FRIDAY'S SCORE
@UT Arlington 78,
Tennessee State 58
UT ARLINGTON 78, TENNESSEE STATE 58
ARLINGTON, Texas - Somah Kamara turned in a standout 22-point, seven-steal performance, but the Tennessee State women's basketball team fell 78–58 to UT Arlington on Friday evening at the College Park Center.
The Lady Tigers (0–4) had two players in double figures, led by Kamara and Aaniya Webb, who added 12 points. Kiki Roberts anchored TSU on the glass with 12 rebounds to go along with five points and three steals. TSU stayed active on the offensive boards as well, pulling down 13 offensive rebounds that turned into nine second-chance points.
Defensively, Tennessee State continued to show promise by forcing 25 Maverick turnovers and converting them into 14 points. Kamara's seven steals led a disruptive defensive effort that sparked several TSU scoring runs.
Tennessee State opened the game with a few early stops but fell behind 22–12 after the first quarter. The Mavericks extended their lead in the second period as TSU entered halftime trailing 39–20.
The Lady Tigers delivered their strongest stretch of the night in the third quarter, outscoring UT Arlington 21–18 while showing increased tempo, defensive pressure, and consistency at the free-throw line. TSU capitalized on six UTA turnovers in the frame, turning them into seven points. Kamara attacked downhill repeatedly, scoring at the rim and going 8-of-12 at the free-throw line in the quarter. Roberts' work on the offensive glass created second-chance looks and helped maintain possession in key moments. A quick 5–0 burst trimmed the deficit to 51–35 with 3:00 remaining, and although the Mavericks responded late in the quarter, TSU's energy on both ends closed the period with momentum, entering the fourth trailing 57–41.
In the final quarter, UT Arlington continued to knock down timely shots, but Tennessee State battled until the end—using another 5–0 run capped by a Webb layup to bring the game to 61–48 with just under six minutes remaining. TSU scored 12 of its 17 fourth-quarter points in the paint and continued to apply on-ball pressure defensively before the Mavericks closed out the contest.