Hot Shooting First Half Leads to TSU Win Over Islanders

Corpus Christi, Texas --- The Tennessee State University women’s basketball team built a 23-point lead and held off a second half rally in a, 72-61, victory over Texas A&M Corpus Christi Monday night in the American Bank Center.

Tennessee State (2-6) snapped a four-game losing skid and was led in scoring Brianna Lawrence’s 14 points. Chelsea Hudson added 10 while Jemilah Leonard, Rachel Allen and Jayda Johnson each tallied nine points. Allen also dished out a game-high eight assists. 

The Lady Tigers were up 8-4 when they went a perfect 4-of-4 from the field over a span of four minutes to go ahead, 18-10.

Just before the eight-minute media Jemilah Leonard buried her third triple of the contest to put TSU on top, 30-14. Another scoring spurt, capped by a jumper from Samantha Palma, made the score, 41-18, in favor of the visitors.

TSU shot 53.3 percent from the field, including 77.8 percent from three-point range, in the first half and went into the locker room with a 41-20 advantage.

In the second half, TSU was forced to call a timeout four minutes into play after TAMCC opened the framed with a 9-2 run.

Jayda Johnson connected in the paint to end a three-minute scoring drought for the Lady Tigers but the offense remained stagnant.

TSU’s struggles continued and by the midway mark TAMCC had cut the deficit down to just seven points.

The offense gained a little life when Rachel Allen went the length of the floor and sank a floater. Brianna Lawrence followed with a three-pointer before Briana Morrow scored in the paint to shift the momentum back to TSU.

With 7:36 on the clock, an old-fashioned-three-point play by Chelsea Hudson made TSU’s lead 60-44. The Lady Tigers maintained a double-digit lead for the duration of the contest.

TSU shot 47.3 percent from the field and knocked down eight three-pointers in the contest (66.7 percent). The Lady Tigers forced the Islanders into 27 turnovers and turned the miscues into 29 points.

Tennessee State returns to action on Thursday at home versus Jacksonville. Game time for the non-conference match-up is slated for 6 p.m. in the Gentry Center.

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COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION