got a little tight.  Fortunately we were able to hold on."
 
For the second consecutive game Terrance LeFlore led the Hornets in scoring with 16 points.  Jamel Waters had 13 points and Bobby Brown added 11.
 
Brown and Corvon Butler led the Hornets (14-16/9-9) rebounding efforts with nine each as ASU out rebounded GSU 38-35.
 
Ervin Mitchell came into the game averaging 10 points per game for GSU, but exploded for a game-high 30 against the Hornets.  Nigel Ribeiro and Deonte Hearns joined Mitchell in double digits with 13 and 11 points.
 
The differences in the game were ASU's ability to knock down three point field goals, and Grambling's inefficiency at the free throw line.  ASU hit 11 of their 23 three point field goals compared to Grambling only hitting three.  Grambling did get to the free throw line where they attempted 21 free throws compared to only 10 for the Hornets.  GSU could only hit 13 of those attempts and ASU hit eight.
 
The Hornets once again played without its second-leading scorer in Tony Armstrong, who was injured against Texas Southern.  He has missed the past two games, but the Hornets have been able to win both.
 
"It was good to see LeFlore again come out and shoot the ball well," Jackson said.  "I though Bobby did a good job of fighting around the basket.  Jamel didn't have his typical night, but he was making plays for other people and they have to make some shots."
 
The Hornets carried a 38-27 lead into halftime as LeFlore had 13 first half points to lead ASU's offense.  Waters had nine points on three field goals from beyond the three point line before picking up his second foul and sitting out the final nine minutes of the half.
 
ASU shot over 43 percent from the field while holding the Tigers to 38.
 
The win completed a turnaround which saw the Hornets go 2-7 in the first half of the conference season.  During the second nine games ASU went 7-2 which evened their conference record at 9-9.
 
"It was good to see our guys bounce back from the way we started the conference season which was slow.  To come back and finish the way we did and actually win eight of our last 10 conference games is really big for us and it was big for us to finish .500 in conference play.  That is after losing six of our top players from last year's team.  We had a lot of close ball game and this one went our way and hopefully this will propel us to go a long way."
 
ASU will be the fifth seed in next week's Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament being held in Houston.  They are set to face Southern Thursday, March 10.  The final bracket and times will be released by the SWAC tomorrow (Sunday).