SAVANNAH, Ga.- Chris Martin and
Troyce Manassa each scored 19 points as Savannah State defeated North Carolina A&T 75-68 in a game played at Tiger Arena.
The crowd of 1,240 saw SSU snap a four game losing streak as they improved to 5-8 overall and 1-1 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
The duo of Martin and Manassa gave the Aggies the fits in both halves. Martin scored 14 points in the first period while Manassa followed with 15 points in the second half.
SSU found themselves down 10-4 in the first half but a 8-0 run gave the Tigers a 12-10 advantage with 13:01 on the clock.
Ahead 26-22 with just over five minutes left, the Tigers used a 3-pointer from Martin and a pair of free throws from Manassa to go ahead 31-22.
A&T used a 7-0 run to get within 33-31 with 40 seconds remaining but a layup by Idris Teslim with three seconds left sent Savannah State into intermission with a 35-31 lead.
SSU shot 46.2 percent from the floor in the first half while the Aggies shot 46.4 percent while making 4 of 7 of their 3-point attempts.
A&T tied the game at 36 early in the second period.
With the contest knotted at 46, Savannah State began to pull away with a 8-0 run to grab a 54-46 lead with 8:31 left.
After the Aggies closed to within six, a 6-0 run by SSU gave the home team a 12 point cushion with 4:54 remaining.
A 3-pointer by Martin at the 2:40 mark gave the Tigers their largest lead of the game at 68-54.
Not ones to give up, the Aggies mounted a late 14-5 run to close their gap to 73-68 with 13 seconds remaining but could not get any closer.
Martin made five 3-pointers for Savannah State while Manassa grabbed eight rebounds and dished out four assists.
Lenjo Kilo added nine points.
The Tigers won a close rebounding battle 34 to 32 while shooting 48.9 percent from the field.
A&T (5-12, 2-1) was led by Sam Hunt's 19 points, three assists and three steals. The Aggies shot 44.1 percent from the floor.
Tip ins:
Savannah State improved to 5-1 at home with the win.
North Carolina A&T has lost four games in a row and five of their last six.
Up next:
SSU will host North Carolina Central on January 11.
NC A&T will play at South Carolina State on Jan. 11
