NASHVILLE – The Tennessee State men's basketball team is set to host Tennessee Tech on Martin Luther King Day at the Gentry Center.

The Matchup: Tennessee State Tigers (6-10, 1-3 OVC) vs. Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (4-11, 1-1 OVC)
Date/Time: Monday, January 17 || 1:00 p.m. (CST)
Location: Gentry Center || Nashville, Tenn.

Watch: Big Blue Sports Network and ESPN+ will carry the game live with Greg Pogue (play-by-play), Ron Slay (color analyst) and Sami Kincaid (sideline reporter).

Live Stats: To follow live coverage of the game through the stats link, click here.

Series History: This will be the 73rd meeting between the two programs, as they are dead-even all-time with each team earning 36 victories in the 42-year series history. The initial meeting occurred on February 4, 1980 with a one-point win from TSU, 62-61. Last year, the institutions spilt the season-series while the Tigers secured a five-point win, 91-86, in the most recent matchup (2/18/21). TSU's Monty Johal and Shakem Johnson posted 16 and 15 points, respectively, as they combined for 12-of-20 from the field. TTU's Jr. Clay posted a game-high 26 points on 10-of-22 from the field. 

Last Time Out for TSU: Tennessee State hosted Morehead State on Saturday afternoon and fell to the Eagles, 71-64. The Tigers cut the deficit to one point, 61-60, with four minutes to go. MSU converted numerous free-throws down the stretch to seal  the game. Kassim Nicholson recorded his fifth double-double of the year with a career-high 18 points and 11 rebounds. Kenny Cooper filled up the stat sheet with six points, seven assists and matched his season-high of four steals. Despite being out-rebounded by Morehead State, 31-25, TSU dominated the paint in terms of scoring, 44-32.

Last Time Out for TTU: Tennessee Tech played their second game in 25 days on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Eagles traveled to UT-Martin and defeated the Skyhawks, 76-70. Despite trailing by double-digits, TTU secured their first victory in OVC play behind a team effort as seven players logged at least seven points. Amadou Sylla came off the bench and posted a double-double – his first of the year – with 11 points and 12 rebounds. The Bamako, Mali native grabbed six offensive rebounds and swatted three shots. Tennessee Tech out-rebounded UTM, 48-39.

Clay on Hardwood: TTU's Jr. Clay, a fourth-year junior,  leads the team in scoring (11.1 ppg), assists (4.1) and steals (1.9). Despite playing fewer games, the Chattanooga native ranks third in steals (29) and fourth in assists (61), among OVC players. Clay's recorded a steal in 13 of 15 games, including multiple steals in nine contests.

Jackson's Finest: Kassim Nicholson, a native of Jackson, Miss.,  scored a career-high 18 points against Morehead State. He's grabbed 11 rebounds in consecutive games. The graduate transfer from UAB is averaging 9.3 rebounds per game in conference play. Nicholson's secured double-digit boards in seven games this season.

Conference Leaders: Carlos Marshall Jr. ranks fourth in the OVC with 16.0 points per game in conference play. Through four conference games, Kassim Nicholson's grabbed the second-most rebounds (37) in OVC action through four games. Shakem Johnson is shooting 56.5% from the field (13-for-23) through four OVC games, which ranks sixth. Among OVC players with at least 15 free-throw attempts, Marcus Fitzgerald Jr. leads the way at 95.5% (21-for-22) from the charity stripe.

Social: Follow @TSUTigersMBB on Twitter and Instagram or visit www.tsutigers.com for more information.