RAIDERS RALLY FROM 16-POINT DEFICIT TO DEFEAT DYERSBURG STATE 88-77

A young male basketball player wearing a gray Raiders jersey with red and blue trim and the number 10 stands on a polished wooden court, looking toward the right side of the frame. In the background, cheerleaders in blue and red uniforms stand along the sideline in front of a blue padded wall featuring a large red stylized “R” logo.
Jalen Davis gets back on defense after a Raiders field goal
Box Score
February 9, 2026

Roane State overcame a 16-point deficit late in the first half to defeat Dyersburg State 88-77 on Saturday night (February 7), showcasing the resilience and toughness that head coach Alan Holt has been demanding from his team.

"We're kind of at an impasse in our season where you can either come together and do what you're supposed to do, or you can crumble and fall to the wayside," Holt said. "I think the guys that we had on the floor tonight really showed their resilience and toughness and how they can help impact the game."

The Raiders trailed by 16 points late in the first half after some uncharacteristic mistakes against Dyersburg's mix of man-to-man and 1-3-1 zone defense. Holt focused on stabilizing the group and returning to their identity.

"We were doing a bunch of silly stuff that we're not used to, that we're not supposed to be doing," Holt said. "We were able to kind of settle in and stick to the game plan, get back to doing what we're supposed to do."

The full-court press, particularly with the lengthy Adonai Mussie at the top alongside his teammates, disrupted Dyersburg's rhythm and created easy transition opportunities.Dyersburg threw multiple defensive looks at the Raiders, including a diamond press and zone defenses, after struggling to guard them man-to-man in a previous meeting.

"Our press, of course, is kind of giving people fits throughout the year," Holt said. "(Mussie) at the top, he's so big and lanky that he can change the tempo of the game. They threw a bunch of stuff at us. We kind of expected that because they struggled to guard us one on one earlier this season, but fortunately, our guys were able to kind of settle in at some point."

The Raiders put the right players on the floor and responded when it mattered most. Kenny Greenling led the way off the bench with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Mikey Carpenter added 20 points, while Jordan Hamilton and Adonai Mussie each contributed 17 points. Hamilton dished out nine assists, and Mussie grabbed nine rebounds with five assists in a well-rounded performance.

Roane State shot 53.1 percent from the field (34-of-64), including 36 percent from three-point range (9-of-25), and made 11-of-16 free throws. The Raiders dominated the glass also with 38 rebounds to go with 24 assists, eight steals and three blocks, while committing 13 turnovers.

"We have just got to continue to get tougher," Holt said. "I think that's a big, big talking point for us right now. When things don't go your way, how do you respond? And we've not been great about that when we face adversity this year. I'm just continuing to find out what we're made of when we taste adversity."

The Raiders postseason push continues Wednesday night at home. Roane State hosts conference rival Pellissippi State at 7:30 p.m. ET on February 11.