Western Ill. recorded its fourth straight win, handing Tennessee State a 61-59 loss in a back-and-forth contest at the Ford Center on Thursday evening. The score was level after 20 minutes of play in a dynamic game that saw 10 different lead changes. The Leathernecks had an edge in the second half, though, outscoring the Tigers 31-29.
Ryan Myers hit the game-winner for Western Illinois as the buzzer sounded to send TSU home.
Quinlan Bennett scored a season-high 18 points to lead the way for Western Ill. Despite Bennett’s performance, the team collectively struggled shooting the ball. They shot 38% from the field while scoring just 0.87 points per possession. They found an advantage on the fast break though, accumulating 13 points in transition.
Tennessee State was led by EJ Bellinger, who scored 17 points while collecting eight boards. As a team, the Tigers had some offensive struggles, scoring just 0.82 points per possession on 34% shooting from the field. Those numbers include 18-of-50 on two-pointers, 5-of-18 on three-pointers, and 8-of-11 on free throws.
- Western Ill. scored a season-low one point off the bench
- Tennessee State collected 15 steals, a season-best
- 10 lead changes and 13 ties were recorded in the game
Western Ill. proved once again that it is a tough matchup. A battle with OVC foe Little Rock is the Leathernecks’ next test. They will meet on March 8 at the Ford Center. TSU’s record dropped to 18-15 with the loss. The Tigers will have to rebound in OVC Tournament, as this was their final game of the regular season.
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