NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Southeast Missouri (6-11, 1-3) dropped a 95-84 decision to Tennessee State (6-8, 1-1) Saturday afternoon at the Gentry Center. 

Despite playing without post players Sam Thompson and Manny Patterson, SEMO made things interesting down the stretch.

Trailing, 86-67, with 3:16 left to play, the Redhawks turned it up defensively to force three turnovers and scored 10-straight points in a span of 1:26 to get within nine.

Nygal Russell knocked down a 3-pointer before DQ Nicholas followed with five points and added a pair of steals. Shortly after Nicholas scored on a layup and stole the ball, Phillip Russell scored to narrow the Tigers lead to 86-77 with 1:50 on the clock.

Seventeen seconds later, Nana Akenten drained a 3-pointer to make it an eight-point contest at 88-80 at the 1:33 mark.

Nicholas made two free throws to pull the Redhawks within eight again (90-82) with less than a minute left. On TSU's ensuing inbound pass, Dylan Branson was charged with a flagrant foul following a replay review.

The Tigers went on to hit five of six free throws in the final 55 seconds.

SEMO edged TSU, 54-53, in a foul-plagued second half that resulted in the teams combining to shoot 54 free throws. The Redhawks and Tigers were each in the bonus for the last 13-plus minutes of the game. A total of 34 fouls were called between the two teams in the final 20 minutes alone. 

SEMO made four of its first six shots of the game and erased an early five-point deficit when Russell tied things up at 17-17 with a jumper at the free throw line.

The Tigers quickly responded with a 13-3 run. Carlos Marshall drained a 3-pointer to cap the surge putting TSU ahead, 30-20, with 5:17 remaining in the first half.

Akenten came off the bench and scored five points to later get SEMO within five. He nailed a 3-pointer to make it a 30-25 game at the 4:23 mark.

TSU then grabbed a 42-30 lead at the intermission.

Thompson sustained an ankle sprain early in the first half and did not return, while Patterson was already out with a foot injury.

For the game, SEMO (25-of-34) and TSU (34-of-40) attempted 74 free throws on 54 fouls (28 by SEMO, 26 by TSU).

The Tigers, who shot 60.9 percent (28-of-46) from the field, were led by Marcus Fitzgerald, Jr.'s game-high 23 points. Fitzgerald, Jr. was one of five TSU players in double figures joining Marshall (18), Shakem Johnson (16), Kassim Nicholson (15) and Dedric Boyd (10).

Russell paced SEMO with 22 points, including 15 in the second half. After going scoreless two days ago at Belmont, Russell regrouped to notch his fifth 20-point performance this year.

Akenten contributed 15 points and buried four 3-pointers, while Nicholas chipped in 12 points and a game-high three steals. Like Russell, Akenten and Nicholas each scored double figures in the second half, as well.

SEMO shot 51.7 percent (15-of-29) in the second half and 47.2 percent (25-of-53) for the game. 

The Redhawks return home to host Tennessee Tech on Jan. 13.