Travis Harper II scored a game-high 30 points as Tennessee State continued its strong season with a 96–86 road win over Lindenwood on Saturday at Robert F. Hyland Arena.
Aaron Nkrumah added 22 points, six rebounds and four assists, and Dante Harris finished with 20 points and three assists as Tennessee State placed three players over the 20-point mark for the second time this season.
The Tigers shot 60 percent from the field, dominated the interior with a 56–34 edge in points in the paint, and outrebounded Lindenwood 31–27. Tennessee State also forced 16 turnovers, converting those miscues into 26 points.
Tennessee State trailed briefly in the first half before using a 9–0 run to take control and carried a 43–39 lead into halftime. The Tigers never trailed in the second half, steadily building the margin and answering every Lindenwood push with timely baskets, including late transition finishes that sealed the win.
Harper shot 13-of-21 from the field and added two steals. Harris led the defensive effort with three steals, while Nkrumah and Antoine Lorick III pulled down six rebounds apiece.
Lindenwood cut the deficit to single digits several times in the second half, but Tennessee State responded each time and closed the game with 32 of its 53 second-half points in the paint.
With the win, Tennessee State improved to 13–7 overall and 7–3 in Ohio Valley Conference play, remaining a half game behind UT Martin. The Tigers beat UT Martin back in December, 78-71, in Nashville. TSU is a serious contender for the OVC regular-season title, and winning the Conference Tournament would put TSU in the NCAA Tournament field for the first time since 1994. The Tigers haven’t won a regular-season championship since the 1994-95 season.
Under first-year head coach Nolan Smith, Tennessee State has combined offensive efficiency with defensive pressure and depth, positioning itself as one of the league’s most complete teams. If the Tigers can carry that form into March, they will be firmly in the mix for the OVC Tournament championship and the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.