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NASHVILLE – Tennessee State used an 18-1 run midway through the first half to take control of the game during a 75-60 win over Eastern Illinois on a rainy Saturday in Nashville.
EIU fell to 14-15 on the season, 7-9 in the OVC. TSU improved to 9-19 overall 6-10 in the OVC. Despite the loss EIU did lock up a spot in the upcoming OVC Tournament based on results of other games in the conference earlier in the day.
Eastern Illinois jumped out to an early lead in the first half with balanced scoring.
Tennessee State responded with baskets in transition as the Tigers had a string of four straight trips with 3-pointers knocked down by Kamar McKnight and Michael Littlejohn. TSU would have an extended 18-1 run to jump out to a 33-19 lead.
Josiah Wallace snapped the TSU run with his 3-pointer with 5:13 to play in the half. Wallace scored nine first half points as he finished with 19 points.
EIU would trail 39-29 at the half despite no field goals in the final 3:47 of the half.
In the second half both teams traded baskets in the early going before the Tigers could extend the lead to 15 points on a 3-pointer by Littlejohn. The 3-pointer with 15:54 to play in the game put TSU up 52-37. Littlejohn finished with 21 points.
EIU clamped down on defense late in the half as the Tigers went through a stretch of making only one field goal over a seven minute period.Â
However the Panthers were unable to take advantage going 1-of-9 from the field during the same time frame.
EIU would cut the lead down to seven points on a two occasions; the last on free throws by Wallace with 1:19 remaining that made it 67-60.
TSU closed the game with a 3-pointer by Armani Chaney and five free throws for the final margin.
Ben Harvey added 11 points for EIU in his first collegiate start.
McKnight finished with 15 points and Chaney had 13 for TSU.