NASHVILLE - The Tennessee State men's basketball team got a 34-point performance from the bench on the way to an 87-76 win against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs at home Monday.

The Tigers (3-0) had four players score in double figures, led by Christian Brown, who had 20 points and two steals. Marcus Fitzgerald Jr. added 17 points, seven rebounds, and five assists and Jr. Clay helped out with 13 points and five assists.

The Tennessee State offense was very productive from deep, pouring in 11 threes on 30 attempts. Brown was the most prolific shooter for the Tigers, draining four treys in the contest.

The Tennessee State defense was a problem in Monday's game, forcing 20 Alabama A&M turnovers while committing 15. Those takeaways turned into 17 points on the other end of the floor. Tajik Bartholomew led the way individually for the Tigers with two steals.

How It Happened

After playing to a 9-9 tie, Tennessee State went on an 8-0 run with 13:33 left in the first half, culminating in a bucket from Fitzgerald Jr., to take a 17-9 lead. The Tigers then added four points to that lead by the end of the period and entered halftime with a 47-35 advantage. Tennessee State relied on its three-point shooting in the period, knocking down eight shots to account for 24 of its 47 points.

Tennessee State kept its lead intact before going on a 6-0 run, finished off by Brown's three, to grow the lead to 56-45 with 14:43 to go in the contest. The Tigers held onto that lead for the rest of the game for the 87-76 win. Tennessee State took care of business in the paint, recording 20 of its 40 points in the lane.

Game Notes

» Tennessee State found success from beyond the arc, knocking down 11 treys in the game.
» Tennessee State never trailed on the way to an 87-76 victory.
» Tennessee State tallied 16 total assists in the game.
» The Tennessee State bench came alive by scoring 34 points to its scoring output.
» Christian Brown and Zool Kueth came off the bench to score 20 and 10 points, respectively.
» The Tennessee State defense forced 20 turnovers.
» Tennessee State cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 10 offensive boards in the game.
» Christian Brown led the Tigers with 20 points.
» Tennessee State got seven rebounds from both Marcus Fitzgerald Jr. and Zion Griffin.

The Tigers will be back in action on Thursday night as they hit the road to Carbondale, Ill., to take on Southern Illinois. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.