NASHVILLE - The Tennessee State men's basketball team went into the half tied with South Carolina State 35-35, but took control in the second half to defeat the Bulldogs 80-61 at home on Saturday.

The Tigers (2-0) had four players score in double figures, led by Jr. Clay, who had 23 points. Zion Griffin added 23 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks while Marcus Fitzgerald Jr. chipped in 12 points and six assists.

Tennessee State took advantage of great ball movement in Saturday's game, piling up 16 assists on 28 made field goals. Fitzgerald Jr.'s six assists paced the Tigers and Justin Williams also contributed with five assists of his own.

Tennessee State did a great job disrupting South Carolina State shots in the contest, coming away with five blocks. Griffin's four rejections led the way individually for the Tigers.

How It Happened

After falling behind 14-11, Tennessee State went on a 6-0 run with 10:54 left in the first half, culminating in a three from Griffin, to take a 17-14 lead. South Carolina State then responded to tie things up at 35-35 heading into halftime. Tennessee State got a boost from behind the arc in the period, hitting six shots to account for 18 of its 35 points.

South Carolina State then snagged a 48-45 advantage before Tennessee State responded by going on a 7-0 run, finished off by Clay's three, to seize a 52-48 lead with 13:18 to go in the contest. The Tigers kept expanding the margin and coasted the rest of the way for the 80-61 win. Tennessee State took care of business in the paint, recording 28 of its 45 points in the lane.

Game Notes

» Tennessee State outscored South Carolina State 45-26 in the second half after a halftime tie to pick up the victory.
» The Tigers shot well from three-point range, knocking down nine of 22 long-range attempts.
» The Tigers held the Bulldogs to only 35.9 percent shooting from the field.
» Tennessee State tallied 16 total assists in the game.
» Tennessee State had a 41-38 edge on the boards in the win.
» The Tigers were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, tallying five blocks as a team.
» Jr. Clay had a game-high 23 points and Zion Griffin added 23.
» Tennessee State got a game-high nine rebounds from Zion Griffin.

TSU will be back at home on Monday night as they are set to host Alabama A&M. Tip-off from the Gentry Center is set for 8:00 p.m.