NASHVILLE – Travis Harper II scored 23 points, but the Tennessee State men’s basketball team fell to the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks 91-82 at home Saturday.
The Tigers (7-5, 1-1 OVC) had three players score in double figures, led by Harper II, who knocked down five three-pointers to go along with his 23 points and two steals. Antoine Lorick III added a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, recording his fourth double-double of the season, while Aaron Nkrumah helped out with 15 points and three steals, going a perfect 11-for-12 from the free-throw line.
Tennessee State forced 19 Southeast Missouri State turnovers while committing just 10 themselves in Saturday’s game. The Tigers turned those takeaways into 26 points on the other end of the floor and consistently pressured the Redhawks into tough possessions. Nkrumah’s three steals led the way, while Dante Harris chipped in three steals and five assists to spark the Tigers’ transition offense.
How It Happened
After falling behind 39-24 midway through the first half, Tennessee State responded with an 8-0 run with 4:30 left in the opening period, culminating in a bucket from Dante Harris, to narrow its deficit to 39-32. The Tigers continued to chip away late in the half behind strong interior play from Lorick III and timely perimeter shooting, heading into halftime trailing 44-37.
Southeast Missouri State widened its lead early after intermission, building a 79-64 advantage, but Tennessee State refused to go away. The Tigers went on a 5-0 run, finished off by Jabrion Spikes’ layup, to shrink the deficit to 79-69 with 7:13 to go. Tennessee State continued to pressure defensively and capitalized on seven Redhawk turnovers in the second half, scoring 16 points off those miscues. Despite trimming the deficit to single digits multiple times late, Southeast Missouri State managed to hold on for the 91-82 win.
Game Notes
» Antoine Lorick III notched a double-double for the Tigers with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
» The Tigers shot well from three-point range, knocking down six of 15 long-range attempts.
» Tennessee State forced 19 turnovers and converted those into 26 points.
» The Tigers were active defensively, recording five blocks as a team.
» Travis Harper II led all scorers with a game-high 23 points.
» Tennessee State got a team-high 10 rebounds from Antoine Lorick III.
