Qualls’ 20 points leads Grambling State in a 65-57 upset over top-seeded Jackson State

Grambling State upsets No. 1 Jackson State 65-57

BOSSIER CITY, La. — Donald Qualls scored 20 points and eighth-seeded Grambling State upset the No. 1 seed Jackson State 65-57 on Wednesday night in the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament quarterfinals.

The Tigers (7-20) became the first No. 8 seed to beat a No. 1 in the first round of the tournament since 2004.

Grambling State, which lost six of its previous seven games, will face the winner of Prairie View A&M-Texas Southern in the semifinals on Friday.

Garrison Johnson scored 27 points for Jackson State (19-12), which snapped a 13-game winning streak.

The last team to knock off a top seed in the first round of the SWAC tournament was Alcorn State, who beat Mississippi Valley State 67-66.