Grambling State Holds Off Northern Illinois 89-87
Grambling State opened its 2026-27 season with a narrow win over Northern Illinois at a South Carolina event.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Basketball
Grambling State defeated Northern Illinois 89-87 in the season opener, played at the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center in South Carolina as part of the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon. Northern Illinois cut a 16-point halftime deficit to one possession before Chancellor Perkins sealed the win with two free throws in the final seconds.
Why it matters
The result gives Grambling State an early win for a program that finished 14-19 last season while adding 13 new players to its roster. For Northern Illinois, the close loss shows its late-game offense can keep a game within reach.
Isaiah Miranda led all scorers with 29 points, while Grambling State shot 64 percent from the field and held a 48-28 advantage in points in the paint over Northern Illinois. Northern Illinois connected on 14 three-pointers after halftime, but Max Weisbrod's 27-foot attempt at the buzzer missed.
The players
Grambling State
Grambling State is a historically Black public university in Louisiana whose men's basketball program competes in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois is a public university in DeKalb, Illinois, whose men's basketball team competes in the Mid-American Conference.
The details
Northern Illinois trailed 43-36 at halftime and used a 14-three-pointer surge to take a 78-77 lead, and Weisbrod's three-pointer cut the margin to one point. Dwayne Pierce answered with a basket and free throw, and Mekhi Fitts's layup with 40 seconds left pushed Grambling State ahead 87-82 before Bennett Basich's three-point play trimmed it to 87-85. Perkins's two free throws with four seconds remaining finalized the 89-87 result.
Timeline
Game played on November 2, 2026, tipping off at 3 a.m. Eastern.
Grambling State visits Texas on November 9.
Grambling State visits Kentucky on November 16.
Season Trajectory
The season-opening win gives Grambling State an early foothold in the Southwestern Athletic Conference and its schedule of road games at Texas and Kentucky. A close opener against a Mid-American Conference team sets an early benchmark for how the program's rebuilt roster handles tight finishes.
Grambling State's road games at Texas on November 9 and Kentucky on November 16 will test whether the early-season form holds against higher-level opponents. Fans tracking the team can follow those dates on the program's schedule as the season progresses.
The takeaway
A tight opening win shows that a rebuilt roster can close games under pressure, but the true test comes on the road against Texas and Kentucky. Following those early results offers a clearer picture of the team's direction.
What happens next
Grambling State visits Texas on November 9 and Kentucky on November 16.
Further reading
For more on the sport, explore Basketball coverage across the United States.
