FINAL BOX

Louisville, Ky. --- In the final game of 2012, the Tennessee State University women's basketball team fell to No. 12 ranked Louisville, 88-25, Monday night in front of a crowd of 9,023 at the KFC Yum! Center.

Tennessee State (4-8) struggled with the Big East opponent the entire night and only managed to shoot 16.7 percent (9-of-54) from the field. Louisville (12-2) made 55.9 percent (33-of-59) of its shots and outrebounded TSU, 51-23.

TSU committed 22 turnovers and recorded one assist in the contest while UofL had 16 turnovers and 24 helpers.

Chelsea Hudson led the Lady Tigers with eight points while Avery Jones pulled down a team-best five rebounds.

Louisville had five players to score in double digits led by Monique Reid's 20 points.

A number of empty possessions, including ten turnovers, led to Tennessee State falling behind, 23-0, to open the first half. The Lady Tigers finally got on the board when Simone Hopes connected in the paint at the 12-minute mark.

Jasmin Shuler knocked down a three-pointer before Avery Jones made a couple of free-throws to make the score, 30-7.

With time winding down in the first frame, Kesi Hess nailed a triple, to make the score, 32-10, before Louisville scored eight unanswered to go into the halftime break leading, 40-10.

In the second stanza, Louisville outscored TSU, 11-2, to stretch the advantage to, 51-12, before the first media timeout.

Over the next seven minutes, Tennessee State suffered a scoring drought that saw Louisville swell the lead to, 63-12. Chelsea Hudson snapped the skid by knocking down a couple of freebies with 11:59 on the clock. The Lady Tigers outscored the Cardinals, 8-2, down the stretch but the deficit proved too much to overcome.  

The Lady Tigers return to the court on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013 at Jacksonville State in Ohio Valley Conference action. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. in Pete Mathew's Coliseum.

---tsutigers---