On Tuesday night, HBCU fans celebrated Grambling St.’s historic 88-81 OT win over Montana St. in the First Four of the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament.
Grambling St. will go dancing for the first time ever!!!!
— First and Pen (@firstandpen) March 21, 2024
After being down 14 in the first half, the Tigers fought back to beat Montana St and will face Purdue in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. And remember, this is a Tigers team that started the season at 2-10! ????????✊???? pic.twitter.com/C8DvQLaVLU
It was the first time in program history that the Tigers made the NCAA Tournament, a feat which is more incredible when you realize that the team started the season at 2-10. But after beating Texas Southern to claim the SWAC Tournament Championship, Grambling won a trip to the Tournament and was placed in the First Four against the Bobcats.
“To get a first-round win, it’s just amazing,” said Grambling head coach Donte’ Jackson. “That is just major exposure for our program, just letting these guys know that they could have went to all these other big schools and things of that nature, but they chose right by coming to Grambling.”
With the victory, the Tigers became the ninth HBCU program to win an NCAA Tournament game and the sixth to do that since 2000.
While the win was amazing and celebrated by all, it was actually bigger than most realize.
