FINAL BOX
Final Score: Tennessee State 60 – Eastern Kentucky 38
Records: TSU (1-14, 1-2 OVC) – EKU (2-12, 0-3 OVC)
Venue: Gentry Center
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Nashville, Tenn. --- The Tennessee State University women's basketball team had a strong performance in an impressive, 60-38, victory over Eastern Kentucky Thursday night in the Gentry Center.
Tennessee State (1-14, 1-2 OVC) picked up its first win of the season after holding Eastern Kentucky (2-12, 0-3 OVC) to 22 points in the last three quarters. TSU was down, 19-17, when a 14-0 run gave the Lady Tigers a double-digit lead and control of the game.
Tia Wooten led TSU with 14 points and 10 rebounds for her third double-double of the season. Taylor Roberts and Terrysha Banner finished the game with 13 points each while Jaden Wrightsell registered a double-double of 12 points and 10 boards.
Mashayla Cecil led the Colonels with nine points.
Tennessee State held the advantage in points in the paint, 30-12, and second chance points, 23-5. The Lady Tigers committed a season-low 10 turnovers and had 13 steals in the contest.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
HOW IT HAPPENED
- TSU went 1-of-7 from the field to start the game and fell behind 11-3, which led to a timeout.
- The Lady Tigers regrouped out of the break and outscored their opponent 12-5 to close out the quarter. TSU trailed 16-15 after one quarter of action.
- In the second frame TSU continued to put the pieces together.
- TSU was down, 19-17, when a jumper by Lauren Elliott sparked a 14-0 run that gave the Lady Tigers a double-digit advantage.
- Terrysha Banner drained her third triple of the game to make the score, 31-19, in favor of TSU before an EKU three-pointer made the score, 31-22, at halftime.
- TSU outscored EKU 16-6 in the second period.
- In the third quarter, six unanswered points by TSU stretched the home team's advantage to 37-22 and forced an EKU timeout.
- The Colonels had a short spurt and cut TSU's 15-point lead down to 39-29 before the Lady Tigers carried a 41-29 led into the final quarter.
- With 5:10 remaining in the game, a free-throw by Andreana Wrister gave the Lady Tigers a 53-33 cushion.
- TSU maintained a comfortable lead the rest of the way.
GAME NOTES
- Tia Wooten recorded her third double-double of the season.
- Jaden Wrightsell posted a double-double for the second time this season.
- TSU picked up its 24th win in the all-time series versus EKU.
- The Lady Tigers have now won four straight versus the Colonels.
- TSU committed two turnovers in the first half; lowest amount in a half since Feb. 8, 2018 versus Belmont
- TSU only committed 10 turnovers in the game, the fewest since committing nine versus Belmont on March 2, 2016.
- Last Time Held Opponent Under 40 Points was in 2011 - Defeated Southeast Missouri, 58-35 (2/24/11) - Gentry Center
QUOTES
Head Coach Jessica Kern
"I couldn't be more proud of our team and our discipline tonight. We had 10 total turnovers for the game and we only had two at halftime. I was very disappointed with our rebounding at halftime but we showed up in the second half in the rebounding category. And to finally have four players in double-digits says a lot."
Redshirt senior Tia Wooten
"I think we finally put a whole game together. We've been working hard. Going to back to just believing and trusting the process, everything just feels like it's coming together."
UP NEXT
- TSU will close out its four-game homestand on Saturday, Jan. 12 with a match-up against Morehead State.
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