Courtesy of Tennessee State Athletics
75
Fisk 0-1
85
Tennessee St. 1-0,0-0 OVC
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fisk | 35 | 40 | 75 |
| Tennessee St. | 37 | 48 | 85 |
NASHVILLE – Jr. Clay scored 29 points to help lead the Tennessee State men’s basketball team take the Fisk Bulldogs down 85-75 in their season opener.
The Tigers (1-0) had four players score in double figures, led by Clay, who had 29 points. Marcus Fitzgerald Jr. tacked on 15 points and Dedric Boydchipped in as well with 11 points off of the bench.
The Tennessee State offense was very productive from downtown, knocking down 11 threes on 27 attempts. Clay was the most prolific shooter for the Tigers, draining six treys in the contest.
Tennessee State forced 15 Fisk turnovers. The Tigers turned those takeaways into 15 points on the other end of the floor. David Acosta led the way individually with one steal.
How It Happened
After falling behind 4-3, Tennessee State went on a 12-0 run with 17:46 left in the first half, culminating in a three from Boyd, to take a 15-4 lead. The Tigers then lost some of that lead, but still entered halftime with a 37-35 advantage. Tennessee State did most of its first-half damage in the paint, scoring 20 of its 37 points close to the basket.
Following intermission, Tennessee State kept widening that lead, expanding it to 63-60 before going on a 14-0 run to grow the lead to 77-60 with 6:10 to go in the contest. The Bulldogs narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Tigers still cruised the rest of the way for the 85-75 win. Tennessee State shot well from three-point range in the half, hitting eight shots from deep to score 24 of its 48 points.
Game Notes» The Tigers shot well from three-point range, knocking down 11 of 27 long-range attempts.
» Tennessee State had a 37-30 edge on the boards in the win.
» The Tennessee State defense forced 15 turnovers.
» The Tigers were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, recording seven blocks as a team.
» Tennessee State cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 14 offensive boards in the game.
» Jr. Clay led the Tigers with a game-high 29 points.
» Tennessee State got a team-high seven rebounds from Zion Griffin.
TSU will be back in action this Saturday, as they are set to South Carolina State. Tip-off from the Gentry Center is slated for 11:00 a.m.
