The Tennessee State Tigers secured a hard-fought 73-71 victory over the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles, with Travis Harper II leading the charge with 22 points and 7 rebounds. Despite being outscored 37-29 in the first half, Tennessee State rallied in the second half, outscoring Southern Indiana 44-34 to take the win. This marks the 17th win of the season for Tennessee State, who now boast a 17-8 record. Southern Indiana, on the other hand, falls to 5-20, with Cardell Bailey's impressive 25-point performance not enough to propel his team to victory.
Travis Harper II's 22 Points Mark His 10th 20-Point Game of the Season
The game was a closely contested affair, with Southern Indiana taking a 37-29 lead into halftime. However, Tennessee State came out strong in the second half, with Harper II and Aaron Nkrumah combining for 24 points to lead the comeback. Southern Indiana's Tolu Samuels had a notable performance, grabbing 12 rebounds to go along with his 9 points, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Tigers' second-half surge. The Screaming Eagles shot 40.7% from the field, while Tennessee State shot 43.1%, with the Tigers' 44 second-half points proving to be the difference maker. At one point, Tennessee State went on a 10-2 run, which helped them take the lead and ultimately secure the win.
The top performers for both teams were impressive, with Cardell Bailey leading Southern Indiana with 25 points and 7 rebounds. Travis Harper II was the standout for Tennessee State, scoring 22 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. Aaron Nkrumah chipped in with 17 points and 6 rebounds for the Tigers, while Ismail Habib added 13 points for the Screaming Eagles. Dante Harris also had a notable performance for Tennessee State, scoring 14 points to help his team secure the win. Bailey's 25 points were a game-high, and his 7 rebounds were second only to Samuels' 12 on the Southern Indiana side.
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Final
Looking at the box score, it's clear that Tennessee State's second-half performance was the key to their victory. The Tigers outscored Southern Indiana 44-34 in the second half, shooting 48.1% from the field. Southern Indiana, on the other hand, shot 35.1% in the second half, which wasn't enough to keep pace with the Tigers. Tennessee State also outrebounded Southern Indiana 38-36, with Harper II and Nkrumah combining for 13 rebounds. The Screaming Eagles had 12 turnovers, while the Tigers had 11, with both teams struggling to take care of the ball at times.
The CHD Scout model predicted a Tennessee State victory, with the Tigers winning by 11.2 points. While the actual margin was much closer, at just 2 points, the model was correct in predicting the winner. The predicted score was 68-79, which was not far off from the actual 73-71 final. The model's accuracy is a reflection of its ability to analyze team performance and predict outcomes. In this case, the model correctly identified Tennessee State as the stronger team, despite the close final score.
This win marks a Quadrant 4 victory for Tennessee State, who improve to 17-8 on the season. Southern Indiana, on the other hand, falls to 5-20, with this loss being a Quadrant 4 defeat. The NET ranking implications are significant, with Tennessee State currently sitting at 230 and Southern Indiana at 347. This win won't do much to boost Tennessee State's NET ranking, but it's an important victory nonetheless. For Southern Indiana, the loss is another setback in a difficult season. The Screaming Eagles want to regroup and try to secure some wins in their remaining games.
Tennessee State's next game is scheduled for February 15, when they will face off against the Eastern Illinois Panthers. Southern Indiana, on the other hand, will take on the Morehead State Eagles on February 17. Both teams want to build on their performances in this game, with Tennessee State aiming to keep their winning streak alive and Southern Indiana seeking to bounce back from this tough loss.