Grambling State's Isaiah Miranda Scores 29 in Thrilling 89-87 Win Over Northern Illinois

ROCK HILL, S.C. - HBCU basketball entered the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon of games, which produced a thrilling matchup and ending. The game was an impressive outing for Coach Patrick Crarey II and the Grambling State Tigers.

Isaiah Miranda had an outstanding effort, scoring a game-high 29 points on 10-of-12 shooting, and Grambling State held off a furious Northern Illinois rally for an 89-87 victory in the 2026-27 season opener for both teams at the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center.

WHAT. A. GAME!!!!@gsutigers_mbb HOLDS ON to win game 2 of the #F68OpeningDayMarathon pic.twitter.com/QFe50PAPV4
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) November 2, 2026

The Tigers (1-0) never trailed, shot an impressive 64% from the field, and built a 12-point second-half advantage before surviving a late comeback by the Huskies (0-1).

Northern Illinois cut the deficit to one point in the final seconds before missing a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Miranda delivered a dominant performance, connecting on 4 of 5 attempts from beyond the arc and adding eight rebounds, three blocked shots, and a steal in just 22 minutes.

Dwayne Pierce!😮😮😮#GramFam | #ThisIsTheG🐯 pic.twitter.com/IZyKS20kF2
— Grambling State Men’s Basketball (@gsutigers_mbb) November 2, 2026

Dwayne Pierce contributed 19 points and eight assists. Isaiah Howard scored 13 points off the bench, Mekhi Fitts added 12, and Antoine Shannon finished with 11 points and seven rebounds.

The victory gave Grambling State head coach Patrick Crarey a winning start to his second season leading the G-Men.

POV: pic.twitter.com/0AF1bjCTn7
— Tiffani-Dawn (@Tiffani_Sykes) November 2, 2026

Grambling State Shoots 64%, Dominates Northern Illinois in the Paint

Grambling State established its offensive identity by attacking the basket and converting high-percentage scoring opportunities.

The Tigers connected on 32 of 50 field goal attempts (64%), including a blistering 16-for-22 (72.7%) performance in the second half.

Grambling State outscored Northern Illinois 48-28 in the paint, a decisive advantage that helped offset the Huskies’ superior perimeter shooting.

Pierce! Count it! #GramFam | #ThisIsTheG🐯 pic.twitter.com/Pb6DXqqJ8Q
— Grambling State Men’s Basketball (@gsutigers_mbb) November 2, 2026

The Tigers also held a 37-30 advantage in bench scoring and a 10-9 edge in fast-break points.

Northern Illinois stayed competitive by connecting on 14 of 31 attempts from 3-point range (45.2%). Grambling State made 5 of 13 shots from beyond the arc (38.5%).

Despite the Huskies making nine more 3-pointers, the Tigers’ interior dominance and overall shooting efficiency provided the difference.

First Half: Grambling State Responds to Early Northern Illinois Challenge

Northern Illinois kept the game close early, using its perimeter shooting to counter Grambling State’s offensive production.

Nino Carter-Smith connected on consecutive 3-pointers to tie the game at 18 with 12:30 remaining in the first half.

The Tigers responded with an 8-0 run.

Fitts converted two free throws, Miranda delivered a dunk, Antoine Shannon scored on a tip-in, and Miranda added two more free throws to give Grambling State a 26-18 advantage.

Shannon later scored on a fast-break layup to extend the Tigers’ lead to 37-27 with 3:55 remaining before halftime.

Miranda connected on a 3-pointer with 46 seconds left, helping Grambling State take a 43-36 lead into the locker room.

Although Northern Illinois tied the score four times in the opening half, the Huskies never took the lead.

Second Half: Tigers Build 12-Point Lead Before Huskies Rally

Grambling State continued attacking the basket after halftime.

Up 54-50, the Tigers scored eight unanswered points to push the lead to 62-50 with 12:10 remaining.

Howard, Antoine Shannon, and Antonio Shannon scored on fast-break layups during the run. Brandon Hardy added another layup, while Hassan Washington contributed a blocked shot on the defensive end.

Howard later pushed the margin to 65-53 with 10:23 remaining.

However, Northern Illinois refused to go away.

The Huskies responded with seven consecutive points, using their perimeter shooting and defensive pressure to regain momentum.

David Douglas Jr. connected on a 3-pointer to trim the deficit to 67-65 with 7:06 remaining.

Miranda answered with another 3-pointer, giving Grambling State some breathing room.

Northern Illinois continued its comeback, and Max Weisbrod buried a 3-pointer with 3:13 remaining to make it 78-77, the closest the Huskies had come since halftime.

Fitts and Pierce Deliver in the Final Minutes

With Northern Illinois threatening to complete the comeback, Grambling State relied on Fitts and Pierce to make critical plays.

Fitts scored 10 of his 12 points during the final eight minutes, providing timely baskets and free throws.

