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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team shot a season-low 30.6 percent from the field in a 62-49 loss at Tennessee State Tuesday night. The Colonels (5-7, 1-3 OVC) have now dropped three straight games.

Tennessee State (6-6, 3-1) led from start to finish as the Tigers rolled to their fifth consecutive victory.

The host Tigers came out on fire to start the game, hitting seven of the first eight three-point attempts to build a commanding 31-12 lead midway through the first half. Tennessee State’s lead grew to 26 points following a Will Peters steal and breakaway lay-up to make the score, 41-15.

Eastern only made one shot from the field in the final 12:30 of the first half as the Colonels trailed 41-17 at intermission.

The Colonels turned up the defensive intensity in the second half to help the visitors slowly creep back into the game. EKU held Tennessee State to just four points in the first eight minutes of the half. Three-pointers from junior Joshua Jones and senior Josh Daniel then allowed the Colonels to slash the deficit to 13 points, 45-32, with 13:50 remaining.

Eastern Kentucky had five chances to get even closer in the next two minutes, but missed three shots and had two turnovers. The Colonels eventually closed the gap to nine points, 52-43, but would get no closer down the stretch.

Jones paced EKU with a season-high 15 points while Daniel chipped in with 14 tallies. Senior Spencer Perrin, the team’s leading scorer at 12.1 points per game, was held out of the contest due to a violation of team rules.

Robert Covington recorded his second double-double of the season (22 points, 12 rebounds) to lead the Tigers.

Eastern Kentucky has the next week off to celebrate the holidays before returning to action on Dec. 31 at Georgia.