West Central Reporter

The Western Illinois Leatherneck Men's Basketball team faced a challenging match against Tennessee State, resulting in an 87-69 defeat at the Gentry Center on Thursday night. The Leathernecks, now holding an 8-16 overall record and 2-11 in conference play, initially kept pace with the Tigers during the first half, trailing by just five points at halftime with a score of 38-33. However, Tennessee State took command in the second half, outscoring Western Illinois 49-36 to secure their victory.

Trey Deveaux was a standout for the Leathernecks, scoring 18 points and securing eight rebounds. Marko Maletic contributed significantly with 17 points, including five three-pointers and seven rebounds. Julius Rollins added 14 points along with three triples. Despite hitting 11 three-pointers throughout the game, Western Illinois struggled with turnovers, committing 19 compared to Tennessee State's 10.

Tennessee State capitalized on these errors by scoring 33 points off turnovers and dominated inside the paint with a score of 38-26 over the Leathernecks. Aaron Nkrumah led Tennessee State University (TSU) with 14 points and eight rebounds while Justus Jackson and Travis Harper II each added 13 points.

Western Illinois University (WIU) will return to action on Saturday afternoon against UT Martin, with tip-off scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

For more information on Leatherneck Basketball, visit GoLeathernecks.com or follow them on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.