EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (Interstat) — A dominant second-quarter surge propelled the SIU Edwardsville Cougars to a decisive 63-41 victory over the Tennessee State Tigers in an Ohio Valley Conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at the Vadalabene Center.

The game, played before a crowd of 1,423, was effectively decided in a ten-minute span before halftime. Leading 18-10 after the first quarter, the Cougars unleashed a 28-point second period, overwhelming the Tigers with a 28-7 run that built an insurmountable 46-17 lead at the intermission.

The most important part of the contest was that overwhelming second-quarter performance, where SIU Edwardsville’s offense found a relentless rhythm and its defense completely stifled Tennessee State. The Cougars shot efficiently during the frame, capitalizing on Tiger turnovers and missed shots to fuel a transition game that Tennessee State had no answer for. The 29-point halftime deficit proved too deep for the visitors to recover from, despite a more competitive second half.

SIU Edwardsville improved to 9-10 overall, while Tennessee State fell to 3-15.

Lauren Miller, a 5-foot-10 guard from Camp Point, Illinois, orchestrated the Cougar offense with a game-high 15 points and 4 assists. Macy Silvey, a 5-10 guard from Glen Carbon, Illinois, matched Miller’s scoring output with 15 points, fueled by four three-pointers. The Cougars’ defensive effort was anchored by 6-foot-3 forward Syanne Mohamed of Barrington, Rhode Island, who contributed 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks, setting a disruptive tone in the paint.

Tennessee State, which managed only 7 points in both the second and third quarters, was led by Brianna Wooldridge. The 6-1 forward from Elgin, Illinois, scored 10 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. Aaniya Webb provided an early spark off the bench, scoring 8 of her points in the first quarter, but the Tiger offense stalled thereafter, shooting poorly from the field throughout the night.

The Cougars opened the game on a 7-0 run before Webb connected on a pair of three-pointers to keep Tennessee State close, trailing 18-10 after one quarter. The second quarter, however, was all SIU Edwardsville. Miller and Silvey combined for 17 points in the period, and Kiyoko Proctor, a 5-6 guard from Alton, Illinois, added 7 of her 12 points as the Cougars blew the game open.

Tennessee State showed more life in the fourth quarter, outscoring SIU Edwardsville 17-10 behind 9 points from Wooldridge, but the outcome was long since decided.

SIU Edwardsville’s defense was a constant, forcing 22 Tennessee State turnovers and converting them into 23 points. The Cougars also held a significant advantage in points in the paint and second-chance opportunities.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, SIU Edwardsville entered the game with a 55.20 percent probability to win.

Tennessee State looks to rebound on the road at Lindenwood on Saturday. SIU Edwardsville continues its homestand Saturday against Tennessee Tech.