Tennessee State Lady Tigers Come Up Short in OT, 65-58 to Norfolk State

BOX SCORE

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- The Tennessee State women’s basketball team dropped its first game in the Teresa Phillips Thanksgiving Classic to Norfolk State, 65-58, in overtime on Saturday.

Chelsea Hudson led TSU (1-4) with 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting (46.1 percent) and tallied a game-high 11 rebounds.

Kayla Robberts poured in 23 points for Norfolk State (1-4) and secured a team-best eight boards.

Jemilah Leonard canned a three at the 12:47 mark, ending a seven-minute drought to start the game. The hoop ignited a 9-0 run – which Leonard capped with a jumper – and gave TSU an, 11-10, lead.

The Spartans built a five-point advantage later in the half, but two Rachel Allen triples in a two-minute span put the Lady Tigers within one with 3:07 to go in the half.

Each side had just one point during the final three minutes of the first half and NSU went into the break clinging to a, 23-22, lead.

The Lady Tigers crushed the Spartans on the glass during the opening 20 minutes, 23-14, but 12 TSU turnovers led to the gap on the scoreboard.

Hudson converted an old-fashioned three-point play 25 seconds into the second period and Briana Morrow had one, too, a minute later. Hudson then converted an easy lay-in to give the Lady Tigers a, 30-23, lead.

The Spartans fought back with a 12-3 run later in the half and went up by four with a jumper at the 8:58 mark. TSU was 1-for-6 (16.7 percent) during the stretch while NSU made 4-of-8.

The Lady Tigers were down two with 1:40 left in the game when Hudson nailed a layup to tie the game at 52. Hudson was fouled on the play, but missed the ensuing free throw.

NSU canned a three on the next trip down the floor, but Imani Davis answered right back with a three of her own with 36 seconds left to tie the game again at 55.

The Spartans were called for an offensive foul on their next possession, but the refs called Allen for one on TSU’s next chance, forcing overtime.

Jayda Johnson had the first hoop in the extra period, but the Lady Tigers could only muster one more point from there, and fell by seven.

TSU shot 56 percent from the charity stripe (9-of-16) and NSU had more chances (22) and eight more makes (17).

Tennessee State will close out the Teresa Phillips Thanksgiving Classic against Youngstown State tomorrow at 2 p.m.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION