Late Run Sinks Trojans in Home Loss

Friday, November 15

Troy, Ala.

12:00 p.m.

Troy University

2-1

Tennessee State

1-2

Tennessee State

Troy

Photo by: Joshua Thurston

11/15/2013 3:08:00 PM | Basketball (W)

Box Score

By: Matt Mays

Box Score

TROY, Ala. – The Troy women's basketball team fell victim to a late, 19-3 run in a 77-71 loss to Tennessee State at Trojan Arena on Friday. The loss was the Trojans' first in three games on the season and came just four days after Troy used a similar late run to win its home opener.

Troy (2-1) forced 30 turnovers for the second time in three games, but shot just 35.1 percent (27-of-77) in a game that was close until the final minutes. The lead changed hands eight times, including when Troy pulled ahead 56-54 with 7:45 to go.

However, that would be the Trojans' final lead as Tennessee State went on a 19-3 run over five minutes, including a 10-0 stretch, that put the Lady Tigers ahead by 14 at 73-59 with 2:11 to go.

The Lady Tigers missed some free throws down the stretch and Troy closed to within four points with 14 seconds remaining, but Tennessee State (1-2) held on for its first win of the season.

Joanna Harden led the Trojans with 26 points and a career-high 11 rebounds, the second double-double of her career. Harden also had four assists while Ashley Beverly-Kelley had five to lead all players.

Beverly-Kelley also scored in double figures with 15, but the two Preseason All-Sun belt guards where the only Trojans in double figures, just four days after all five starters scored in double figures against Florida A&M.

Beverly-Kelley's career-high tying seven steals led a Troy team that had 17 steals total and scored 28 points off of TSU's 30 turnovers, including 16 fast break points.

Troy's 2-of-10 start from the field dictated the pace early and put the Trojans in a quick hole. Troy took its first lead with 8:10 to go in the first half and neither team led by more than seven until Tennessee State's late run.

"We thought we were ready to play this middle of the day game," Troy head coach Chanda Rigby said. "But we really didn't have our mind on the small things we needed to do to win. The starting five didn't have their mind on that, we were getting beat, and we started subbing try to find somebody who did, but we couldn't find that right combination."

The Trojans who hit 18 3-pointers in their first two games, made just five on Friday, hitting 5-of-17. The Lady Tigers, who had six 3-pointers in their first two games, made eight on Friday (8-of-20), including five in the first half.

Tennessee State outrebounded Troy, 53-48, led by Chelsea Hudson (13 points, 13 rebounds) and Imani Davis (15 points, 10 rebounds) who each had double-doubles. Davis hit three of the Lady Tigers' 3-pointers.

The Trojans return to the court on Tuesday when they travel to take on Mercer. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. and the game can be heard on TroyTrojans.com for FREE.

For more information on Troy Athletics, visit TroyTrojans.com. Fans can also find Troy on Twitter and Instagram at @TroyAthletics and on Facebook at Facebook.com/TroyAthletics.