OAKLAND, Calif. – Under the bright lights of the NBA HBCU Classic, the Tuskegee University men's basketball team delivered an impressive performance, securing a 68-55 conference victory over rival Morehouse on Saturday afternoon at the Oakland Arena.
The Golden Tigers extended their winning momentum, improving to 11-12 overall and 9-8 in SIAC play, in a game that showcased their resilience, sharp execution, and defensive intensity on a national stage as part of NBA All-Star Weekend.
Tuskegee wasted little time making their presence felt, opening the game with a fast-paced attack.
Kevin Sesberry set the tone early, draining a deep three-pointer on the Golden Tigers' second possession to give Tuskegee an early 3-0 lead.
Morehouse responded with an inside basket from Amahn Decker, but
D'Anthony Pennington quickly countered with a transition layup off a defensive steal, putting Tuskegee ahead 5-2.
The first half saw both teams engage in a defensive battle, with neither side allowing easy baskets in the paint. Midway through the half,
Kusamae Draper took control for Tuskegee, grabbing offensive rebounds and scoring six straight points in the post. His presence on the boards was crucial as the Golden Tigers extended their lead to 14-8 with just under 10 minutes remaining in the half.
Morehouse momentarily closed the gap, fueled by Sincere Key's perimeter shooting, but RJ Walker and Sesberry responded with back-to-back three-pointers to push the lead back to 22-14.
The Golden Tigers closed the first half strong, executing on both ends of the court, and a late tip-in by Draper gave Tuskegee a 30-22 halftime advantage.
Coming out of the break, Morehouse opened the second half aggressively, knocking down a three-pointer to cut the lead to 30-25 within the first minute. However, Tuskegee responded with a 6-0 run, highlighted by a transition basket from
Noah Goines and a deep three by Pennington, extending the lead to 36-25.
The Golden Tigers controlled the tempo for much of the second half, maintaining a steady 8-to-12 point lead behind stellar play from Draper, who dominated the inside with 22 points and 15 rebounds.
Sesberry, who finished with 19 points, continued to fuel Tuskegee's offensive flow with timely shot-making, including a dagger three-pointer at the 10-minute mark that put the Golden Tigers ahead 52-40—their largest lead of the game.
Morehouse made one final push with under five minutes remaining, trimming the deficit to 57-50 after forcing two consecutive turnovers.
However, Tuskegee remained composed, closing the game with strong free-throw shooting and defensive stops. Pennington put the exclamation point on the victory with a contested three-pointer at the top of the key, sealing the 68-55 win.
With the win, Tuskegee improves to 11-12 overall and 9-8 in SIAC play, positioning themselves as a strong contender heading into the final conference games.
The Golden Tigers will look to continue their momentum when they head to Central State on Tuesday for another crucial SIAC matchup next week.
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