NASHVILLE - The Tennessee State offense put on a ball-movement clinic at home Thursday, notching 14 assists on 21 made shots, but the Lady Tigers fell to the Morehead State Eagles 81-58.
The Lady Tigers (5-7, 0-1) had two players score in double figures, led by Erica Haynes-Overton, who had 12 points. Kianni Westbrook tacked on 12 points and nine rebounds and Gia Adams added nine points, five assists, and five steals.
Westbrook pulled down six offensive rebounds to lead an offense that racked up second-chance opportunities for Tennessee State, grabbing 17 boards and turning them into eight second-chance points.
The Tennessee State defense was effective at taking away the basketball in Thursday's game, forcing 26 Morehead State turnovers while committing 19. Those takeaways turned into 18 points on the offensive end of the floor. Adams' five steals led the way individually for the Lady Tigers.
How It Happened
Tennessee State struggled out of the gate, falling behind 19-10 at the end of the first quarter.
The Lady Tigers continued to lose ground in the second quarter and faced a 39-26 halftime deficit.
Tennessee State's deficit continued to grow after halftime, and the Lady Tigers faced a 62-42 disadvantage heading to the fourth quarter. Tennessee State turned four offensive rebounds into five second-chance points on the way to scoring 16 total points in the quarter.
Morehead State kept widening its lead in the fourth, constructing a 68-46 advantage before Tennessee State went on a 5-0 run, finished off by Saniah Parker's three, to shrink the deficit to 68-51 with 7:06 to go in the contest. Morehead State responded and outscored the Lady Tigers the rest of the way, ending the game with a final score of 81-58. Tennessee State took advantage of four Morehead State turnovers in the quarter, scoring five points off of those takeaways.
Game Notes
» The Lady Tigers put on a passing clinic, recording an assist on 67 percent of made baskets.
» The Tennessee State defense forced 26 turnovers.
» Tennessee State cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 17 offensive boards in the game.
» Erica Haynes-Overton and Kianni Westbrook led the Lady Tigers with 12 points each.
» Tennessee State got a team-high nine rebounds from Kianni Westbrook.
Up Next
The Lady Tigers will be back in action on Saturday afternoon as they are set to host Little Rock in OVC play. Tip-off is slated for 1:00 p.m.
