BY HBCU SPORTS

NASHVILLE — Tennessee State defeated the Little Rock Trojans 94-69 by shooting 56 percent from beyond the goal line.

Marcus Fitzgerald Jr. led the Tigers (9-6, 1-0) in scoring with 27 points and seven boards. Jr. Clay contributed 21 points, eight assists, and three steals, and Dedric Boyd chipped in 14 points.

Tennessee State used excellent ball movement throughout the contest, racking up 16 helpers on 33 made field goals. Clay’s eight assists topped the Tigers in sharing. The Tennessee State defense made its fair share of errors, causing 14 giveaways from Little Rock. Those turnovers resulted in ten points on the attacking end of the floor. Individually, Clay’s three thefts topped the Tigers.

Following a 15-7 edge, Tennessee State went on an 11-0 run with 11:46 remaining in the first half to extend its lead to 26-7. The Tigers then held on to their edge, leading 45-26 at intermission. Tennessee State depended on three-point shooting in the quarter, making seven attempts and scoring 21 of its 45 points.

Following halftime, Tennessee State extended its advantage to 71-47 before going on a 6-0 run to increase the lead to 77-47 with 8:39 remaining in the game.

The Trojans cut the Tigers’ lead to 94-69 before the game was over, but the Tigers dominated the rest of the way. Tennessee State shot well from three-point range in the first half, making seven three-pointers to account for 21 of its 49 points.