Tennessee St defeats W Illinois 68-90

Tennessee St Dominates W Illinois in Statement Win

The Tennessee State Tigers made a strong statement on Friday night, cruising to an 90-68 victory over the Western Illinois Leathernecks at Western Hall.

In a game that was supposed to be a close conference matchup, the Tigers' defense and offense came together for a convincing win. The largest lead of the game came with just over two minutes remaining, when Tennessee St's Jalen Pitre blocked a shot and picked up an easy layup, putting the Tigers up by 28 points.

Tennessee St's Travis Harper II led the way for the Tigers, scoring 23 points on 3-6 three-point shooting. He was supported by Dante Harris, who dished out four assists and scored seven points.

The Leathernecks' Isaiah Griffin was the only bright spot for Western Illinois, scoring 14 points but struggling from beyond the arc (0-2). Makai Kvamme added six points off the bench, but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit.

The Tigers' performance was marked by their strong shooting and defense. Tennessee St made 34 of 61 field goal attempts (56.0% eFG%), while Western Illinois struggled with just 21 of 55 shots (38.0%). The Leathernecks also committed 11 turnovers, which Tennessee St converted into nine points.

The win gives the Tigers a much-needed confidence boost heading into their next conference matchup. With the victory, Tennessee State moves to a winning record in the conference and proves that they are a force to be reckoned with in the league.

Game Stats

Western Illinois (HOME)

* Field Goals: 21/55 (38.0%)

* Points in Paint: 40

* Fast Break Points: 7

* Points off Turnovers: 8

* Total Fouls: 13

* eFG%: 39.1%

* FT Rate: 61.8%

Tennessee St (AWAY)

* Field Goals: 34/61 (56.0%)

* Points in Paint: 50

* Fast Break Points: 9

* Points off Turnovers: 14

* Total Fouls: 22

* eFG%: 61.5%

* FT Rate: 37.7%

Game Leaders

* Isaiah Griffin - 14 pts, 0-2 3PT, 42.9% FG

* Makai Kvamme - 1 ast, 6 pts, 2 reb, 2 stl

* Travis Harper II - 23 pts, 3-6 3PT, 70.0% FG

* Jalen Pitre - 10 reb, 4 pts, 3 stl