OPENING TIP: Tennessee State enters the final week of the regular season winning five of its past six games as it looks to lock in at a minimum a top-five spot in the upcoming OVC Tournament. The Tigers are tied with Tennessee Tech for fourth place entering the week while UT Martin is tied with SEMO for second. TSU will conclude the second season on Saturday at home against Southern Indiana at 3:30 PM.

WHERE TO WATCH & LISTEN: TSU expanded its partnership with Cromwell Media, naming 102.1 FM The Ville as the flagship TSU men's basketball station. "The Voice of the Tigers" Greg Pogue returns for his 11th season behind the mic and will be reunited with his longtime partner Albert Dawson. The pregame show will begin 15 minutes before the scheduled start of the contest not the actual tip time in doubleheader situations. The action can also be heard on the TSU Tigers app.

The Matchup: Tennessee State Tigers (17-12 9-7 OVC) vs UT Martin Skyhawks (18-11, 10-6 OVC)
Date/Time: Thursday, February 23 at 8:00 PM
Location: Elam Center || Martin, Tenn.
TV:  ESPNU
Radio: 102.1 FM The Ville — Greg Pogue (pxp), Albert Dawson (analyst)
LIVE STATS

UT MARTIN SERIES INFORMATION: Thursday will be the 67th all-time meeting between TSU and UT Martin. The Tigers lead the all-time season series 36-30. 

SCOUTING UT MARTIN: In the past 10 games, UT Martin has seen its share of ups and downs. The Skyhawks started with a four-game winning streak followed by a three-game losing streak right back to a three-game winning streak. Parker Stewart leads the Skyhawks in scoring 17.1 points per game and is one of the most consistent shooters on the floor. Stewart, the current OVC Player of the Week averaged 25.0 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 53.3 percent (16-of-30) from the field, 66.7 percent (12-of-18) from 3-point range, and 6-of-6 at the free throw line. Parker has scored in double figures in 21 of 26 games this season. KJ Simon is second on the team in scoring (15.1 ppg) and had 22 points in the win over Tennessee Tech on Saturday. Jordan Sears, third in team scoring (14.4) had 30 points last Thursday against SIUE. 

LAST TIME OUT VS. UTM: Jr. Clay finished with 21 points and Adong Makuoi added 13 points and eight rebounds but Jordan Sears, Desmond Williams, Parker Stewart, and KK Curry led the Skyhawks in double figures and a 77-66 win. TSU struggled from behind the arc shooting 5-of-24 from the outside but shot 23-of-29 from the line.

HITTING THE JACKPOT: The Tigers reached the century mark in a conference game for the first time in a decade when they scored 100 points in the win over SIUE. The last time TSU dropped 100 points in an OVC contest was against Morehead State on Feb. 28, 2013, a 101-100 loss. Since joining the OVC, TSU has scored 100 points only five times with a 2-3 mark. 

TSU 100 Points in OVC Game
L, 102 at Tennessee Tech — 1/28/93 
L, 100 at Murray State — 2/27/01 
W, 109 vs. Tennessee Tech — 2/15/10
L, 100 vs. Morehead State — ­2/28/13
W, 100 vs. SIUE — 2/18/23

THE 40 POINT MAN: Jr. Clay finished with 40 points in the win over SIUE on Saturday. Clay's 40 points is tied for ninth place in TSU's top 10 single-game scoring mark with the legendary Dick Barnett who also scored 40 against South Dakota State (1955-56) and West Virginia Wesleyan (1956-57). Clay is fifth all-time on the TSU D1 single-game leaderboard behind Anthony Mason and Darryl Brooks and is third in most points scored at the Gentry Center behind Brooks who scored 42 points twice during the 1989-90 season.

TSU D1 Single-Game Scoring
Points	Players	Opponents	Date
44	Anthony Mason	at Eastern Kentucky	1/23/88
43	Anthony Mason	at Morehead State	1/25/88
42	Darryl Brooks	Central State	12/2/89
42	Darryl Brooks	at Chattanooga	12/8/90
42	Darryl Brooks	Eastern Kentucky	2/19/90
40	Jr. Clay	SIUE	2/18/2023