Jeremiah Gambrell shot 5 for 8 from the 3-point arc in the first half, and D’Rell Roberts broke away for a two-hand jam just before halftime.
It was that kind of night for the conference-leading Prairie View A&M Panthers, one the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Golden Lions would like to forget.
The Panthers took a 73-56 victory in H.O. Clemmons Arena on Monday night, extending the Lions’ skid to four games following a 2-0 start in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
UAPB (3-11, 2-3 SWAC) didn’t help matters with a cold shooting performance in the first half, going 0 for 11 from 3-point range and shooting 7 for 27 (25.9% from the floor). The Lions found their outside stroke in the final 20 minutes and made 4 of their next 8, while finishing the game 19 for 54 (35.2%) from the field.
Prairie View’s inside presence also led to 11 first-half turnovers by UAPB. The Lions had 15 for the game to the Panthers’ 10.
Gambrell, a sophomore transfer from Western Kentucky, scored 19 of his 20 points in the first half. He was 7 for 10 from the floor before halftime, but missed his next three attempts.
Prairie View (5-4, 4-0 SWAC) jumped to a 12-0 lead before two Joshuwan Johnson free throws put UAPB (3-12, 2-4) on the board.
Roberts’ dunk gave Prairie View (5-4, 4-0 SWAC) a 40-20 halftime lead. That lead immediately grew to as much as 59-27 with 15:16 remaining, but UAPB outscored Prairie View 29-14 the rest of the way.
The Panthers shot 27 for 53 (50.9%) from the floor, including 8 for 21 from 3-point range. They were perfect at the free-throw line (11 for 11), while the Lions converted 14 of 21 (66.7%).
Roberts totaled 12 points and Lenell Henry had 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Panthers. Jalen Lynn led UAPB with 13 points and three rebounds, Terrance Banyard nearly registered a double-double with nine points and eight rebounds, and Shaun Doss Jr. scored 10 points.
The women’s game between the two schools was postponed due to covid-19. It was the second postponement in a row for the Lady Lions.
SHOOTING PAINS
A 37% field-goal shooting team on the season, UAPB has exceeded that clip once during its losing streak (37.8 against Alcorn State). The Lions shot 49.2% against Mississippi Valley State and 59.3% vs. Alabama State in its two SWAC wins.
MORE ABOUT PRAIRIE VIEW
The Panthers, two-time defending SWAC regular-season champions and 2019 conference tournament champions, started the season with a 71-66 loss to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock at a classic in Louisville, Kentucky. The event included a 64-61 Prairie View win over Evansville and 86-64 loss to Louisville.
Prairie View came up just shy of stunning Big 12 member Texas Christian 66-61.
NEXT UP
UAPB hits the road again for games at Grambling State (5:30 p.m. Saturday) and Jackson State (7:30 p.m. Monday). The women’s games will begin at 3 p.m. Saturday and 5:30 p.m. Monday.