NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Jayden Jones scored 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting to lead six Tigers in double figures as Tennessee State defeated East-West 127-61 Thursday night in its home opener at the Gentry Center.
Jones added six rebounds and two blocks for Tennessee State (1-1). Aaron Bradshaw recorded a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass, and blocked four shots.
Ajayi Simmons came off the bench to score 14 points and grab nine rebounds in 13 minutes. He made all four of his field-goal attempts and all five free throws. Arterio Morris added 14 points, five assists and three steals. Deondrea Lindsey scored 12 points, and Maddux Bodenhamer finished with 10 points and five assists off the bench.
The Tigers scored 82 points in the paint and turned 26 offensive rebounds into 43 second-chance points. TSU also scored 37 points off 25 East-West turnovers.
HOW IT HAPPENED
East-West tied the game at 14 with 10:18 left in the first half. Lindsey answered with a three-point play 12 seconds later to start a 21-0 Tennessee State run. Morris capped the stretch with a basket at the 6:07 mark to put the Tigers ahead 35-14. TSU took a 54-28 lead into halftime after scoring 34 points in the paint.
Tennessee State put together a 17-0 run early in the second half. Kavien Jones capped it with a layup off an East-West turnover to make it 75-32 with 13:38 remaining. The Tigers scored 73 points after halftime, including 48 in the paint.
Caleb Harris led East-West (0-1) with 18 points.
GAME NOTES
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Tennessee State never trailed and shot 53.2 percent from the field, making 50 of 94 attempts.
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The Tigers outrebounded East-West 58-35. Bradshaw led all players with 12 rebounds.
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TSU recorded 25 assists against eight turnovers. Morris and Bodenhamer shared the team lead with five assists apiece.
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Tennessee State held East-West to 35.3 percent shooting and finished with 17 steals and 12 blocks. Morris and Christian Alston each had three steals.
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The Tigers' bench scored 63 points, led by Simmons' 14 and Bodenhamer's 10.
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Morris, Bodenhamer and Presley Patterson each made two of TSU's nine 3-pointers.
UP NEXT
Tennessee State hosts Fisk on Monday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. CT at the Gentry Center.
