#TCCBasketball: Eagles win in road debut

MARIANNA, Fla. (November 9, 2018) – Deven Palmer scored 20 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to lead Region 8 No. 5 Tallahassee Community College to an 80-67 win over Lawson (Ala.) State Community College on Friday afternoon at the Chipola College Classic. 

Tallahassee, who beat Lawson State for the second time in a week, improved to 3-0 on the season, but with the Cougars playing at full strength, the game played out much differently than the Eagles' 105-59 win in last Friday's season opener. 

Palmer, a transfer from Quincy (Mass.) College, averaged 31.9 points per game as a freshman. The Hyde Park, Mass., native flashed his high-scoring potential for the Eagles on Friday, knocking down 7-of-19 shots from the floor, including a trio of three-pointers. 

Fourteen of Palmer's points were scored in the second half. His three-pointer at the 17:53 mark gave Tallahassee a 20-point lead, part of a 17-6 run that ended with the Eagles in front, 55-30, five minutes into the half. 

Tallahassee's lead was still at 21 (63-42) at the midway point of the second half following Salisu Yahaya's basket in the paint. The Eagles cruised home from there, though Lawson State did own a 43-42 advantage after the intermission. 

Richard Washington scored 17 points and was one rebound shy of a double-double. Jalen Dalcourt tossed in 12. 

All nine players who dressed on Friday scored for Tallahassee. 

Shannon Woody put Lawson State on the board first but Washington answered with a three-pointer on the ensuing possession and the Eagles never trailed again. A 16-6 run, capped by Zool Kueth's putback, pushed Tallahassee's advantage to 23-12 and the lead didn't dip into single digits again until just over two minutes left in the game. 

Tallahassee led 38-24 at the half. 

The Eagles will travel back to Marianna on Saturday for a 4 p.m. eastern game against Roane (Tenn.) State Community College.