Final Score: Tennessee State 72 , Indiana State 78
Records: TSU (7-5) , INS (6-4)
Location: Terra Haute, Ind.
Venue: Hulman Center
Attendance: 3,123

TERTRA HAUTE, Ind. --- Down 16 with eight minutes left in the second half, the Tennessee State men’s basketball team battled its way down to a four-point deficit before the Sycamores of Indiana State took two free-throws to end the night in the Hulman Center, 78-72.

In just 19 minutes of play, senior Emmanuel Egbuta notched team-highs in scoring and rebounds, 15 points, 9 boards for TSU who now holds a 7-5 overall record with just one non-conference matchup left in the year.

The 7-5 start for Big Blue marks the best non-conference run since the 2016-17 season when TSU went 9-3.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• TSU Leaders
  • Points: Emmanuel Egbuta - 15
  • Rebounds: Emmanuel Egbuta - 9
  • Assists: Littlejohn – 5
• The Tigers finished the night with 44 points in the paint.
• Big Blue held the Sycamores, who’ve averaged 42.4 percent from three-point distance to 11 percent in the second half, 25 percent game.
• Tyreke Key, Indiana State’s leading scorer finished the night with 31, shooting 18-of-22 from the free-throw line.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Shakem Johnson won the jumpball and finished the first possession of the game with a layyp around the net.
• Freeman lobbed the ball to Koné, who started his second game for TSU, for another TSU layup.
• Michael Littlejohn closed out a seven-point run with a three-pointer from the wing.
• Two minutes in after three consecutive defensive stops, Indiana State put two on the board, which kicked off a its own 7-0 run.
• Emmanuel Egbuta put down TSU’s first dunk of the night followed by an ISU three-point shot.
• The Sycamores took its’ first with another three-point shot.
• Jon Brown pulled down a defensive rebound and on the fast break passed up the court to Koné for a layup.
• Brown was called for a three-point play assisted by Littlejohn.
• The Tigers worked down low for much of its scoring opportunities as Koné went 3-of-4 and Egbuta 4-of-5.
• Shots beyond the arc weren’t falling for Big Blue as TSU went 1-of-7 from the distance.
• Carlos Marshall Jr. ended the half with a single dribble into a mid-range jumper to close it down six, 40-34.
• The half began how it would end with a foul on TSU and free-throws by Tyreke Key.
• Mark Freeman picked up the first shot of the second period, two and a half minutes in.
• Jon Brown knocked one in before Ravel Moody subbed in and made two consecutive shots.
• Leading TSU, 54-44, Wesley Harris took to the charity stripe for what would be two-of-four points on the night.
• The Tigers continued to drive to the goal or pass it down low, as they shot 58.8 percent from the floor.
• Down 16, TSU caught its second wind. For the final eight minutes, TSU outscored the Sycamores 23-13.
• The night ended at the charity stripe with two Key made free throws.

GAME NOTES

• This marks the fourth time the Tigers and the Sycamores have met.
• The first meeting was under legendary head coach Ed Martin in 1997; the Tigers fell 66-92.
• In the last matchup between the teams, Indiana State defeated Big Blue Dec. 22, 1999; TSU dropped 89-62.
• Indiana State now leads the series 4-0.
• Brian “Penny” Collins is now 0-1 against Indiana State.
• Wesley Harris fouled out with 7:17 left in the game; Mark Freeman with 4:46; Carlos Marshall, Jr. with 9.2 seconds left.

UP NEXT

TSU ends non-conference play at home in the Gentry Center as it hosts Blue Mountain, Saturday, Dec. 21.

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