BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Despite an 18-point performance by Tatyana Davis, the Tennessee State women's basketball team fell to Western Kentucky in non-conference action, 77-65, on Sunday afternoon. 

The Lady Toppers led from start to finish in a contest that saw the Lady Tigers turn the ball over an uncharacteristic 24 times. 

Gia Adams finished with 15 points on 7-of-13 shooting and Dominique Claytor had 14 points, six rebounds, and four assists in 27 minutes. 

The Lady Toppers took an early 11-6 lead off a layup by Mya Meredith with 5:42 left to play in the opening quarter. Davis cut the short deficit with a pair of free throws at the 1:07 mark but the hosts answered back in the final minute and led 16-12 after the first. 

TSU trailed 18-17 at 7:34 when Claytor connected on a layup to end her own 4-0 run. WKU then went on an 8-2 run and held a 26-19 advantage with 4:09 left on another jumper by Meredith. Late in the period, Kennedy Davis put the Tigers within one (26-25) with a basket in the paint off a feed from Lacy Robins. WKU ended the half with five straight points and led 31-25 at the turn. 

TSU kept the deficit under double digits in the third as the hosts threatened after each TSU made basket but kept an eight-point lead into the final 10 minutes. 

WKU used the fourth quarter to expand its lead with an 8-2 run with 8:51 left to play. TSU scored 18 of the games next 25 points to cut the disadvantage to a single possession 66-63 after Adams completed an 8-0 spurt with 2:44 left. However, WKU scored the next eight points to hold on to the victory.

TSU stays on the road for a meeting with Omaha on Thursday afternoon before returning to the Gentry Center next Sunday to meet Mercer at 1 p.m.