The Tennessee State women’s basketball team turned in one of their strongest performances of the season, led wire-to-wire in a 70-62 win over Southeast Missouri.
As has been atypical of them for most of the season, the Lady Tigers got off to a good start, shooting 50% in the first quarter. It was a period in which the Lady Tigers never trailed, built as much as a 10-point lead, and held SEMO to single digits until under a minute left in the quarter, on the way to take a 21-13 lead into the second frame.
Tennessee State remained in control during the second quarter, building as much as a 13-point lead on Somah Kamara’s three-pointer off an offensive rebound that made the score 29-16 at the 7:53 mark. SEMO outscored TSU 16-5 over the ensuing 7:26, whittling the lead down to just 2 points at 34-32 on Lexi McCully’s layup with 0:27 seconds in the half. Kamara’s layup just before the end of the bald gave the Lady Tigers a bit of breathing room at 36-32 at the half.
SEMO was able to tie the game at 36 briefly, 15 seconds to be precise before the Lady Tigers reclaimed the advantage, 39-36 on Saniah Parker’s shot from downtown at the 8:00 mark. A 15-2 spurt would push the TSU lead to its biggest of the period and the game at 54-38. Back-to-back threes from Skylar Barnes and McCully trimmed the TSU advantage to 54-44 heading into the fourth quarter.
SEMO was able to slice the Tennessee State lead down to 3 on two separate occasions at 62-59 and 64-61. However, the Lady Tigers were able to stave off the would-be Redhawks comeback, with buckets from Erin Martin and Parker extending the lead to 68-62 with 1:16 remaining. A pair of free throws from Somah Kamara brought the contest to its final count of 70-62.
Somah Kamara led two Lady Tigers in double figures with 22 points and 4 assists; Saniah Parker added 15 points of her own.
In a losing effort Lexi McCully led SEMO with 16 points; Skylar Barnes, the only other Redhawk in double figures, added 11 points.
Tennessee State, ( 6-16, 2-10) winners of 2 of their last 4, will look to keep the winning going when they host Western Illinois on February 6; tip-off is scheduled for 11 AM CST.