After Weisbrod pulled the Huskies within one, Fitts converted two free throws to give the Tigers an 80-77 advantage.

Pierce followed with a jumper and a free throw, pushing the lead to 83-77 with 2:12 remaining.

Pierce later finished a dunk to make it 85-79.

Douglas answered with a 3-pointer, but Pierce found Fitts for a layup with 40 seconds remaining, giving Grambling State an 87-82 advantage.

The Huskies mounted one final charge.

Bennett Basich scored on a fast-break layup and completed a three-point play to cut the deficit to 87-85 with 33 seconds left.

Grambling State struggled to close out the contest at the free-throw line, converting only two of its final six attempts over the last 40 seconds.

Carter-Smith made two free throws with six seconds remaining, reducing the Tigers’ lead to 88-87.

Chancellor Perkins split a pair of free throws with four seconds left, giving Grambling State an 89-87 advantage.

Northern Illinois had one final opportunity to steal the victory, but Weisbrod missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer. Antoine Shannon secured the rebound, sealing the Tigers’ season-opening win.

Northern Illinois’ 3-Point Shooting Keeps Huskies Close

Northern Illinois put five players in double figures but couldn't overcome Grambling State’s exceptional shooting efficiency.

Trevor Polite led the Huskies with 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting and five rebounds.

Carter-Smith provided 13 points off the bench, connecting on all three of his 3-point attempts.

Douglas contributed 12 points, while Weisbrod and Brayden Gross scored 11 apiece. Weisbrod also distributed eight assists.

The loss spoiled the Division I head coaching debut of Matt Majkrzak, who arrived at Northern Illinois after seven seasons at Northern Michigan.

Grambling State vs. Northern Illinois: Box Score Leaders

Grambling State Tigers (1-0)

Points: Isaiah Miranda, 29
Rebounds: Isaiah Miranda, 8
Assists: Dwayne Pierce, 8
Blocked shots: Isaiah Miranda, 3

Northern Illinois Huskies (0-1)

Points: Trevor Polite, 15
Rebounds: Trevor Polite, 5
Assists: Max Weisbrod, 8
Blocked shots: Tolu Samuels, 2

Grambling State vs. Northern Illinois: Team Statistics

Shooting

Field goals: Grambling State 32-for-50 (64.0%); Northern Illinois 28-for-60 (46.7%).
3-pointers: Grambling State 5-for-13 (38.5%); Northern Illinois 14-for-31 (45.2%).
Free throws: Grambling State 20-for-29 (69.0%); Northern Illinois 17-for-22 (77.3%).

Rebounding and Ball Control

Total rebounds: Grambling State 28; Northern Illinois 27.
Turnovers: Grambling State 9; Northern Illinois 8.
Points off turnovers: Grambling State 8; Northern Illinois 10.

Scoring Breakdown

Points in the paint: Grambling State 48; Northern Illinois 28.
Bench points: Grambling State 37; Northern Illinois 30.
Halftime score: Grambling State 43; Northern Illinois 36.
Final score: Grambling State 89; Northern Illinois 87.

What Grambling State’s Season-Opening Victory Reveals

Grambling State entered the season looking to improve on its 14-19 record from Crarey’s first year leading the program.

With 13 newcomers on the roster, the Tigers face the challenge of building chemistry while establishing themselves as contenders in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Miranda’s opening performance offered an encouraging indication of the offensive potential of Grambling State’s revamped lineup.

His ability to score around the basket and connect from beyond the arc creates matchup problems for opposing defenses.

Meanwhile, Pierce’s eight assists and the Tigers’ 37 bench points suggest Grambling State has multiple players who can contribute offensively.

Three statistics stood out in the Tigers’ victory:

64% field goal shooting: Grambling State consistently generated and converted efficient scoring opportunities.
48-28 advantage in the paint: The Tigers outscored Northern Illinois by 20 points around the basket.
37 bench points: Grambling State received significant contributions beyond its starting lineup.

However, late-game execution remains an area for improvement.

The Tigers committed only nine turnovers but struggled to convert free throws in the closing seconds, allowing Northern Illinois to remain within striking distance.

Although Grambling State controlled most of the contest, the Huskies’ comeback illustrated how quickly a comfortable lead can disappear when defensive stops and free throws become difficult to secure.

For Crarey and the Tigers, the season opener offered more than a victory. It provided an early look at a team with offensive firepower, interior scoring ability, and depth, along with areas requiring refinement before SWAC competition begins.

What’s Next for Grambling State Basketball?

Grambling State faces a challenging early-season nonconference schedule.

The Tigers travel to Austin to meet Texas on Monday, Nov. 9, before facing Kentucky on Nov. 16.

Grambling State then returns home to face Southern Miss on Nov. 19.

Those matchups will offer a stronger measuring stick for a Tigers team seeking to build momentum and establish itself as a contender in the 2026-27 SWAC basketball race.

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