NASHVILLE (Interstat) — Somah Kamara scored 24 points and Tennessee State used a fast start and a deep balanced attack to beat non-divisional opponent Toccoa Falls 95-46 in a women’s NCAA Division I game on Monday at Howard Gentry Complex in Nashville, Tenn. The Tigers improved to 1-0. Kamara, a 5-foot-10 guard from Brooklyn Center, Minn., who previously played at Robbinsdale Cooper, added 3 rebounds and 2 assists in 20 minutes.

Tennessee State set the tone from the opening tip. Kamara made a jump shot, and after Toccoa Falls tied the game on Riley Berninger’s jumper, Nandinkhusel Nyamjav hit a 3-pointer to put the Tigers ahead. Berninger answered with a layup, but Lakiara Alexander converted a layup and a free throw, Addison Melton scored inside, and Kamara added a layup as Tennessee State began to pull away. De’Mya Hill made a tip-in for Toccoa Falls, but Kamara hit a 3-pointer and a layup, Tiara Jones scored inside, Genesis Harris knocked down a 3-pointer, Alexander made a jumper off a turnover, and Nyamjav closed the first-quarter scoring with a 3-pointer. The Tigers’ pressure and floor balance kept Toccoa Falls from settling into a rhythm.

The Tigers kept the pressure on in the second quarter. Lily Brothers opened the period with a 3-pointer for Toccoa Falls, but Kamara answered with a jumper and later made a 3-pointer. Tiara Jones made a free throw, Kamara made a free throw, and Jada Wood scored a layup for the visitors. Harmonie Cooper added a layup, and Berninger made a layup and a jumper to help Toccoa Falls stay competitive. Tennessee State answered with Jing Xuan Zheng’s 3-pointer, Berninger’s 3-pointer, and consecutive 3-pointers from Harris. Cooper made a layup and a free throw, Adrienne Hunt scored on a tip-in, Kamara hit another 3-pointer, and Wood made a free throw. Tennessee State’s ability to answer every Toccoa Falls burst allowed the Tigers to maintain a comfortable advantage.

Tennessee State pulled away for good in the third quarter. Nyamjav opened the second half with a 3-pointer, Zheng made a layup, and Wood made free throws for Toccoa Falls. Kamara hit a 3-pointer and a jumper, Melton made a 3-pointer and a layup, and Brooklyn Yon connected from beyond the arc for the visitors. Kamara added a free throw, Wood made a layup, Danica Lazic hit a 3-pointer, and Wood made another free throw. Alexander scored on a tip-in, Harris made a 3-pointer, and Wood made a free throw to close the third-quarter scoring. Tennessee State’s lead continued to grow as the Tigers mixed inside scoring with outside shooting.

The Tigers’ bench helped finish the job in the fourth. Alexander made a free throw and a tip-in, Hunt made a layup, and Wood made two free throws for Toccoa Falls. Alexander added another tip-in, Hunt scored again, and Wood made a layup. Zanayia Harrison scored a layup for the visitors, but Harris made a 3-pointer and a layup, Hunt hit a 3-pointer, Akeera Sparks scored inside, and Serenity Byrd made a layup and a free throw. Cooper made a 3-pointer for Toccoa Falls, Hunt added a tip-in, Hill made a free throw, and Sparks closed the scoring with a layup. Toccoa Falls kept working until the final buzzer, but Tennessee State’s advantage was never threatened.

Kamara led the Tigers with 24 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists in 20 minutes. Harris, a 5-foot-5 guard who previously played at Beech, added 17 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block in 24 minutes. Alexander, a 6-foot-1 forward who previously played at Camden High School, posted a double-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block in 19 minutes. Nyamjav, a 5-foot-10 guard who previously played at Spire Academy, finished with 9 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block in 17 minutes. Hunt, a 6-foot guard who previously played at Paul W. Bryant High School, had 11 points and 7 rebounds in 13 minutes. Melton, a 5-foot-10 guard who previously played at Central Magnet, contributed 7 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 block in 22 minutes. Zheng, a 5-foot-4 guard who previously played at International School, added 5 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists in 26 minutes. Lazic, a 5-foot-8 guard who previously played at International School, had 3 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists in 15 minutes. Sparks, a forward, added 4 points, 1 rebound and 1 block in 9 minutes, and Byrd, a forward, had 3 points and 1 rebound in 8 minutes.

Toccoa Falls received production from Berninger, Cooper and Wood throughout the game. Berninger scored on jumpers, layups and a 3-pointer, while Cooper made layups and a 3-pointer and added a free throw. Wood contributed layups and free throws, and Jones, Hill, Yon and Harrison also made scoring plays. The visiting team, a non-divisional opponent, could not match Tennessee State’s depth or shooting over four quarters. Tennessee State’s defense and rebounding helped turn several Toccoa Falls possessions into quick points at the other end.

Tennessee State’s upcoming schedule includes road games at William & Mary and Old Dominion, home contests against Mississippi Valley State and Texas-Arlington, and trips to South Carolina Upstate, South Carolina, Alabama, North Alabama, Tennessee Tech and Chattanooga. No betting line or projection was provided.