SAVANNAH, Ga. — Tuskegee women's basketball closed out nonconference play with a gritty 55-49 road win over Savannah State on Tuesday night at Tiger Arena, using a strong fourth-quarter push and timely free-throw shooting to pull away late.
The Golden Tigers jumped out to an early advantage, holding Savannah State to just eight points in the opening quarter while building an 11-8 lead. Tuskegee's defense set the tone early, forcing turnovers and limiting clean looks, but the Tigers answered in the second quarter with a strong offensive stretch. Savannah State outscored Tuskegee 19-10 in the period, briefly taking control and heading into halftime with a 27-21 advantage.
Tuskegee responded coming out of the break, tightening defensively and leaning on second-chance opportunities in the paint. The Golden Tigers trimmed the deficit in the third quarter, outscoring Savannah State 13-9 and cutting the margin to 36-34 entering the final frame. Momentum continued to swing as Tuskegee found success on the glass and capitalized on turnovers to stay within striking distance.
The fourth quarter proved decisive. Tuskegee opened the period with sustained pressure inside, eventually regaining the lead and extending it behind key baskets and trips to the free-throw line. The Golden Tigers outscored Savannah State 21-13 in the final 10 minutes, building their largest lead of the game late before sealing the win at the line in the closing seconds.
Arianna Durrell led Tuskegee with a game-high 17 points, knocking down 11-of-11 from the free-throw line while adding seven rebounds and multiple key plays on both ends. Erin Perry chipped in 12 points and eight rebounds, providing a steady presence inside, while Aaliyah Duranham added 12 points and eight boards off the bench. Shemaiah Mackin contributed eight points and six rebounds, helping Tuskegee dominate second-chance scoring.
Savannah State was led by Jazmin Thornton, who finished with 16 points and four rebounds, while Ansley Hicks added 13 points. The Tigers shot 35.3 percent from the field and were limited to 13 points in the fourth quarter as Tuskegee's defense tightened down the stretch.
Tuskegee finished the night shooting 34.6 percent from the field and held a significant edge in second-chance points, 13-4, while also outscoring Savannah State 30-24 in the paint. The win improves the Golden Tigers to 5-4 overall and caps a hard-fought road victory built on resilience, defense, and execution in winning time.
Up Next
Tuskegee looks to carry momentum into its next contest on Friday, Dec. 19, when the Golden Tigers visit Edward Waters in Jacksonville as conference play rolls on.
How to Follow the Golden Tigers
For complete information on Tuskegee Golden Tigers Women's Basketball, visit GoldenTigerSports.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
