March Madness: Where is Grambling State University?

One of the best parts of March Madness is the opportunity to discover something new. Sure it's fun to watch the Kentuckys and North Carolinas of the world battle it out, but every NCAA Tournament introduces college basketball fans to a whole new cast of characters, and sometimes even a school that we may not be too familiar with.

That's where most fans are at with Grambling State, who is set to take on Montana State tonight in a battle of 16-seeds. The Tigers are making the first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history, so it's understandable if most college basketball fans don't know much about this proud HBCU school. Let's change that.

Where is Grambling State University?

Grambling State University is an HBCU located in Grambling, Louisiana.

Grambling opened in 1901, and at the time was known as the Colored Industrial and Agricultural School. It eventually changed its name in recognition of P.G. Grambling, a local businessman who donated the land that the school was built on.

In modern times, Grambling has been primarily known for its football program. The Tigers have won 14 black college national championships, and were led for over five decades by legendary head coach Eddie Robinson. College football fans may be familiar with Grambling's annual Thanksgiving weekend game against Southern University, dubbed The Bayou Classic.

Grambling has had some famous alumni, including singer Erykah Badu, NBA Hall-of-Famer Willis Reed, former member of the Miracle Mets Tommie Agee, and Super Bowl MVP Doug Williams, who also came back to coach at his alma mater in two separate stints.

The basketball team plays its games in the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center, which is named for the coach who compiled 572 wins and won eight regular season SWAC titles during his tenure from 1957-86. The Tigers are coached now by Donte Jackson. Jackson is in his seventh year leading the program, and in each of the past two years has posted the school's first winning records since 2006. Grambling earned the 2-seed in the SWAC Tournament last year, only to be upset by 8-seed Texas Southern in the final, but this year, the Tigers got revenge, earning the 1-seed and winning a rematch against TSU in the finals 75-66.

The Tigers will try to earn their first NCAA Tournament win when they take on Montana State at 6:40 p.m. ET on Wednesday night in the First Four. The game will be televised on TruTV, and the winner will meet 1-seed Purdue on Friday.