BOX SCORE
Final Score: Tennessee State 57, Texas Tech 72
Records: TSU (3-2), #12 TxTU (4-0)
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Venue: United Supermarkets Arena
Attendance: 12,584
LUBBOCK, Texas --- The Tigers (3-2) kicked off its road swing with a 72-57 loss to Texas Tech in the United Supermarkets Arena Thursday evening in Lubbock, Texas.
The Tennessee State men’s basketball team led the night in field goals made, three-pointers made, assists and blocks, but trips to the charity stripe proved to be the deciding stat in the first matchup between the teams. Tech finished the night 32-of-38 from the free-throw line while the Tigers shot 13-of-18.
The Tiger defense kept the Red Raiders to just 20 points 80 percent of the first half and forced 13 turnovers.
Wesley Harris, who transferred from a Big 12 school, returned to familiar sights in the United Supermarkets Arena as he finished the night with 10 points, five rebounds and two steals.
Ravel Moody marked a career-high 12 points as the junior transfer led the team in scoring, while Jon Brown grabbed a career-high six boards. Shakem Johnson finished with 10 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Carlos Marshall Jr. punctuated the night with the final eight Tiger points – scoring all in the final 2:33 of the game. Marshall decreased the Red Raiders’ largest 19-point lead with his efforts, closing the night 72-57.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- TSU Leaders
- Points: Ravel Moody - 12
- Rebounds: Jon Brown - 6
- Assists: Shakem Johnson/Michael Littlejohn - 3
- Steals: Wesley Harris - 2
- Blocks: Ravel Moody/Ben Kone’ - 1
- Texas Tech shot 32-for-38 from the charity stripe.
- The Tigers were in an even matchup with the Red Raiders in every stat category, leading in field goals made, three-pointers made, assists and blocks.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- On the first play, Jy’lan Washington pulled down the defensive rebound, but the Tigers turned it over on a bad pass.
- Two consecutive personal fouls on Carlos Marshall Jr. brought Tech to the line for two at the charity stripe.
- The Tigers shot 0-for-4 before Wesley Harris drew a foul, resulting in a make and a miss at the charity stripe. At first media timeout, the Red Raiders led 6-1.
- The next TSU points fell through the net almost three minutes after the first thanks to Harris’ second trip to the line.
- Big Blue held Tech to just 10 points in eight minutes of play.
- Mark Freeman sunk a mid-range jumper for the first Big Blue field goal of the night.
- Fifty percent of Tech’s points were made on the charity stripe, leading 14-7 with 10 minutes left in the half.
- Ravel Moody had a phenomenal half, leading the Tigers with seven points, 4-for-4 from the stripe and a first half buzzer beater three. TSU entered the locker room down 27-22.
- Shakem Johnson threw one down to kick off the second half.
- Tigers down just two thanks to great play in the paint including a Michael Littlejohn lay through traffic.
- Ben Kone slams one down coming out of a media timeout for his first two points in blue and white.
- The Red Raiders went up during a four minute scoring drought. Davide Moretti went on a 5-0 run alone.
- Wesley Harris hit a three-point shot from the corner for the first TSU bucket in over two minutes, to decrease the gap to just five.
- Texas Tech’s efficiency at the free-throw line and tough shooting by Big Blue set up multiple scoring runs for the Red Raiders.
- A 10-0 Texas Tech run put the club up 55-37.
- Mark Freeman hit a three-point shot, followed by a Wesley Harris three-point play on the fast break.
- Michael Littlejohn’s defense came up with a stolen ball, passed to Ravel Moody, and thrown down court to Shakem Johnson for the easy lay.
- Five more free-throws broken up by a Holyfield layup, was punctuated by a Moody three-pointer. TSU down 12.
- Before the end of the night, Tech took eight more free throw shots to extend its lead to as many as 17.
- Carlos Marshall Jr’s shooting warmed up as the redshirt-sophomore went 4-for-7 to round out the night, scoring TSU’s final eight points, 72-57.
GAME NOTES
- This marks the first matchup between Texas Tech and Tennessee State.
- The Red Raiders now lead the series 1-0.
- TSU is 0-1 against high-major schools this season.
- Shakem Johnson fouled out with 3:56 left in the game.
UP NEXT
The Tigers continue play in the Las Vegas Regional Round at San Diego State, Mon. Nov. 25. Tip is set for 9 p.m. CT.
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