The No. 16 seed Grambling State Tigers fell to No. 1 Purdue 78-50 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Friday night in Indianapolis.
The Tigers completed an historic season 21-15.
Grambling State won the SWAC Tournament and made the tournament for the first time. The Tigers won their first game, an 88-81 victory over Montana State in the First Four Wednesday.
The Tigers kept it close in the first half. They trailed 31-27 with less than two minutes to play.
Purdue’s Fletcher Loyer hit a 3-pointer with 1:38 left. A layup by Loyer gave the Boilermakers a 36-27 halftime lead.
GSU got as close as seven early in the second half but Purdue went on an 18-4 run to go up 54-33 with 12:28 left in the game. The Tigers went scoreless for 5:28.
Tra’Michae Moton led Grambling State with 21 points. Kintavious Dozier added 16.
Zach Edey, Purdue’s 7-foot-4 All-American center, led the Boilermakers (30-4) with 30 points and 21 rebounds. He was 11-of-17 from the field.