By Ron Wynn
NASHVILLE, TN — The regular season finale didn’t end well for either of the Tennessee State teams at Belmont Saturday, but both headed into the OVCTournament hoping to surprise some teams. The Tigers had a great start, establishing a quick nine-point lead at 12-3. But that was the high point as Belmont then went on a 24-3 run to take a 12-point lead. The Tigers got within four late in the first half, but Belmont re-established control, building a 15-point halftime lead and ultimately winning 87-67.
Kassim Nicholson got his 11th double-double, scoring 17 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Carlos Marshall Jr. added another 17 points. The Tigers had won three straight, but the loss prevented them from moving up to fourth in the OVC. They finished with an 8-10 conference record (13-17 overall). Unless they meet in the Tournament, the game was the final OVC meeting between Belmont and TSU, as the Bruins are heading to the Missouri Valley Conference beginning next season. Belmont also set an NCAA record by posting 20 or more victories for the 12th straight season. The Tigers faced SIU-Edwardsville in the opening round of the OVC Tournament Wednesday in Evansville, Indiana.
What once looked like a promising season for the Lady Tigers turned bad midway, and it didn’t get any better Saturday. They were defeated 82-48 in a game that was essentially over at halftime. Belmont was ahead 44-26 and simply extended their lead throughout the second half. Tatyana Davis was excellent in defeat, scoring 18 points. She was the only Lady Tiger double figure scorer. The Lady Tigers dropped their final eight OVC games, finishing 6-12 in the conference and 11-18 overall. They faced Eastern Illinois Wednesday in the first round of the OVC Women’s Tournament. Both teams were longshots to win the title, but each hoped to win at least one game.
