NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — Kiyoko Proctor scored 24 points and SIU Edwardsville used a dominant first quarter to set the tone for a 67-52 victory over Tennessee State in an Ohio Valley Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Howard Gentry Complex.

The Cougars, who led wire-to-wire, improved to 14-14 overall and evened their conference record. The Tigers fell to 4-23.

The most important stretch of the game came immediately after the opening tip. SIU Edwardsville established overwhelming control in the first quarter, outscoring Tennessee State 21-8. The Cougars opened the game on a 13-0 run, capitalizing on early Tennessee State shooting woes and relentless work on the offensive glass.

Syanne Mohamed won the opening jump ball and converted a layup off an assist from Lauren Miller just 25 seconds into the game. Miller followed with a tip-in on the Cougars’ next possession. Proctor then ignited her scoring afternoon with a pair of three-pointers, the second giving SIU Edwardsville a 13-0 lead with 5:41 remaining in the quarter and forcing an early Tennessee State timeout.

The Tigers missed their first seven field goal attempts before Kiki Roberts finally got them on the board with a layup at the 8:29 mark. The Cougars’ defense held Tennessee State to 3-of-16 shooting in the period while their own offense, though not efficient, generated 10 second-chance points off seven offensive rebounds. Proctor had nine points in the quarter, including three three-pointers, as SIU Edwardsville built a cushion it would never relinquish.

Tennessee State found some rhythm after the initial shock, playing the Cougars evenly over the second and third quarters. The Tigers cut the deficit to 34-21 at halftime and won the third quarter 18-13, pulling within 47-39 heading to the final period. Roberts, who led the Tigers with 16 points, was central to the push, scoring eight points in the third.

Any hope of a complete comeback was extinguished early in the fourth quarter. SIU Edwardsville opened the final period with a 10-2 run, pushing its lead back to 16 points. Macy Silvey started the surge with a tip-in, and Proctor capped it with a three-pointer and a jump shot, restoring a comfortable margin at 57-41 with 7:57 to play. Tennessee State never got closer than 12 points the rest of the way.

Proctor, a 5-foot-6 guard from Alton, Illinois, added four assists in 35 minutes. Miller finished with 14 points for the Cougars, and Adebukola Akomolafe contributed eight points, three assists and a block.

Beyond Proctor’s scoring, SIU Edwardsville won the game with physicality and rebounding. The Cougars held a massive 52-39 advantage on the boards, including a 23-11 edge on the offensive glass that led to 18 second-chance points. This helped offset a difficult shooting afternoon where they made just 32.9% from the field.

Tennessee State struggled offensively throughout, shooting 29.7% overall and 25% from three-point range. Aaniya Webb joined Roberts in double figures with 11 points, and Somah Kamara added nine.

The game was a rematch of a Jan. 22 meeting in Edwardsville, which the Cougars won 63-41. SIU Edwardsville has now won four of its last five games. Tennessee State has lost three straight.

SIU Edwardsville returns home to face Western Illinois on Thursday. Tennessee State travels to face Southeast Missouri State on Thursday.

The announced attendance was 352.