Tigers'
Rally Runs Out of Time, Lose 92-88 to Murray State
The Tennessee State Tigers (5-8,
2-2) fell into a deep 21-point second half hole, and despite a spirited late
rally fell 92-88 to the Murray State Racers (6-7, 3-3) at the Regional Special
Events Center in Murray, Kentucky.
Bruce Price led all scorers with
28 points (21 in the second half) with a career-tying 8 assists and Jerrell
Houston scored 16 points, with a career-high 11 rebounds. Fellow Tigers
LaDarious Weaver and Ervin Reiley scored 14 points each.
Murray State ended a four-game
losing streak, with five players scoring in double figures, led by Danero
Thomas (16). Three Racers, Bruce Carter, Tony Easley and Tyler Holloway scored
fifteen points and Marvin Williams scored 13 points.
Both teams started slowly, Tennessee
State did not score their first basket until the 16:23 mark, gaining a 2-2 tie.
Murray State quickly built a 10-point lead (17-7) at the 12:11 mark. And a
fourteen point lead (25-11) with 9:00 left in the first half. The Tigers shaved
the lead to six points (33-27) with 3:34
remaining in the half, but the Racers finished the half with a 46-34 lead.
Tennessee State shot 12-32 (37.5%) from the floor in the first half and 3-14
(21.4%) from Three-point range.
Murray State opened the second half
with an 11-3 run for an 18-point lead (55-37) at the 17:40 mark and a 21-point
lead (63-42) with 13:34 remaining. With 1:00 remaining the Racers led by
fifteen points (91-76) and the Tigers came alive going on a 10-1 run over the
next fifty seconds and a 92-86 score with :10 remaining. LaDarious Weaver hit
the game's final basket with three seconds remaining to finish with the final
92-88 score.
TSU out-rebounded Murray State
37-33, but shot 42.6% (29-68) for the game compared to the Racers' 56.4%
(31-55).
The Tigers host UT-Martin at the
Gentry Center on Monday, January 7th. Tip-off is scheduled for
7:30p.
