OPENING TIP: The Tennessee State women's basketball team hits the road for its final two nonconference tune-ups against North Texas (Wednesday) and Ole Miss (Sunday).
SERIES INFORMATION VS. NORTH TEXAS: Wednesday's matchup will be the first all-time meeting between TSU and North Texas.
SERIES INFORMATION VS. OLE MISS: Sunday's matchup will be the fourth all-time meeting between TSU and Ole Miss with the Rebels holding a 3-0 series lead.
NORTH TEXAS BY THE NUMBERS:
3: Guard Somah Kamara, the reigning Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Week, recorded 3 steals, showcasing her defensive prowess, though she struggled offensively with 7 points on 2-of-11 shooting.
6: Erin Martin contributed 6 rebounds, tying for the team high, and added 7 points on 2-of-8 shooting.
19: TSU's bench contributed 19 points, led by Angel Hill's efficient 18 points in just 15 minutes, shooting 5-of-6 from the field and 3-of-3 from beyond the arc.
20: The Tigers scored 20 points off turnovers, capitalizing on North Texas's 13 miscues to stay competitive.
22: Saniah Parker led TSU with 22 points, shooting an efficient 10-of-16 from the field, including 2-of-5 from three-point range in 36 minutes.
50%: TSU had their best shooting quarter in the third, hitting 50% (8-of-16) from the field and making all three of their three-point attempts, cutting into North Texas's lead.
KAMARA LOCK: Somah Kamara earned her third-straight OVC Freshman of the Week award after averaging 22.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists/game while hitting 54.5 percent (18-of-33) from the field in a pair of games. She had a season-best 29 points on 12-of-20 shooting in 92-87 overtime victory over UNC Asheville on Saturday. In that game hit a free throw with 11 seconds left in regulation to force the extra period and also added four rebounds, an assist, block and steal. Kamara opened the week with 15 points, two rebounds and an assist against WKU. She has scored in double figures in four-straight games and ranks third in the OVC in scoring (17.6 points/game), and tops among freshmen. Nationally, she ranks fifth among freshmen in scoring.
UNC ASHVILLE BY THE NUMBERS:
12: After allowing UNC Asheville to jump to a 9-0 lead, the Tigers tightened their defense, limiting the Bulldogs' scoring opportunities and forcing key turnovers that shifted the game's momentum.
16: The Tigers trailed 20-4 late in the first quarter but mounted a comeback to tie the game at 30 by halftime, demonstrating resilience and determination.
18: Junior guard Saniah Parker scored the go-ahead basket with 4:02 remaining in overtime, finishing the game with 18 points and contributing significantly to the Tigers' offense.
24: Somah Kamara led the Tigers with 24 points, including a game-tying shot with 11 seconds left in regulation to force overtime.
24: Tennessee State's bench added valuable support, with multiple players stepping up to provide scoring and defensive efforts, showcasing the team's depth.
