SIUE separated early from the Lady Tigers, built what proved to be an insurmountable lead, and cruised to a comfortable 63-41 win Thursday evening. The Cougars blew the game open in the second quarter in which they outscored the Lady Tigers 28-7. This was the first of two quarters in which TSU scored a combined 14 points on 6-29 shooting. Tennessee shot a dreadful 27.3% (15-55) from the field and a frigid 22.2% (4-18) from downtown on the evening.
Tennessee State took an early 3-2 lead on Aaniya Webb’s three-pointer. SIUE quickly snatched the lead when Macy Silvey knocked down a three-pointer of her own that made the score 5-3. The Cougars took an 8-point lead that they would ultimately take into the second quarter. The Lady Tigers shot just 30.8% (4-13) in the quarter;unfortunately for TSU, this was a harbinger of things to come.
The second quarter was the defining period for the contest. The Cougars outscored the Lady Tigers 28-7, ballooning the 8-point lead at the outset of the quarter into a hefty 29-point advantage at the quarter’s end.
Once again the TSU offense was mired in struggle, scoring just 7 points on 3-14 (21-4%) from the floor. . The Cougars joined them in their own offensive futility, dropping 7 points in the frame on an even worse 2-15 (13.3%), leaving the score 53-24 heading into the fourth quarter.
With the outcome long decided, SIUE somewhat called off the dogs, or rather the Cougars off in the fourth quarter for a decisive win.
Brianna Wooldridge was the only Lady Tiger in double figures with 10 points.
With the loss, Tennessee State drops to 3-15 overall and 2-5 in OVC play. The Lady Tigers return to action January 24, hitting the road to take on Lindenwood; tip-off is scheduled for 12:00 pm.
