Women's Basketball 1/6/2015 9:14:00 PM

Lady Tigers Break Losing Streak

Box Score

SAVANNAH, Ga. – In a tune-up game before hitting the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) schedule, the Savannah State women's basketball team snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 95-47 rout of Allen University in Tiger Arena.

The win improves the program's home record to 14-4 since the beginning of the 2013-14 season. SSU is 5-8 on the season after their final nonconference game of the year.

Returning from a concussion and two-game absence, redshirt senior and MEAC Preseason Player of the Year Ezinne Kalu led the field with 21 points, going 8-for-14 from the field.

SSU senior point guard Bria Dorsey scored double-digits for the 5th time this year with 18 points. SSU freshman Destini Bush also hit double-digits for the first time in her career with 10 points in the win.

Dorsey got thing started in the first seven seconds for SSU when off the tip-off she ran free for a layup and Lady Tiger lead that they would never relinquish in the subsequent 40 minutes. Dorsey added two more off a steal and assist from Kalu 10 seconds later.

SSU continued the stellar opening with an 18-3 run over the next five minutes, but Allen was undeterred by the roaring Lady Tiger offense.

With 12:57 to play in the first period, Allen opened an 11-4 run to cut SSU's lead to seven points, at 22-15. Dekoya Mach hit two good 3-pointers, and Latoya Jones added her own from deep in the Yellow Jacket surge.

Allen went 5-for-11 (45 percent) from beyond the arch in the first half. Jones led the Yellow Jackets in the loss with 11 points.

The Lady Tigers responded in kind to the big Allen push with an 11-2 run for a 33-17 lead at the 5:58 mark of the first period.

SSU would hold on to a double-digit for the rest of the half. On two good free-throws from Jasmine Norman SSU went into the locker with a 43-24 lead.

Teams traded points to open the second half, but SSU broke free of the back and forth pushing out to a 20-point lead (51-31) on two-good free throws from Dorsey with 16:28 to play. The Lady Tigers would never dip below a 20-point advantage for the rest of the game.

The Lady Tigers scored 64 of their points in the paint, 33 from the bench and 43 off of turnovers. It was the first game of the season the Lady Tigers have shot over 50 percent from the floor. They drained 40-of-65 attempts for a 61.5 percent clip.

The win breaks the longest losing streak of the season and gives the Lady Tigers their first win since defeating Florida in Tiger Arena on Dec. 4, 68-58.

SSU opens a four-game conference road stretch with a visit to North Carolina this coming weekend. The Lady Tigers play North Carolina A&T State on Jan. 10 and then travel across the Triad to North Carolina Central on Jan. 12.

After a trip to Maryland Eastern Shore and Delaware State, SSU returns home on Jan. 24 to face five-time defending MEAC champions Hampton University in Tiger Arena. Hampton ended SSU's 2013-14 campaign with a victory over the Lady Tigers in the semifinals of the MEAC Championship.

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Players Mentioned

#1 Bria Dorsey: G; 5' 7"; Senior

#4 Jasmine Norman: G; 5' 9"; Senior

#23 Ezinne Kalu: G; 5' 8"; Senior

#25 Destini Bush: F; 6' 2"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#1 Bria Dorsey
: 5' 7"; Senior
: G

#4 Jasmine Norman
: 5' 9"; Senior
: G

#23 Ezinne Kalu
: 5' 8"; Senior
: G

#25 Destini Bush
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: F