NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Eastern Kentucky’s women’s basketball team committed 33 turnovers in a 61-52 loss to Tennessee State Saturday night at the Gentry Center. The Lady Colonels (4-7, 1-2 OVC) overcame an eight point deficit to tie the score at 52-52 with four minutes left in the game, but did not score again.

Junior Colette Cole recorded a double-double for EKU, finishing with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Kayla Drake finished with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists. Cherie White added nine points and 10 rebounds.

Tiffany Jackson scored a game-high 20 points for TSU (6-8, 2-1 OVC). Charisse Hicks made four three-pointers and finished with 15 points. Kendra Appling totaled 14 points and six rebounds.

Both teams started cold. Nadia Mossong's lay-up three and a half minutes into the game accounted for the first points of the contest. Through the first seven minutes the two teams had combined for eight points, with the score split 4-4. It heated up over the next minute as the two teams scored seven points combined. After a basket by EKU’s Sonjia Hoston, TSU’s Kierra Goodwin knocked down a three-pointer and Tiffany Jackson connected on a jumper for a 9-6 Lady Tiger lead.

A three-pointer by Hicks and a lay-up by Jackson pushed Tennessee State out in front by seven, 19-12, with 6:42 remaining in the first half. However, Eastern Kentucky answered with an 11-4 run to force a 23-23 tie at halftime. Drake scored all 11 points for the Lady Colonels. Her three-pointer tied the game at 21-21 with 3:08 showing on the clock. The freshman put Eastern on top 23-21 with a jumper at the 2:01 mark.

Jasmine Smith’s basket was the only points scored over the final two minutes of the first half and sent the teams to the locker room tied 23-23.

The Lady Colonels shot 44 percent (11-for-25) in the first half but committed 17 turnovers. The Lady Tigers made just 10-of-34 attempts from the field for 29.4 percent.

TSU opened the second half with a 9-2 run to push back in front by seven, 32-25. Appling scored four of the nine points but it was Hicks’ three-pointer that capped the run.

Eastern Kentucky clawed back to within two, 36-34, on a three-pointer by Jasmine Lewin with 14:45 left in the game. A 7-0 spurt gave the Lady Tigers a small cushion. Jackson scored four of the seven points at the free throw line. Her second two from the charity stripe gave Tennessee State a 46-38 lead with 8:47 remaining.

The Lady Colonels wouldn’t quit. Eastern went on a 7-0 run of its own. Cole scored four points and a three by White with 7:19 to play cut the deficit to one, 46-45. A lay-up by White and a jumper from Lewin completed the comeback and tied the score at 52-52 with 4:02 left in the game.

Eastern Kentucky shot 41.2 percent for the game while holding Tennessee State to 34.4 percent shooting. EKU made just 7-of-12 shots from the free throw line while the Lady Tigers went 13-for-16 from the stripe.

The Lady Colonels will finish off their two-game road trip on Monday when they visit Clarksville, Tenn., to face Austin Peay. The game is scheduled to begin at 6:15 p.m. ET.