FRANKFORT, Ky. – Myles Thomas scores 26 for Tuskegee as the Golden Tigers beat Kentucky State 86-80 in a thriller Saturday at the William Exum Center. Tuskegee (14-7, 11-3 SIAC) was able to pull out a victory despite a firm Thorobred offense.

Kentucky State (8-13, 5-9 SIAC) shot the best percentage from downtown all year but the 'Breds could not overcome Tuskegee's 52-point second half. Junior Kevin Wharton-Price (Pittsburgh, Pa.) led the Kentucky State effort with a team high 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting, making three shots from downtown. Seniors Jordan Little (Jersey City, N.J.) and Grant Goode (Matawan, N.J.) added 16 points each. Graduate Shaq Athie (Cincinnati, Ohio) finished with 12 points and had team-highs with four assists and nine rebounds. Graduate Felix Wilson (Lexington, Ky.) added 11 points and played a team-high 37 minutes.

The Thorobreds started strong, converting 52 percent of first half shots, enabling a 34-44 halftime lead. However, the turning point came in the the second half - 8:55 remaining – when Tuskegee went on a 13-8 run to tie the game at 70 with 4:20 left. Kentucky State managed to gain a one-point, 74-73 lead with just over two minutes remaining, but a late KSU turnover allowed for a converted And-One by Tuskegee's James Eads, propelling the Golden Tigers to pull away by way of free-throws in the very last minute.

Little had a season-high ten free throws made, and Athie now leads the team with 181 rebounds while grabbing at least nine or more rebounds in eight games this year. Wharton-Price has now made at least three, three-pointers in his last six of seven games and leads the team with 53 shots from downtown.

Kentucky State shot a season best 53.8 percent (7-of-13) from downtown and converted just under 48 percent (21-of-44) from the field. The 'Breds also amounted a season-best 84 percent (31-of-37) from the free throw line.

Kentucky State continues its home series at the William Exum Center, hosting Spring Hill College on 7:30 p.m. Monday.

WRITTEN BY: Jay Poullard