Tennessee St defeats Tennessee Tech 76-88
Tennessee St Edges Out Tennessee Tech 88-76 in Conference Showdown
The visiting Tennessee State Tigers outlasted the home-standing Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles 88-76 on New Year's Eve, marking their first win over their intrastate rivals this season.
The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading baskets and making key plays down the stretch. However, it was the Tigers who managed to pull away in the second half, using their three-point shooting to take control of the contest.
Tennessee St's 3PT attack was nearly unstoppable, with nine players hitting at least one three-pointer. The Tigers made 14 of 26 attempts from behind the arc, converting 54% of their shots and outscoring Tennessee Tech by 10 points in that category.
Travis Harper II led the way for the Tigers, scoring 29 points on 9-14 three-point shooting. Jalen Pitre chipped in with 11 points and 15 rebounds, while Dante Harris dished out a career-high nine assists.
JaJuan Nicholls paced Tennessee Tech with 19 points on an impressive 100% field goal percentage. Malik Ferguson added 10 points and three assists off the bench.
Despite being outscored by their opponents, the Golden Eagles had some notable performances of their own. JaJuan Nicholls grabbed five rebounds to go along with his 19 points, while Malik Ferguson contributed with 10 points and a trio of assists.
In terms of advanced statistics, both teams performed well on the glass but struggled with turnovers. The Tigers committed just 11 turnovers, which was fewer than Tennessee Tech's 15, and managed to outscore their opponents in fast break points (14-22) and points off turnovers (23-14).
The win marks a significant turning point for Tennessee State, who had previously struggled against their intrastate rivals. With this victory, the Tigers have taken a crucial step towards securing their place in the conference standings.
For Tennessee Tech, however, the loss serves as a reminder that they still have work to do if they hope to compete with the top teams in the league.
The Hooper Eblen Center crowd will likely be quiet for a while after this one, but the Tigers will take pride in their hard-fought win over their neighbors.