FINAL BOX

NASHVILLE, Tenn.- The Tennessee State women's basketball team notched its second win of the season with a 72-56 victory over Texas Southern on Saturday in the first day of the Teresa Phillips Thanksgiving Classic.

The Lady Tigers (2-3) had three players score in the double-digits in Saturday's match-up. Jayda Johnson led TSU with her first career double-double, notching a career-high 21 points and team-high 12 rebounds followed by I'mani Davis who recorded 18 total points with eight rebounds and Michelle Cox with 10 points and two rebounds.

Texas Southern (0-3) was led by Kianna Vines who had 13 total points and a team-high 11 rebounds for the Tigers.

The teams went toe-to-toe in the first with Texas Southern leading 7-6 before the first media timeout. Both teams would continue to trade buckets before a couple turnovers and missed layups by the Lady Tigers would allow Texas Southern to take a 14-8 lead. TSU would make one more shot before the end of the quarter, trailing Texas Southern 14-10 going into the second. 

Texas Southern quickly extended its lead to 19-10 after sinking the first two shots of the second quarter. The Lady Tigers battled their nine-point deficit by outscoring Texas Southern 10-4 in the next few possessions. Back-to-back shots from Brianna Lawrence would allow for the Lady Tigers to take their first lead of the game, 25-23. A steal followed by a layup from I'mani Davis would extend the Lady Tiger lead to 27-23 before forcing Texas Southern into their first timeout of the quarter. Tennessee State would go on to outscore Texas Southern 4-2 before the end of the quarter for a 33-24 lead heading into the half.  

Davis opened up the third quarter with a quick five points to extend TSU to a 12-point lead, 38-26. The teams would battle back and fourth, scoring five points apiece before the media timeout. Texas Southern would attempt to eat away at its 12-point deficit with a 9-6 run, but would continue to trail the Lady Tigers 49-40 at the end of the third.

Tennessee State stayed hot in the fourth, outscoring Texas Southern 11-3 with three shots from beyond the arc in the first few minutes of the quarter. An 8-2 run, highlighted by another three-pointer from Davis, would give the Lady Tigers a 68-45 lead over Texas Southern before the final media timeout of the game. Texas Southern would try at a late comeback, outscoring the Lady Tigers 11-4 in the final minutes of the game but the deficit would prove be too large, as Tennessee State secured its second win of the season 72-56.

The Lady Tigers are back in action tomorrow, as they close out the Teresa Phillips Thanksgiving Classic with a 2 p.m. match-up against North Alabama in the Gentry Center.

For news and updates on the Lady Tigers, follow @TSU_Tigers.

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