Cape Girardeau, Mo. --- The Tennessee State University women’s basketball team picked up its first road win of the season Saturday night with a 59-55 victory over conference opponent Southeast Missouri.

Tennessee State (3-5) improved to 1-1 in the OVC while Southeast Missouri (3-4) fell to 0-2 in the league.

Kendra Appling finished the game with 22 points for TSU while Nikki Rumph added 11. LaDona Pierce handed out a game-high five assists.

Tarina Nixon led SEMO with 20 points.

Early in the first half, a 3-pointer from Charisse Hicks and a jumper from Tiffany Jackson gave TSU a 9-5 lead before SEMO used a 12-2 run to go ahead 17-11 at the 9:35 mark.

Back-to-back buckets from Kendra Appling brought TSU to within one (17-16) but SEMO re-upped its advantage to 23-16 with 2:45 left to play in the half.

TSU closed out the half by outscoring the Redhawks 6-2 to go into the break trailing 25-22.

­­In the second half, TSU tied the game 30-30 after Kendra Appling connected from 3-point range. The Lady Tigers, however, then suffered through nearly a three and a half minute scoring drought that saw the Redhawks jump back on top 38-30.

A made free-throw gave SEMO a 48-39 lead with 6:04 left to play but the Lady Tigers clawed back to within one (48-47) behind eight unanswered points. A three point bomb from Kendra Appling sparked the rally that included a three-pointer from Nikki Rumph and a lay-up by Appling.

Nikki Rumph downed another 3-pointer to give the Lady Tigers a 52-50 lead with 2:19 left to play. With the score knotted 52-52, Kendra Appling connected on her fourth 3-pointer of the game and scored a break-away lay-up to give TSU a 57-52 lead with just :55 seconds on the clock.

A steal and a made free-throw by Appling iced the game for TSU as the Lady Tigers pulled out the 59-55 road victory.  

Tennessee State returns to non-conference action next Tuesday when they match-up against cross town rival Belmont University. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Curb Event Center.