Score: Tennessee State 65, Eastern Illinois 54
Records: TSU (2-11, 2-8), EIU (5-10, 2-6)
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Arena: Gentry Center
Attendance: 338
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NASHVILLE --- After seven four-point losses this season, the Tennessee State men's basketball team garnered its second Ohio Valley Conference victory at home Saturday afternoon, 65-54.
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Marcus Fitzgerald, Jr. led the team in scoring with 15, while
Yusuf Mohamed pulled down eight rebounds and
Mason Green continued his blocking crusade with three.
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The hidden weapon Tiger fans didn't know was hiding on the bench was freshman
Evan Joyner. The 6-8 forward who had only played a total of 12 minutes all season scored a season-high six points, six rebounds in 17 minutes. Â
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TSU is now 2-11, 2-8 on the season.
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INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- TSU Leaders
- The Tigers scored 14 second-chance points, 23 bench points and 34 points in the paint.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Monty Johal in his first start since Jan. 2 at SEMO, sank a second-chance three to put the Tigers on the board.
- Mason Green put-back dunk lifted the Tigers to a four-point lead over the Panthers, 28-22.
- Green ended the half with six points in-a-row for Big Blue. The Tigers entered the break leading EIU, 30-24.
- Moving into the first media timeout, the Panthers had outscored TSU, 7-2, decreasing its deficit to just one.
- Big Blue then went on a 23-9 run over 10 minutes of action. Abraham was the sole Panther to score in that stretch of time.
- EIU answered with its own eight-point run, with two minutes left in the game.
- TSU closed out the night with six free throws and its second OVC win.Â
GAME NOTES
- Evan Joyner posted a career-high 6 points, 6 rebounds , 17 minutes in his third game.
- The Tigers lead the all-time series versus the Panthers, 31-25, and are 14-9 when playing in Nashville.
- in the last six seasons, the Tigers are 5-4 with the Panthers, 3-3 in the Gentry Center, with one loss in overtime.
- This marks the 56th meeting between the teams.
- EIU's head coach Jay Spoonhour was given a technical.
UP NEXT
Big Blue is looking for its first road win in Murray, Kentucky, as the Tigers take on the Racers at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 28.
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