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NASHVILLE – Tennessee State sank a 3-pointer just before halftime to take a one point lead. The Lady Tigers opened the second half with a 9-2 run and never looked back during a 57-44 win over Eastern Illinois on Wednesday night in the Gentry Center.
EIU dropped to 5-11 overall, 2-1 in the OVC. The Panthers will host Belmont at 1 p.m. on Saturday in Lantz Arena. TSU ended a 15-game losing streak against EIU beating the Panthers for the first time since December of 2006 as they improved to 5-8 overall, 2-0 in the OVC.
EIU opened the game with an 8-0 run as they had easy baskets from
Sabina Oroszova,
Arnisha Thomas and
Erica Brown. TSU answered with a 7-0 run eventually tying the game at 14-14 at the 12:43 mark on a jumper by Imani Davis. Davis led the Lady Tigers with 15 points.
Kandace Tate made a lay-up to put EIU up four points with 2:27 to play in the half. Briana Lawrence made her only field goal of the game sinking a 3-pointer with 33 seconds left in the half to give TSU a 23-22 lead at the break.
TSU would open the second half with a 9-2 run as they quickly built a double digit lead. The Lady Tigers had 11 steals as they forced EIU into 28 turnovers. The Panthers made a run late in the second half as Oroszova hit a jumper with 5:25 cut the TSU lead to 45-37. Oroszova finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Jemliah Leonard had a 3-pointer and Chelsea Hudson a jumper from the wing on the next two possessions as TSU pulled away for the win. Leonard had nine points as TSU was 3-of-8 in the second half from 3-point range. The Lady Tigers were held to 29 percent shooting from the floor.
Thomas has 10 points for EIU. Brown pulled down 11 rebounds as the Panthers led the rebounding battle by a 48-38 margin.
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