Wallace State Men Pull Away in Second Half to Defeat Pellissippi State, 110–84

HANCEVILLE — Wallace State men's basketball closed out the first half of its season in emphatic fashion Friday, pulling away in the second half for a 110–84 win over visiting Pellissippi State.

The game was tightly contested through the opening 20 minutes, with the Lions carrying a narrow 49–45 advantage into halftime. Wallace State found another gear after the break, however, erupting for 61 second-half points while holding the Panthers to 39 to cruise to the 26-point victory.

Balanced scoring and strong interior play fueled the Lions' surge. Jaeden Rush led the way with 21 points, four rebounds, seven assists and a steal. Zav Madden also scored 21 points and added 11 rebounds and two steals to record a double-double. Tyson Barrett posted another double-double with 17 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block.

Trey Knight added 17 points, six assists and three steals, while Devan Rush matched him with 17 points to go along with three rebounds, two steals and a block. Austin Davenport contributed eight points, seven rebounds and a steal, while Sawyer Griffin, Hayden Shedrick and Tony Wilson each chipped in three points.

Wallace State's offensive efficiency and rebounding advantage proved decisive in the second half, as the Lions consistently pushed the pace and capitalized on scoring opportunities to pull away.

Wallace State will open the second half of its season on the road, traveling to Georgia for a matchup with Gordon State on January 3.