OVC Campaign Begins For TSU Lady Tigers on Saturday

GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS | VIDEO

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -- The Tennessee State University women’s basketball team will officially kick-off the Ohio Valley Conference campaign on Saturday, Dec. 28 when the Lady Tigers face Eastern Illinois on the road. The game will be TSU’s first contest after the Christmas break and final of the year 2013. 

 

THE LADY TIGERS AT A GLANCE

Tennessee State is coming off a, 66-58, loss against LaSalle at the Gator Holiday Classic. TSU also dropped a contest to host Florida on the first day of the tournament.  The losses extended TSU’s losing streak to three games and moved the Lady Tigers to 3-10 overall.

 

TSU is averaging 64.8 points per outing while shooting 34.9 percent from the field. Chelsea Hudson leads the team in scoring with 16.4 points per game while Rachel Allen (11.3 ppg) and I’mani Davis (7.6 ppg) round out the top scorers for TSU.

 

The Lady Tigers, under second year head coach Larry Joe Inman, returned four letterwinners from last year’s squad and added eight newcomers, including seven freshmen, to the roster.

 

TSU finished last season with an overall record of 13-15 and a 9-7 conference mark. In an Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll that was released in October, TSU was predicted to finish fifth in the East Division standings.

 

LAST TIME OUT

TSU got off to a slow start and fell behind 24-3 in the first half before forging a comeback that cut the deficit down to just five. The Lady Tigers, however, ran out of time and fell to LaSalle, 66-58, at the Gator Holiday Classic. I’mani Davis recorded her second double-double of the season and led TSU with 15 points to go with 16 rebounds. Rachel Allen finished the game with 14 points.  

 

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS

Eastern Illinois is off to a 5-6 start this season. The Panthers have won two straight with the most recent victory coming against Air Force, 76-44. EIU has won three of its last four games.

 

In the win over Air Force, Sabina Oroszova recorded a double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Katlyn Payne also scored 22 points while Jordyne Crunk added 14.

 

Oroszova (18.1 ppg), Payne (14.4 ppg) and Crunk (11.3 ppg) are also the team’s leading scorers.

 

As a team, EIU is averaging 61.1 points per game behind a 39.6 field goal percentage. The Panthers are shooting 35.1 percent from the three-point line and the 68.9 percent from the charity stripe.

 

TSU vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS

TSU will meet Eastern Illinois for the 38th time in the series history as EIU leads, 27-10. EIU claimed the last meeting between the two teams with a 76-67 victory in the Gentry Center. TSU has not won a game against EIU since the 2006 season when the Lady Tigers defeated the Panthers, 67-62.

 

COVERAGE

Updates on the game will be available throughout the game on the official twitter page via @TSU_Tigers. Live stats and video will also be available for the games. Links can be found on tsutigers.com under the schedule.

 

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

TSU will return to action in the next year at home against conference foe Jacksonville State on Jan. 4. Game time is slated for 5:30 p.m. in the Gentry Center. 

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION