After a strong first half, the wheels came off for the Lady Tigers in the second half , as, saddled by turnovers, they were out scored 46-18 on the way to a 68-49 loss at the hands of Tennessee Tech.
from TSU Athletics :
NASHVILLE — Tennessee State held Tennessee Tech to just 22 first-half points and carried a 31-22 advantage into halftime, but a strong third-quarter surge by the Golden Eagles flipped the momentum as the Lady Tigers fell 68-49 Monday evening at the Gentry Center Complex.
Xai Whitfield and Aaniya Webb paced Tennessee State with nine points apiece, while Somah Kamara chipped in eight off the bench. Erin Martin added five points, a team-high seven rebounds, and four blocks, anchoring a Lady Tigers defense that recorded eight rejections on the night. Brianna Wooldridge dominated the glass with a game-high 10 rebounds, including five offensive boards, helping Tennessee State generate 14 second-chance points in the contest.
Tennessee State (3-18, 2-10 OVC) controlled the opening quarter, breaking a 10-10 tie with a 5-0 run midway through the period to take a 15-10 lead before closing the frame ahead 19-13. The Lady Tigers scored 16 of their 19 first-quarter points in the paint and continued to apply pressure defensively, forcing six Tennessee Tech turnovers in the second quarter on the way to a 31-22 halftime cushion.
Tennessee Tech (12-9, 5-7 OVC) turned the game around after the break, erupting for 26 third-quarter points while holding Tennessee State to nine. The Golden Eagles shot 66.7 percent from the floor in the period and used an 18-9 run to seize control, entering the fourth quarter with a 48-40 advantage.
Despite continued work on the interior — Tennessee State finished with 32 points in the paint and a 40-33 rebounding edge — the Lady Tigers were unable to close the gap in the final 10 minutes, as Tennessee Tech outscored TSU 20-9 in the fourth to secure the win.
Chloe Larry led all scorers with 28 points for Tennessee Tech, while Reghan Grimes added 15. Tennessee State received 20 points from its bench and collected 11 offensive rebounds, but 26 turnovers proved costly, leading to 26 points for the Golden Eagles.
Game Notes
» Whitfield and Webb led Tennessee State with nine points each.
» Wooldridge grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds, including five offensive boards.
» The Lady Tigers recorded eight blocks as a team, with Martin accounting for four.
» Tennessee State out-rebounded Tennessee Tech 40-33 and finished with 14 second-chance points.
» TSU’s bench contributed 20 points.
» The game featured six ties and seven lead changes before Tennessee Tech pulled away in the second half.
Up Next
Tennessee State returns to the Gentry Center Complex on Thursday, Feb. 5, hosting Eastern Illinois in OVC action at 5 p.m. The contest will serve as TSU’s annual Play 4 Kay Night, honoring the fight against breast cancer and raising awareness for women’s cancers.
