OPENING TIP: The Candice Dupree era begins Monday as TSU hosts Cumberland at the Gentry Center in the season opener for the Lady Tigers.
The Matchup: Tennessee State (Season Opener) vs. Cumberland (0-3)
Date/Time:Â Monday, November 4Â at 5:00 PM CT
Location:Â Gentry Center || NASHVILLE
TV:Â ESPN+Â Jeff Hemm (play-by-play)
SERIES INFORMATION: Monday marks the seventh all-time meeting between TSU and Cumberland, with the Tigers leading the series 4-2. The last matchup was in 2012, with the Lady Tigers earning a 52-49 victory.
WELCOME COACH DUPREE: TSU welcomes Candice Dupree to the sidelines at the Gentry Center after she spent last season as a player development coach with the San Antonio Spurs. Recognized as one of the top players in WNBA history, Dupree ranks sixth all-time in WNBA scoring with 6,895 points. She is a seven-time WNBA All-Star and was part of the 2014 WNBA Champion Phoenix Mercury.
THE RETURNERS: Coach Dupree will have three returning starters in Sanaa' St. Andre, Lyric Cole, and Saniah Parker, who all played key roles in last season's OVC Quarterfinal finish. St. Andre led the team in scoring with 14.9 points per game and shot a team-best 75% from the free-throw line. Parker was third in scoring (9.9) across 18 games, while Cole ranked fifth in scoring and led in rebounds with 7.7 per game.
MEET THE NEWBIES: Eight new Lady Tigers join TSU this season, with guards Erin Martin and Somah Kamara expected to start. Martin was an All-Alabama player in her junior and senior years, while Kamara holds multiple records at Robbinsdale Cooper in suburban Minneapolis.
ROBERTS BRINGS VETERAN LEADERSHIP: Kiki Roberts, a transfer from Eastern New Mexico and Cal State Monterey Bay, adds experience to the roster. Roberts had a standout performance last New Year's Eve, scoring 17 points against Stanislaus State.
