NASHVILLE - The Tennessee State women's basketball team got a 15-point performance from the bench, but fell 74-43 to the Lipscomb Bisons at home Friday.
The Tigers (1-3) had two players score in double figures, led by Eboni Williams, who had 13 points and seven rebounds. Sanaa' St. Andre added 12 points and Kennedy Davis added six points.
Williams pulled down five offensive rebounds to pace an offense that racked up second-chance opportunities for Tennessee State, grabbing 14 boards and turning them into nine second-chance points.
The Tennessee State defense effectively took away the basketball in Friday's game, forcing 18 Lipscomb turnovers. Those takeaways turned into 11 points on the offensive end of the floor. Davis' one steal led the way individually for the Tigers.
How It Happened
Tennessee State struggled out of the gate, falling behind 22-7 at the end of the first quarter.
The Tigers lost ground in the second quarter and faced a 45-17 halftime deficit.
Following halftime, Tennessee State kept the Bisons from growing their lead before going on a 5-0 run, punctuated by a three from Williams, to trim its deficit to 47-24 with 7:53 to go in the third. The Tigers could not cut further into the deficit but did not cede ground to Lipscomb either and entered the fourth quarter trailing 58-35. Tennessee State played well near the basket, scoring 12 of its 18 points in the paint.
Lipscomb kept widening its lead in the fourth, constructing a 69-35 advantage before Tennessee State went on a 6-0 run, finished off by Williams' layup, to shrink the deficit to 69-41 with 3:42 to go in the contest. Lipscomb responded and outscored the Tigers the rest of the way, ending the game with a final score of 74-43. Tennessee State took advantage of its opportunities in the post, scoring four of its eight points in the paint.
Game Notes
» The Tennessee State bench came alive by scoring 15 points to its scoring output.
» The Tennessee State defense forced 18 turnovers.
» Tennessee State cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 14 offensive boards in the game.
» Eboni Williams led the Tigers with 13 points.
» Tennessee State got a team-high seven rebounds from Eboni Williams.
The Tigers will be back in action next Friday as they are slated to travel to Miami, Fla., where they will compete in the FIU Thanksgiving Classic. TSU will take on William and Mary to start the tournament.
