Score: Tennessee State , Eastern Kentucky
Records: TSU (3-15, 2-13), EKU (15-5, 9-4)
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Arena: Gentry Center
Attendance: 285
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NASHVILLE --- Shakem Johnson scored his first double-double of the season, 16 points, 10 rebounds, adding three blocks in the 93-73 loss to Eastern Kentucky in the Gentry Center Saturday afternoon.
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Mark Freeman tied for a career-high nine assists on the Tigers' way to shooting 39 percent from the field.
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Josh Linder came in clutch off the bench for Big Blue with eight points while redshirt-freshman
Amorey Womack notched five.
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Big Blue rounds out its home stand next week with Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State.
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INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- TSU's Leaders
- Big Blue went 22-for-30 from the charity stripe, averaging 73 percent.Â
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Ravel Moody knocked down the first five points for Big Blue, and at first media timeout, the Tigers were down 10-5. Eight of EKU's points were in the paint and the other two were made at the free-throw line.
- The Colonels went on a 16-0 run over a five-minute TSU scoring drought.
- With eight minutes left in the first period, EKU led 29-13. Moody scored 11 of those 13.
- Big Blue closed out the half with seven unanswered points, five from Shakem Johnson, 49-35.
- The Tigers kicked off the second period on a 7-2 effort closing the margin to just nine.
- Offensive lulls have plagued the Tigers all season. Another nine-point run by the Colonels led to a 68-46 advantage.
- Big Blue went on an eight-point run with help from all newcomers.
- For the rest of the way, the Colonels' accuracy was spot on extending its lead to as much as 22 in the final 10 minutes of action.
- Eastern Kentucky defeated TSU for the fifth time under Coach Collins' tenure.
GAME NOTES
·      This marks the 70th meeting between Tennessee State and Eastern Kentucky.
·      Brian Penny Collins is 1-5 against EKU.
·      TSU trails 30-40 in the all-time series versus EKU
·      Big Blue is 16-22 when taking on EKU in the Gentry Center.
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UP NEXT
Big Blue returns home to play Tennessee Tech Thursday, Feb. 18 for an 8 p.m. tip on ESPN+ and the Big Blue Sports Network.
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