NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tahjere McCall scored a game-high 27 points and Tennessee State (10-5, 1-1) hung on to beat Southeast Missouri (6-11, 1-1), 65-62, Thursday at the Gentry Center.
 
SEMO had a number of chances down the stretch, but came up short in a see-saw battle that included four ties and six lead changes.
 
"We are going to be kicking ourselves for awhile," said SEMO head coach Rick Ray. "We had opportunities and didn't make a play. At the end of the day, we have to make plays."
 
Neither team led by more than four points in the last 9:13 of the tight contest.
 
Things would get even more interesting in the final 31 seconds when Daniel Simmons drained a 3-pointer to cut TSU's lead to 61-60.
 
McCall followed with two free throws and Tahj Eaddy's 3-pointer to tie the game fell short with 20 seconds.
 
Immediately after A'Torey Everett split two free throws to give the Tigers a 64-60 cushion with 17 seconds on the clock, Antonius Cleveland cut their lead in half with a layup five ticks later.
 
On the next possession, Simmons stole the ball from Darreon Reddick and was open for a 3-pointer that would have given SEMO the lead, but his shot came off the rim.
 
A double technical foul was issued to Cleveland and Everett. McCall then made one of his two free throws to put TSU ahead, 65-62.
 
The Redhawks had one last chance, but McCall stole the ball from Cleveland as time expired.
 
SEMO hung tough with TSU in the first half despite shooting 37 percent from the field and going only 1-of-11 from 3-point range.
 
The Redhawks trailed for the opening 13:34 before Eaddy made two free throws to give SEMO its first lead at 20-19 with 6:26 remaining in the first half.
 
SEMO went a period of 6:55 without a field goal, but stayed within four when Jaylen Benton's layup ended the drought and made it 28-24 with just under two minutes left.
 
Eaddy followed that up with a basket and Simmons buried a 3-pointer to cut TSU's lead to one before the Redhawks trailed, 32-29, at the half.
 
SEMO, already without forward Milos Vranes who missed his first game of the season due to a hamstring injury, had the rest of its front line get into early foul trouble.
 
William Tchiengang was limited to seven minutes and picked up three fouls, while Trey Kellum had two fouls and played 11 minutes. Denzel Mahoney also had two fouls and logged eight minutes. Kellum and Tchiengang fouled out with over three minutes left in the game.
 
"We have to guard without fouling," said Ray. "We didn't have anybody who could guard McCall."
 
McCall shot 10-of-17 from the field and 6-of-8 at the free throw line to lead TSU. He also grabbed eight rebounds, dished out four assists and collected three steals in 38 minutes.
 
Wayne Martin followed with 10 points as the Tigers shot 57.1 percent (12-of-21) in the second half alone. TSU scored 18 of its points at the free throw line, as well.
 
Cleveland led three SEMO players in double figures with 15 points, his 27^th-straight double-digit scoring performance. He made 5-of-10 field goals, pulled down six rebounds and registered a game-high four steals. Additionally, Cleveland missed six free throws (5-of-11) for the night.
 
Mahoney added 11 points, while Eaddy pitched in 10. Kellum finished with nine points and a game-high eight boards.
 
The Redhawks shot just 20 percent (4-of-20) from 3-point range.
 
SEMO remains in Nashville to face preseason Ohio Valley Conference favorite Belmont Saturday.