Boyd scores 19 points to lead Lady Tigers to victory

HOUSTON — The hurdle the past two seasons for Grambling State University women’s basketball coach Freddie Murray has been Texas Southern and rightfully so with TSU owning a 4-1 mark against the second-year coach.

That all changed on Friday night ,as Grambling State took advantage of Texas Southern playing without Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Player of the Year Joyce Kennerson, as GSU advanced to the SWAC Championship for the second consecutive year with a 66-59 victory at the Delmar Fieldhouse.

Grambling State (18-13), the No. 3 seed, advanced to the title game and will meet rival Southern, the top seed, in the championship game.

The Lady Jaguars held off Prairie View A&M 84-76, in the first semifinal of the day.

Grambling State split the season series with Southern this season. The Lady Jaguars ran away with a 63-44 win on Jan. 6, but Grambling State picked up a 79-71 victory nearly a month later.

Jazmin Boyd paced the Grambling State offense with 19 points, four rebounds, one assist and two steals.

Shakyla Hill registered a double-double of 15 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists and eight steals, while Monisha Neal also contributed a double-double of 11 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and four steals.

Taylor Robinson led Texas Southern (19-12) with 17 points, eight rebounds and one block.

Kaitlyn Palmer contributed 16 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals, while Chynna Ewing added 10 points, six rebounds and four assists.