Updated

Casey Cantey and Cornelius Hester scored 15 points apiece to help Alabama A&M defeat Grambling State 70-63 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference opener for both teams Tuesday night.

The Bulldogs (4-6) led 38-24 at halftime and held Grambling State to 34.8-percent shooting (23 of 66), including 5 for 20 from beyond the arc (25 percent) for the game as Alabama A&M snapped a four-game losing skid.

T. Raschard Boatner scored 15 points, Chris Britt-Black added 13 and Donald Qualls 10 for the Tigers (2-11).

Alabama A&M finished 22 of 44 from the field and 26 of 38 from the free-throw line (68.4 percent), but missed all nine attempts from 3-point range and overcame 22 turnovers to pull off the victory.

Jeremy Crutcher finished with 10 points for Alabama A&M, but he also had a team-high seven turnovers.