OPENING TIP: Tennessee State is coming off its first win of the season and makes the short trip across town to face Belmont on Saturday. Fresh off a dominant season-opening win over Fisk, the Tigers look to build early momentum as Smith faces his first Division I opponent as head coach.

The Matchup: 
Tennessee State (1-0) vs. Belmont (1-0)
Date/Time: Saturday, November 8 at 7:00 PM
Location: NASHVILLE | Curb Center 
TV: ESPN+

SERIES INFORMATION VS BELMONT: Saturday marks the 40th all-time meeting between the two Nashville programs. Belmont holds a 26-13 advantage in the series.

FISK BY THE NUMBERS:

1: Career win for Head Coach Nolan Smith, earning his first victory in his TSU debut.

2: Double-doubles recorded by Jalen Pitre (12 pts, 12 reb) and Travis Harper II (15 pts, 15 reb).

3: Tigers finished with three players scoring in double figures in the first half alone (Pitre, Harris, Harper).

4: Players scored in double figures: Harper (15), Williams (15), Nkrumah (13), and Harris (13).

9: Three-pointers made by TSU, including seven in the second half as the offense hit its stride.

12: Straight wins by TSU over Fisk dating back to 1944-45 (15th overall in the series).

14: Tigers recorded 14 steals in the game, turning defense into transition offense.

20: TSU's largest scoring run came early in the first half, a 20-0 burst that broke the game open.

23: Assists on 39 made field goals, showing crisp ball movement and balance across the roster.

26: Fast-break points for TSU, compared to 10 for Fisk.

30.0%: Three-point shooting percentage (9-for-30) for TSU after starting just 2-for-12 in the first half.

39–76 (51.3%): Field-goal shooting line for the Tigers, their first 50-percent performance since last season's home finale.

44–30: Rebounding advantage for TSU, including a 24–4 margin in second-chance points.

47–16: TSU's first-half score as they built a commanding 31-point halftime lead.

51: Largest lead of the night, coming in the final minute.

63: Total team rebounds — 19 offensive, 44 defensive — showing TSU's dominance inside.

101: Points scored — the Tigers' first triple-digit performance since December 16, 2023 against Boyce (117-59).