NASHVILLE — Tennessee State men's basketball will begin the second season of the Nolan Smith era on the national stage, opening its 2026–27 campaign at the Field of 68 Marathon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The Tigers will face former Ohio Valley Conference foe and perennial mid-major power Murray State on Monday, November 2, at the Sanford Sports Complex. Tipoff is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. CT (10:30 a.m. MT).

Tennessee State enters the season following its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1994. Smith, the reigning OVC Coach of the Year, has retooled his roster with several high-level transfers, including Aaron Bradshaw, Arterio Morris, Daniel Vieira-Tuck and recent signee Ty-Laur Johnson.

The season opener will renew a series that dates to 1983. Murray State leads the all-time series, 58-17, with the programs last meeting in 2022. The matchup in Sioux Falls will be the 76th meeting between the Tigers and Racers.

The two programs share deep OVC roots. Murray State established itself as one of the conference's premier programs before joining the Missouri Valley Conference in 2022.

The Field of 65 Marathon is an early-season college basketball showcase hosted across two cities: Sioux Falls and Rock Hill, South Carolina. Tennessee State's matchup with Murray State will be part of the event's Sioux Falls schedule.

Tickets are currently on sale at TSUTigers.com. Broadcast coverage will be announced as it becomes available.

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