TUSKEGEE, Ala. — The Tuskegee men's basketball team fought through a tightly contested rivalry matchup Saturday afternoon at the Daniel "Chappie" James Center but came up short in overtime, falling 66-60 to Miles College in SIAC action.
The Golden Tigers set the tone early, building momentum behind strong offensive performances from RJ Walker and Kusamae Draper. Tuskegee led by as many as eight points in the opening half and controlled much of the pace, holding a 19-17 advantage after the first period.
The Tigers continued to apply pressure in the second half of regulation, shooting 46.4 percent during the period and maintaining their composure in a game that featured five ties and five lead changes. Tuskegee led for more than 31 minutes of the contest, but Miles stayed within reach by attacking the rim and earning trips to the free-throw line.
The Golden Bears capitalized at the stripe throughout the afternoon, finishing 24-of-34 from the line, including several key makes late in regulation to force overtime. In the extra session, Miles gained the upper hand quickly, limiting Tuskegee to just four points while scoring 10 of its own to secure the six-point victory.
Walker paced the Golden Tigers with 24 points, connecting on four shots from beyond the arc, while Draper added 20 points and eight rebounds. Tuskegee outrebounded Miles 40-36 and scored 28 points in the paint but struggled from long range, shooting 4-of-19 (21.1 percent) from three-point range and 33.3 percent overall from the field.
Miles was led by David Williams, who scored 20 points and went a perfect 12-of-12 from the free-throw line. Najashi Tolefree contributed 15 points and six rebounds as the Golden Bears shot 35.2 percent from the field and made timely plays down the stretch.
Despite the setback, Tuskegee showed grit in a rivalry matchup that came down to the final minutes of regulation and overtime.
Up Next
The Golden Tigers will look to regroup as they continue conference play next week, starting with the final regular season road game against Albany State on Monday at 7:30 p.m.
How to Follow the Golden Tigers
For complete information on Tuskegee Golden Tigers Men's Basketball, visit GoldenTigerSports.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
