Nashville, Tenn. --- The Tennessee State University women's basketball team will host North Alabama in an exhibition game on Thursday, Nov. 1, in the Gentry Center. Game time is slated for 7 p.m.

The Lady Tigers, under first year head coach Larry Joe Inman, have 10 letterwinners returning from last year's squad and will add freshman Brianna Lawrence to the roster. Among the returnees are four starters from the 2011-12 campaign as well as five seniors: Destiney Gaston, Simone Hopes, Avery Jones, Kesi Hess and Jasmin Shuler. Denisha Mumford, who sat out last season due to injury, will also return to the court.

Senior Jasmin Shuler was named to the 2012 All-OVC Preseason team earlier this month and will be expected to provide leadership for TSU. She led the Lady Tigers in scoring last season with 15.2 points per game while also leading the team in made-three pointers and three-point field goal percentage.

The 5-8 guard finished the season ranked ninth in the OVC in scoring, fifth in made three-point field goals eleventh in overall field goal percentage and 15th in three-point field goal percentage.

She posted a career-high 38 points against Morehead State and was named the OVC Player of the Week on Jan. 24.

The Lady Tigers will have experience in the guard position in senior Kesi Hess, junior Alana Morris and sophomore Rachel Allen. Hess knocked down the third most three pointers on the team last season and averaged 20.7 minutes of action per game.

Allen and Morris shared the responsibility at the point guard position and led the team in assists with 3.3 and 2.4 apg, respectively.

TSU will also look for productivity from the post players. During the 2011-12 campaign, redshirt sophomore Chelsea Hudson made her return to the court after sitting out the previous season due to injury. In her first complete season, she led the team in rebounding and posted a career-high 38 points to go with 17 rebounds against UT Martin. She was also named the adidas OVC Freshman of the Week on two occasions.

Senior Destiney Gaston was the team's third leading scorer last season and led the team in blocks. She ranked fourth in the OVC in blocks with a total of 33.

Seniors Simone Hopes and Avery Jones along with sophomore Donyeah Mayfield will also add depth in the paint for TSU while guard Tanesha Stenson will also look to contribute.

Last season, Tennessee State finished with an overall record of 9-20 with a 5-11 conference mark. In an OVC preseason poll that was released last Tuesday, TSU was predicted to finish fifth in the East Division.

Tip-off for Thursday night's exhibition game vs. North Alabama is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Gentry Center.

---tsutigers---