Sain, Peters, and Nash's Career High Help Tigers Conquer Titans

Detroit, Mich. - The Tigers shot a season-high 56 percent from the floor as Tennessee State University snapped a four-game skid outlasting Detroit Mercy, 70-69, inside Calihan Hall Tuesday night (12/8).

Josh Sain and Wil Peters scored career highs to help lead the Tigers' (2-8, 0-2) 44 percent shooting from behind the arc.

Sain scored 17 of his game-high, 25 points (7-of-14), in the first half. He finished with six rebounds while connecting 8-of-9 from the free-throw line and 3-of-5 from three-point range.

Peters went 6-of-8 shooting, 2-of-3 from the outside, scoring 15 points with three assists.

UDM (6-3, 2-0) finished with four players in double figures. Thomas Kennedy shot 6-of-11 to lead the Titans with 14 points.  Simon Chase followed with 13 points (5-of-10) and six rebounds, with Donovan Foster scoring 11 points (5-of-8) and Xavier Keeling adding 10 points.

The Tigers shot 64 percent in the first half. After eight lead changes, the Tigers again stepped out in front courtesy of a Sain three-pointer to go ahead, 31-30, at the 4:59 mark. TSU outscored UDM, 7-4, to take the lead at the break, 38-34.

In the second, TSU controlled the half holding the lead for over 15 minutes. The Tigers held their largest margin of the game at the 18-minute mark, 43-36.  UDM used a 12-6 run with 8:25 remaining to swipe the lead away from the Tigers, 65-64, with 3:06 left.

With less than two minutes to play, Sain hit four free throws to manage the lead twice. With 46 seconds left, Detroit's Simon Chase hit a mid-range jumper to put the Titans up, 69-68.

However, Jeremiah Crutcher answered back, nailing an 18-footer, leaving 25 seconds on the clock. The Titans last attempts were held off by Hamilton Nash's block followed by a rebound on the put back to secure the Tigers' win. 

Crutcher shot 4-of-8 for nine points and dished out three assists. Nash finished with a career-high six points and three rebounds. The Frankenmuth, Mich. native went 2-of-4 from the floor, including a crucial baseline jumper in the closing minutes, also connecting 2-of-2 from the charity stripe.

The Tigers will return to action on Tuesday, Dec. 15, when they host Alabama A&M at the Gentry Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.