NASHVILLE - The Lady Tigers (2-1) had four players score in double figures as TSU outscored Trevecca 43-33 in the second half to pick up the 84-80 win.
The Tigers were led by Gia Adams, who had 20 points and two steals. Lyric Cole added 19 points, nine rebounds and two steals and Erica Haynes-Overton chipped in as well with 17 points. True freshman Zyion Shannon finished with 13 points.
Led by Cole's six offensive rebounds, Tennessee State did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 18 boards that resulted in 21 second-chance points.
The Tennessee State defense was a problem in Monday's game, forcing 22 Trevecca Nazarene turnovers while committing 16. Those takeaways turned into 28 points on the offensive end of the floor. Zyion Shannon's five steals led the way individually for the Lady Tigers.
How It Happened
Tennessee State struggled out of the gate, falling behind 31-17 at the end of the first quarter.
Trevecca Nazarene kept adding to that lead, building a 35-19 advantage before Tennessee State went on an 8-0 run to narrow its deficit to 35-27. The Lady Tigers continued to chip away, reducing the Trojan lead to 47-41 heading into the break.
After intermission, Tennessee State cut its deficit to 54-49 before going on a 6-0 run, punctuated by a basket from Cole, to grab a 55-54 lead with 5:39 to go in the third. Before the third period was over, the Lady Tigers added five points to that lead and entered the fourth quarter with a 69-63 edge. Tennessee State played well near the basket, scoring 18 of its 28 points in the paint.
Tennessee State kept its lead intact before going on a 6-0 run, finished off by Parker's jumper, to grow the lead to 75-68 with 6:54 to go in the contest. The Trojans narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Lady Tigers still held on for the 84-80 win. Tennessee State took advantage of its opportunities in the post, scoring 10 of its 15 points in the paint.
Game Notes
» The Tennessee State defense forced 22 turnovers.
» Tennessee State cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 18 offensive boards in the game.
» Gia Adams led the Lady Tigers with a game-high 20 points.
» Sierra McCullough and Saniah Parker led Tennessee State with 10 rebounds apiece.
The Tigers will be back in action on Wednesday night as they are set to travel to Chattanooga for a 7:00 p.m. matchup with the Mocs.
