Even if Grambling is known mostly as a football school, the Tigers also know how to hoop it up on the basketball court as well. Even though cheap Grambling basketball tickets are usually easy to find, the Tigers have a proud history on the hardwood that includes a dozen conference titles. To be fair, most of Grambling’s success has come at the lower levels of the college basketball hierarchy. However, the Tigers have emerged in recent years as one of the best teams in the SWAC. It’s just a matter of time until the rest of the country takes the Tigers seriously on the basketball court, which will surely cause a spike in the demand for last-minute Grambling basketball tickets.

On the Prowl

The best days of Grambling basketball came during the 1960s when coach Fred Hobdy led the Tigers. Hobdy won over 500 games at Grambling from 1957 to 1986, with most of his success coming during the 1960s. Between 1959 and 1972, Grambling won at least a share of eight SWAC regular-season titles. They also became a force at the NAIA level. The Tigers won the NAIA national championship in 1961 and finished third in the tournament in 1963. Grambling also made quarterfinal appearances in the NAIA Tournament in 1960 and 1971 while also reaching the Sweet 16 of the Division II NCAA Tournament in 1976.

New Era

After thriving under Hodby, Grambling basketball endured some rough years after he retired. The Tigers reached an all-time low during the 2012-13 season when they finished 0-28. However, the Tigers rose from the darkest depths to become a powerhouse in the SWAC. Donte Jackson took over Grambling ahead of the 2017-18 season and immediately led the Tigers to the SWAC regular-season title, the first conference championship for the program in nearly 30 years. Under Jackson’s tutelage, the Tigers won another SWAC regular-season title in 2023, making it clear to the rest of the conference that Grambling is here to stay and will be a force to be reckoned with for many years to come.