FINAL BOX
Final Score: Tennessee State 96 – Murray State 81
Records: TSU (3-19, 1-11 OVC) – MSU (11-12, 4-8 OVC)
Venue: Gentry Center
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
NASHVILLE --- Five players scored in double-digits as the Tennessee State University women's basketball team picked up an impressive, 96-81, win over Murray State Saturday night in the Gentry Center.
The win snapped a 12-game losing skid and earned TSU its first league win of the season.
The game was a tightly contested battle that saw several lead changes in the first half. Towards the end of the second quarter, TSU used three straight steals and scores to capture a six point lead at the break.
In the third quarter, the Lady Tigers were clicking on all cylinders. They used a 13-3 run to grab a 58-41 advantage and never relinquished the lead.
Jaden Wrightsell led TSU with a double-double of 29 points and 12 rebounds to go with six steals and three assists. Jazmine Young and Deaja Richardson each tallied 22 points while Taylor Roberts (11) and Andreana Wrister (10) also scored in double-digits. Richardson also dished out seven assists.
Murray State had four players reach double-digits led by Alexis Burpo's 22 points. Raegan Blackburn had 16 while Macey Turley (15) and Lex Mayes (14) rounded out the top scorers.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- TSU Leaders
- TSU shot 46.9 percent from the field, including 37.5 percent from three-point range.
- The Lady Tigers made 30-of-38 free-throws.
- TSU forced 24 turnovers and scored 25 points off turnovers.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Tennessee State got on the board first and battled from the beginning.
- TSU was down, 16-12, when an 8-0 run fueled by back-to-back three-pointers from Deaja Richardson gave the Lady Tigers a 20-16 advantage.
- MSU outscored TSU 11-4 the rest of the way to capture a, 27-24, lead at the end of the first quarter.
- The Lady Tigers responded by outscoring the Racers 5-1 to start the second period.
- TSU went on top, 29-28, and from there, the teams traded buckets.
- Big Blue had a slight, 39-38, lead when three consecutive steals sparked a 6-0 rally that gave the home team a 45-38 lead at halftime.
- The Lady Tigers outscored the Racers 21-11, in the second period.
- In the third stanza, a three-pointer by Deaja Richardson capped a 13-3 flurry that gave the Lady Tigers their largest lead of the game, 58-41.
- The Racers responded with a spurt to cut the deficit to 12 but Taylor Roberts nailed a triple on the next possession to build the lead back up to 15.
- The visitors used their three-point shooting to close the gap to, 67-57, heading into the final frame.
- At the 6:35 mark of the fourth quarter, TSU stretched the lead back up to, 80-63.
- The Racers would not go away and once again chopped the deficit down to, 83-71, with 4:49 left to play.
- With 2:02 remaining, TSU had built a 92-74 lead. The Lady Tigers maintained a comfortable lead the rest of the way.
GAME NOTES
- The win gives TSU a split with MSU this season.
- Five players scored in double-digits for the first time this season.
- Jaden Wrightsell scored a career-high 29 points.
- Deaja Richardson registered a career-high 22 points and seven steals.
- Wrightsell posted her fifth double-double of the season with 29 points and 12 rebounds.
- Five players scored in double-digits for the first time since the 2017-18 season when TSU played Fisk on Dec. 9.
- Three players scored at least 20 points.
- The six steals is a career-high for Wrightsell.
UP NEXT
- TSU returns to action Thursday at vs Belmont. Game time is set for 5:00 p.m. in the Curb Event Center.
#BigBlueRising
