Score: Tennessee State 53, Murray State 73
Records: TSU (3-11, 2-9), MSU (7-7, 4-5)
Location: Murray, Ky.
Arena: CFSB Center
Attendance: 1290
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MURRAY, Ky. --- Welcome back
Mark Freeman. After a two-game absence due to injury, the point guard returned to the court against Murray State Thursday night with a 22-point performance in the 73-53 loss on the road.
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Murray State's KJ Williams led the game with 25 points, 16 rebounds, followed closely by Gilmore with 12 points and Carter with 10.
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The Tigers are now 3-11 on the season, 2-9 in Ohio Valley Conference play moving into game two of its four-game road swing.
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INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- TSU's Leaders
- The Tigers shot 15-of-17 from the charity stripe marking the best shooting night from the distance this season, led by Mark Freeman (10-of-10).
- The bench produced 31 points.
- TSU scored 23 times on 65 possessions.Â
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Four minutes into the action and six points down, Yusuf Mohamed scooped the ball from the ground and laid it in for two.
- Marcus Fitzgerald, Jr. led the Tigers with five total points as the Racers went on a two minute scoring drought thanks to Big Blue's defense.
- Offensive inconsistency helped the Tigers decrease the gap to just one, 14-13. Freeman drew a foul taking to the line for two. Big Blue takes the lead.
- KJ Williams made up for the Racers' lull with six straight points in the paint increasing his damage on the night to nine points.
- MSU focused its efforts in the paint, capitalizing off of its size. At the half, the Racers had worked its way to a nine-point lead, 31-22.
- Four minutes into second half action and the teams are at an even five-points apiece.
- Ravel Moody passed to Mason Green down low for the slam.
- Freeman scored 18 of the 31 second-half points, 11 in a row with a Womack three-pointer to end the night.Â
GAME NOTES
- The Racers lead the all-time series against TSU, 57-17 and have won the last six.
- MSU is now on a six-game win streak over TSU.
- Coach Collins is 0-4 against the Racers.Â
UP NEXT
The Tigers continue its road swing at Austin Peay, Saturday, Jan. 30. Tip in the Dunn Center is set for 4 p.m. on ESPN+ and the Big Blue Sports Network.
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