TSU Men's Basketball Closes the Ohio Valley Hardwood Showcase at #10 Kentucky

TENNESSEE STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL (2-3)
vs. #10 KENTUCKY (4-1)

Date: Friday, Nov. 23

Time: 6 p.m. CT

Location: Rupp Arena – Lexington, Ky.
Live TV:  SEC Network  ||  Courtney Lyle and Pat Bradley on the call 
TSU Radio:  102.1 The Ville  ||  Greg Pogue and Tom Hodges on the call

Live Stats:  Statbroadcast.com Social Media Updates: Twitter  ||  #BigBlueRising

OPENING TIP: Wrapping up the Ohio Valley Hardwood Showcase, the Tennessee State men’s basketball team will travel to #10 Kentucky for a Friday evening showdown at the Rupp Arena at 6 p.m. CT for the first time since 2008.

LAST TIME OUT: TSU fell to 2-3 on the season with a close 80-77 loss to CSUN on Tuesday night. Down by ten at the half, the Matadors increased its lead by as much as 20 in the second. Despite a jolt of energy and some hot shooting by the Tigers late in the game, TSU could not overcome CSUN’s work in the paint, finishing with 34.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Kentucky leads the all-time series 4-0. The first matchup between the Wildcats and the Tigers was in round one of the 1994 NCAA tournament in St. Petersburg, Florida. UK knocked TSU out of the tournament with a 83-70 win at Tropicana Field. The last time Tennessee State visited Rupp Arena was Dec. 22, 2018. Big Blue dropped to the Wildcats, 102-58.

FOR THREE: Eight different Tigers have made three pointers so far this season led by fourteen from Tripp Davis. The Tigers are averaging 32.4 attempts from three-point range per game through five games and are shooting 37.7 percent from distance.

TSU VERSUS HIGH MAJORS: Tennessee State’s last win over a high major came on Nov. 20, 2011 as the Tigers beat South Carolina 64-63. In the last few seasons, TSU has given a number of high major programs a run, dropping to Texas in 2017 by just one, 47-46. UT scored a jumper with 9.2 seconds left for the win. Big Blue also went into overtime versus NC State in 2016, leading the Wolfpack for 26:50 of the 45-minute game, before falling 67-55.

UP NEXT: The Tigers continue its four-game road trip with a stop in Bowling Green, Ky. to take on Western Kentucky, Dec. 1 at 6 p.m.

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY TIGERS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS