TUSKEGEE, Ala. — In a hard-fought SIAC battle inside the Daniel "Chappie" James Center, Tuskegee came up just short against rival Miles College, falling 56-54 in a back-and-forth contest.
The loss drops the Golden Tigers to 10-11 overall and 8-7 in SIAC play, while Miles improves to 18-3 and 13-1 in the conference.
The game was a defensive showdown, with neither team able to gain full control for long stretches. Tuskegee led for over 30 minutes, controlling the pace and using its size to win the rebounding battle. However, a late scoring drought allowed Miles to storm back in the final minutes to claim the narrow victory.
Tuskegee set the tone early, taking an early lead behind the play of
Kevin Sesberry, who scored 15 of his 19 points in the first half. The Golden Tigers controlled the boards and capitalized on second-chance points, carrying a 29-28 lead into halftime.
Tuskegee shot 35.5 percent from the field in the opening half, connecting on 11-of-31 attempts, while limiting Miles to 37.9 percent shooting.
The Golden Tigers continued to build momentum in the second half and stretched their lead to 10 points with just under four minutes remaining. The defense remained strong, and Tuskegee looked to be on its way to a critical SIAC victory.
Miles responded with a stunning 12-0 run in the final stretch, taking advantage of a series of Tuskegee turnovers and missed shots to surge ahead. The Golden Tigers had one final opportunity to tie or win in the closing seconds, but a contested shot fell short as time expired.
Kevin Sesberry led all scorers with 19 points, shooting 7-of-15 from the field and 2-of-4 from three-point range. He also added three rebounds.
D'Anthony Pennington contributed 10 points and five rebounds, while
Kusamae Draper pulled down a team-high nine boards along with six points.
Tuskegee dominated the rebounding battle, holding a 41-33 advantage on the glass, including 12 offensive rebounds that led to 10 second-chance points. The defense was solid for most of the game, forcing 11 steals and holding Miles to just 39 percent shooting.
However, the Golden Tigers struggled from beyond the arc, making just 2-of-11 attempts, while Miles connected on 6-of-15 from three-point range, including key makes down the stretch.
Tuskegee appeared to be in full control, leading 54-44 with four minutes remaining. Miles, however, found its rhythm at the perfect time, closing the game on a 12-0 run.
Alvin Miles knocked down clutch free throws to trim the deficit before Corey Trotter converted a key second-chance basket to put the Golden Bears in front in the final minute. Tuskegee was unable to respond in the closing moments, allowing Miles to escape with the win.
Up Next
The Golden Tigers will look to regroup as they host Lane in another SIAC matchup. Tip-off is scheduled for Monday at 7:00 p.m. CT.
How to Follow the Golden Tigers
For complete information on Tuskegee Golden Tigers Men's Basketball, visit
GoldenTigerSports.com and follow the team's social media channels on
Twitter,
Instagram and
Facebook.
