BIRMINGHAM, Ala. | Eighth-seed Alabama State saw its season come to an end with a 56-50 loss to top-seeded Grambling State in the quarterfinals of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Tournament at Bartow Arena on Wednesday night.
 
TJ Madlock led Alabama State with 15 points and seven rebounds, while Isaiah Range added 10. Micah Octave led the Hornets with eight rebounds and CJ Hines four assists.
 
Alabama State (13-19) finished the night shooting 30.4 (17-of-56) percent from the floor and 29.6 (8-of-27) percent from beyond the arc. They also shot 72.7 (8-of-11) percent from the free throw line. Meanwhile, Grambling State shot 36.7 (18-of-49) percent from the floor and 47.4 (9-of-19) percent from beyond the arc. They also shot 68.8 (11-of-16) percent from the free throw line.
 
Kintavious Dozier led Grambling State with 18 points, while Tra'Michael Moton added 14 and Antwan Burnett 11.
 
How It Happened

• After Alabama State climbed to within six at 18-12, Grambling State answered with back-to-back three-pointers to take a 24-12 lead with 6:23 remaining in the opening half forcing an Alabama State timeout.
• The Hornets answered with an 8-0 run over a span of 2:31 to pull to within four at 24-20 with 3:45 remaining in the half on a three-pointer by CJ Hines. The Hornets continued the run with a Micah Octave three-pointer with just over three minutes remaining to make it a one-point game at 24-23.
• Alabama State took the lead after a pair of free throws from TJ Madlock with 2:19 remaining, extending the run to 13-0 to take a one-point lead (25-24). The run ended on a Grambling State three-pointer with 1:45 to play giving the Tigers a 27-25 lead.
• Grambling State took a 32-27 lead into the locker room after shooting 36.7 (11-of-30) percent from the floor and 54.5 (6-of-11) percent from beyond the arc. They also connected on 80.0 (4-of-5) percent of their free throws. Meanwhile, Alabama State shot 35.7 (10-of-28) percent from the floor and 35.7 (5-of-14) percent from beyond the arc while hitting two of its four free throws.
• The two teams combined for just five turnovers in the opening half, Alabama State with three and Grambling State with two. They were also tied in rebounds at 18-all.
• The Tigers were able to run out to a 42-34 lead with 11:52 remaining in the game after holding Alabama State scoreless for 2:48. The two teams combined for 10 points over the next five minutes with Grambling State taking a 46-40 lead.
• Alabama State climbed to within three on a Hines three-pointer with 2:31 to play (53-50) before Grambling State hit one of two free throws with 1:58 to play to stretch the lead to 54-50.

Alabama State Notes

• Alabama State started the lineup of Hines, Octave, Madlock, Range, and Ubong Okon for the 20th time this season.
• Okon blocked a shot early in the game giving him a block in 23 of the 30 games played this season for the sophomore center.
• Sean Smith hit a three-pointer just eight minutes into the game breaking streak of five games without a three, and the attempt was his first since Florida A&M on Feb. 24.
• With his first half three-pointer, Range hit his 15th three-pointer in four games which is more than nine of the Hornet players on the roster for the season.

Quotable from head coach Tony Madlock
Opening statement…
"I want to give a lot of credit to Grambling, they won the regular season and coach has done a great job with them. We fought, we played hard, we just didn't have enough. The story of our lives is our shooting percentage., we shot 30 percent and anytime you shoot that you are going to have a tough time winning that game. We fought, the first time since 2019 we have been here so I am proud that we were able to get here. We will continue to build on this and build our program."
 
The conference…
"We talk about it all the time, you can win against any team in this league or you can lose to any team. That says a lot about the coaches and players, everybody competes and plays hard. I am so proud to be at Alabama State and at an HBCU."
 
There was a moment where TJ hit a shot and turned to you…
"He has done it, I know him of course better than anybody. One thing he has is a toughness about him, a mental toughness and a physical toughness. He knows what I want and what the team needs, and he tries to bring it every night. He is always going to have a great game? No. But he guards the other team's best player, he has to rebound for us, and he has to make plays offensively and defensively. I am proud of him. I am blessed to be able to coach him because I get to coach him every day."
 
Quotable from TJ Madlock
Opening statement…
"We have to make shots and make winning plays, at the end of the day we just didn't do that. I feel like at the end of the day we fought hard all the way to the end."
 
The shot you hit and turned to your dad (coach)…
"He wanted me to get downhill and make a play in the paint. I ended up shooting it and we were in it. At the end of the day, whatever he says I do it, and it's about mental toughness. He knows I have him and we have always been on the same page."
 
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