Box Score

SAVANNAH, Ga. – In Savannah State's final home game of the first half, junior point guard Ezinne Kalu put up 22 and senior guard Erin Hogue recorded her third double-double, 12-12, of the season to lead the Lady Tigers past Alabama State 60-48, in Tiger Arena.

In the opening half, the Lady Tigers took a 2-0 lead on a layup from Hogue and a lead they would not relinquish in the first 20. The Hornets tied up the game twice in the first half, but were unable to take an advantage over SSU.

Kalu dropped a 3-pointer at the 18:14 mark, giving SSU a 5-2 lead and the momentum. Five minutes later, Andrietta Thomas sank a jumper to give the Lady Tigers their largest lead of the first half at 14-4.

Alabama State trailed SSU by nine at the 9:31 mark, but found a spark behind a jump shot from Durriya Shields. Shields followed the two up with a 3-pointer moments later cutting SSU's lead to four points. With 7:20 to play, Jasmine Peeples dropped a jump shot, cutting the Lady Tigers lead to two points, 19-17.

Trading point-for-point, the Hornets tied the match up at 22 with 2:47 to play in the half. Jasmine Norman sank two free-throws extending SSU's lead to 24-22. With 1:09 to play, Alabama State fired back with two good free-throws from Nakiya Smith, making it 27-25 SSU.

A good free-throw from Alabama State cut SSU's lead to one point, 27-26. The score held into the locker room. The Lady Tigers shot 33.3 percent from the floor in the first half. Kalu led the team with nine points. The Hornets shot at a 29.6 percent clip in the opening half.

Savannah State took a five point lead, 31-26, behind a jumper from Blessing Uba in the opening minutes of the second half. Alabama State responded quickly with a 5-0 run, knotting the game up at 31 with 16:36 to play.

In the next four minutes the teams traded points, tying the game up four times before Alabama State took their first lead of the game, 41-40, on a 3-pointer from Danielle Gazaway at the 10:48 mark. The Hornets were 3-for-18 from beyond the arc in the game.

SSU battled back, tying the game up for the seventh time at the 8:50 mark with a good free-throw from Kalu. The Lady Tigers took the lead a few seconds later behind two good free-throws from Hogue. Alabama State would not be able to tie the game again as the Lady Tigers extended their lead to six points at the 5:16 mark.

With 2:19 to play, Charmaine Greene sank a jumper to give the Lady Tigers their largest lead till that point at 55-45. Jazmin Thomas extended Savannah State's advantage to 12 points, 57-45, with two good free-throws at the 1:08 mark. SSU shot 60.0 percent from the charity strip, knocking down 21-of-35 attempts.

Kalu solidified the final score with two good free-throws, with 38 seconds to play. The Lady Tigers fared better from the floor in the second half shooting 40.9 percent. They shot at a 36.7 percent clip overall. Alabama State was led by Alford Quentori (12), and Ashley Jones (11). The Lady Tigers outrebounded the Hornets 46-41.

Savannah State closes out December at the University of Florida Holiday Classic, December 20 and 21. They play Florida Thursday evening at 7 p.m., and will play either Central Michigan or Saint Joe's on Friday.