Tigers Grind Out Win In Pre-Thanksgiving Matchup

Texas Southern led from start-to-finish as they toughed out an 80-72 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville on Wednesday afternoon.
 
The Tigers came out smoking as they opened up the game on a 15-2 run as they were a perfect 5-for-5 from the field including a trio of three-pointers. The roles would reverse quickly as TAMUK countered with a 10-2 run as they went 4-of-4 to draw within 17-12. The Tigers bounced back with a 7-2 surge to push its lead back to double digits (24-14) following Kavion McClain's jumper and led by as much as 11 (34-23) with 5:06 left. However, TAMUK's Allen Singleton put the team on his back as the half came to a close as he scored 10 of the Javelina's next 12 points while Kolby Granger scored the final five points for TSU. Singleton's buzzer-beating three-pointer the length of the court as time expired cut TSU's lead to 39-35.
 
The second half saw the Javelinas scratch and claw but the Tigers found ways to hold them off at the right time. They would cut TSU's lead to four on two occasions within the first four minutes as the latter saw TSU's Grayson Carter score four straight to up TSU's lead to 53-43 with 14:21 left. A three-point play by Kehlin Farooq with 11:47 left moved the margin to 58-46 but once again TAMU went on a 15-4 run aided by a trio of three-pointers to move within 62-61 at the 7:19 mark.
 
With the margin for error slim, Farooq answered with a bank shot as the shot clock expired to move the lead back to 64-61. The TSU defense would pick up the intensity from that point and another contributor would rise as Alex Anderson scored eight points over the next 5:39 to spark a 16-7 surge and move TSU back ahead by 13 with 1:47 left to wrap up the contest.
 
Four players scored in double figures led by McClain's 14 points and six assists. Carter scored 12 points followed by 12 from Anderson and Kenny Hunter.
 
TSU is back at home on Sunday against Texas State at 4 p.m.