ITTA BENA, Miss. - Emotions were flaring out the gate for both teams as Grambling picked up an early technical foul at the start of the game for unsportsmanlike conduct, which was just the start of a highly energetic and competitive contest between the Delta Devils and Tigers, which ended in an overtime thriller.

The first half was all Ivy Smith, Jr. and the Tigers of Grambling State. The Delta Devils leading scoring, Jordan Evans, finished the first half with eight points while Grambling's leading scorer, Smith, Jr. was tallied 11-points.

The Delta Devils shot 26.1% from the field in the first half, and despite six attempts from beyond the arc Mississippi Valley just couldn't get the offensive unit moving.  Grambling outscored the Delta Devils in the paint 16 to 8. The Tigers got into early foul trouble in the first half, but with eight missed free throws by the Delta Devils the Tigers continued to extend their lead. As a result, the Tigers took a comfortable 14-point lead (33-19) into the half.

Smith, Jr. was everywhere for Grambling State as he scored, rebounded, and created trouble defensively, and it seemed MVSU couldn't find an answer to him going into the second half, especially with shots not falling for leading scorers Dante Scott and Jordan Evans. Evans and Scott went into halftime with 10 points combined.

Both coaches were up and yelling the entire contest as they tried to coach their respective team to a victory. The second half was more aggressive, and the Delta Devils moved the ball more and gained confidence to go at the Tigers down low more than in the first half. Defense for the Delta Devils was much better the second half as well.

The Delta Devils pulled within three early in the second half, and Evans sunk his first three pointer of the night pulling Mississippi Valley out of their three-point shooting slump. More baskets began to fall for the Delta Devils and less for Grambling as they fell to 43.2% from the field midway through the second half.

Frustration got the best of the Tigers late in the second half, and the Delta Devils capitalized off these frustrations defensively, forcing GSU to make simple mistakes. The return of Nate Nahimy was felt as he made clutch buckets and contained Smith, Jr. from the scoring majority of the second half. After fighting from a 14-point deficit, the Delta Devils stayed on the Tigers' tail the second half never being down more than five points.

Evans' and-one with 70 seconds left in the game was the turning point of the half as the Delta Devils took their first lead of the game (72-70), and with no shot clock he (Evans) bullied his way to the basket to tie the game at 74 with six seconds left in the contest which sent the game into overtime.

Evans ended the night with 28 points, followed by Scott's 19 and Nahimy's 15. LaCurtis Allen added 10 points in the shocking 89-92 overtime loss.

The Delta Devils will return to home action, Saturday afternoon as they take on the Hornets of Alabama State who are looking to snap their four-game losing streak. Tip off will be at 4 p.m. in the R. W. Harrison Complex.