WNBA legend Candice Dupree secured her first victory as head coach of Tennessee State University in the team's 72-62 win over Cumberland on Monday.
TSU was the first team to score, thanks to a free throw from Somah Kamara, and soon the points began to accumulate. The Lady Tigers established their largest lead of the game at 18 points. Candice Dupree effectively utilized her roster, resulting in five players scoring in double digits. Somah Kamara led with 19 points and six rebounds, while Saniah Parker contributed 16 points, six rebounds, and three steals.
Erin Martin also made an impact with a double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. The Tigers dominated the turnover battle, forcing 24 turnovers and converting them into 24 points. Tennessee State also caught fire from the three-point line, connecting on eight three-pointers in the victory.
After falling behind 13-6, Tennessee State went on a 5-0 run with 3:06 left in the first quarter, culminating in a bucket from Xaionna Whitfield, to narrow its deficit to 13-11, a score that would hold for the rest of the period.
Tennessee State kicked off the second quarter with a 5-0 run, capped by a basket from Parker, taking a 16-13 lead. The Tigers added another point and went into halftime with a 35-31 advantage, dominating the paint with 14 of their 24 points scored near the basket.
Tennessee State maintained its lead and launched another 5-0 run, featuring a three-pointer from Xaionna Whitfield, which extended the lead to 47-40 with 3:59 left in the third quarter. They held onto that advantage for the remainder of the frame, entering the fourth quarter ahead 51-44, with 12 of their 16 points scored in the paint.
The Tigers preserved their lead, going on a 14-0 run topped off by a three from Parker, pushing the lead to 72-54 with just 1:52 left. They slightly narrowed the margin before the final buzzer, but the Tigers clinched a 72-62 victory, hitting five deep shots that accounted for 15 of their 21 points in the fourth quarter.
The win starts what looks to be a promising season for Dupree and the Tigers. In May, Dupree was hired as Tennesse State women's basketball coach after a decorated career in the WNBA. She was selected sixth overall by the Chicago Sky in the 2006 WNBA Draft after playing for Dawn Staley at Temple University, who spoke highly of her new job as coach.
Throughout her 494 games, Dupree maintained an impressive average of 14.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Currently, Dupree ranks third in WNBA history in made field goals (2,842), fifth in career points (6,895), fifth in games played, and seventh in total rebounds (3,149). In 2014, she clinched her first WNBA championship with the Phoenix Mercury, leading them to a 3–0 finals sweep against her former team, the Chicago Sky.
Dupree spoke about her hire in a statement released by Tennessee State University, saying “I am thrilled about the opportunity to lead and coach the future of women's basketball at Tennessee State University. I am eager to continue building our program in alignment with the incredible culture and values embodied within the Tiger Family. It is an honor to be entrusted with upholding the tradition and legacy of TSU while embracing the evolving landscape of sports. Most importantly, I am committed to nurturing the holistic development of our student-athletes.”
Next up for the Lady Tigers is a road trip to Eastern Kentucky on November 8. Dupree and her new squad are hoping to snap the three-game losing streak between these two teams. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Follow Us
Subscribe
