Tennessee State Tigers clobbers SEMO 87-75

Photo: TSU junior guard Bruce Price, 6-3/205, South High School, Minneapolis, MN

Courtesy: Tennessee State Sports Information (1/18/08)

Bruce Price Leads Tigers with 33 points

Tennessee State University (7-10, 4-4 OVC) gained a season split with Southeast Missouri State (11-3, 6-3 OVC) by downing the Redhawks 87-75 at the Gentry Center in Nashville, Thursday. The Tigers dropped a 102-95 decision in Cape Giradeau earlier this season (12/06/07).

TSU guard Bruce Price led all scorers with 33 points, marking the sixth time he has scored over 30 points in his career at Tennessee State. Three other Tigers scored in double figures with freshman guard Gerald Robinson, Jr. adding 18 points, forward Jerrell Houston netting 12 points and guard LaDarious Weaver canning 11 points. Houston notched his second consecutive double-double pulling down a game high 14 rebounds.

Southeast Missouri, playing without one of their top players, Brandon Foust, had four players in double figure scoring, led by Kenard Moore (16). Jaycen Herring and Marcus Rhodes tallied 11 points each and Calvin Williams added ten points.

The Tigers opened the scoring at 18:56 on a lay up by Bruce Price and never trailed in the game. TSU built double-digit leads at 9:03 (23-10) and 5:52 (29-17), but only led by one point (34-33) at the half.

In the second half, The Tigers moved out to another double-digit lead, 47-37, at the 15:25 mark, but the Redhawks closed the lead to three points, 49-46, with 13:12 remaining. TSU went on a 19-2 run and a 66-48 lead with 8:05 left in the game. TSU held off any runs SEMO mounted through the end of the game, for the final twelve point win, 87-75.

On the game, TSU shot 45.3% (29-64) from the floor and 68% (21-31) from the foul line. SEMO had similar numbers, shooting 44% (24-55) from the floor and 69% (20-29) from the foul line. TSU hit 8-24 (33.3%) from behind the arc and SEMO hit 7-23 (30.4%) from 3-point land. Tennessee State won the battle of the boards 40-37.

The Tigers will host Eastern Illinois on Saturday (1/19) at 4:30 p.m. in the Gentry Center. The game will be telecast nationally on ESPNU-TV.