Aaron Nkrumah turned defense into program history Tuesday night.
His nine steals to set a new Tennessee State single-game record as the Tigers clawed back to stun UNC Asheville 75–73.
The road win gave head coach Nolan Smith his first Division I victory and pushed TSU back to .500 at 3–3.
Nkrumah stuffed the stat sheet with 18 points, nine steals, six rebounds, and five assists, leading a relentless defensive effort that forced 23 Bulldog turnovers — good for 28 Tiger points. Dante Harris added 17 points and six assists, icing the game with three pressure-packed free throws with 1.1 seconds left.
Travis Harper II tossed in 12 points, while reserve forward Kavien Jones gave TSU a key spark off the bench with eight points and six rebounds, four on the offensive glass. That second effort proved critical — Tennessee State racked up 14 offensive boards and 15 second-chance points to fuel its comeback.
Trailing by 11 with under 13 minutes remaining, the Tigers rallied behind suffocating defense and timely rebounding. A 11–0 run tightened the game, and Nkrumah’s steals kept momentum rolling until Harris sealed the win at the line.
TSU’s victory snapped UNC Asheville’s home winning streak and marked the Tigers’ most explosive defensive showing since Kinyon Hodges’ eight-steal game last season.
Nolan Smith’s first win came the hard way — on the road, in comeback fashion — with his team’s toughness and defense delivering the final word.