SAINT CHARLES, Mo. –Travis Harper II scored a game-high 30 points, and Aaron Nkrumah and Dante Harris each added at least 20 as the Tennessee State men's basketball team earned a 96-86 road victory over Lindenwood on Saturday afternoon at Robert F. Hyland Arena.
Harper II led the Tigers (13-7, 7-3) with 30 points on 13-of-21 shooting and added two steals. Nkrumah finished with 22 points, six rebounds and four assists, while Harris contributed 20 points, three assists and a team-high three steals as Tennessee State placed three players over the 20-point mark for the second time this season.
Tennessee State shot an efficient 60 percent from the field and outscored Lindenwood 56-34 in the paint while holding a 31-27 advantage on the glass, paced by six rebounds from Nkrumah and Antoine Lorick III.
The Tennessee State defense was effective at taking away the basketball in Saturday's game, forcing 16 Lindenwood turnovers while committing 15. Those takeaways turned into 26 points on the offensive end of the floor, helping the Tigers maintain control throughout the second half. Harris led the way defensively with three steals, while Harper II and Lorick III added two apiece.
How It Happened
After falling behind 20-18, Tennessee State went on a 9-0 run with 11:26 left in the first half, capped by a Harris three-pointer, to seize a 27-20 lead. The Tigers continued to attack the rim and used balanced scoring to build momentum before entering halftime with a 43-39 advantage, scoring 24 of their first-half points in the paint.
Following intermission, Tennessee State steadily extended its lead, pushing the margin to 65-59 before using a 6-0 run—highlighted by a Nkrumah three—to open a 71-59 cushion with 9:16 remaining. Lindenwood trimmed the deficit to single digits on several occasions, but the Tigers answered each push with timely baskets, including back-to-back transition dunks from Harper II late, to secure the 96-86 victory. Tennessee State finished the game with 32 of its 53 second-half points coming in the paint.
Game Notes
» The Tigers made half of their attempts from three-point range, knocking down seven of 14 shots.
» Tennessee State never trailed in the second half on its way to victory.
» Travis Harper II, Aaron Nkrumah, and Dante Harris combined to score 72 of the Tigers' 96 points (75%).
» Tennessee St. shot 60 percent from the field to efficiently reach its 96-point total.
» Tennessee State held a 31-27 edge on the boards in the win.
» The Tennessee State defense forced 16 turnovers, converting them into 26 points.
» The Tigers had three players score over 20 points in the contest: Travis Harper II (30), Aaron Nkrumah (22), and Dante Harris (20).
» Tennessee State received six rebounds apiece from Aaron Nkrumah and Antoine Lorick III.
