Tight Games with Mixed Results in Nashville as TSU Men and Women Basketball Open Up Conference Play Versus UT Martin

zyaoimediahi
Dec 19, 2025
2 min read

NASHVILLE, TN - It was an exciting night at the Gentry Center in Nashville as the men's and women's TSU Tigers opened conference play against the UT Martin Skyhawks. The Lady Tigers came up short in the first game, while the TSU men pulled out a hard-fought victory in the nightcap. Both games were tight throughout, showcasing exciting basketball by both squads.

Lady Tigers vs. UT Martin

In the first game, the Tennessee State Lady Tigers came into the game hoping to start conference play with a bang and get their second win of the season. Off to a disappointing 1 - 8 start, the Lady Tigers are looking to turn things around as they enter conference competition. They battled hard against the Skyhawks, but ultimately fell 86-79. The contest was back-and-forth affair throughout and TSU maintained leads over the visiting Skyhawks during a majority of the game. However, in the final moments outscore the Tigers adn pulled out the win.

Key Players:

Erin Martin led the Lady Tigers with 25 points and 11 rebounds, and freshman Sadi Sanchez added another 15 points with 2 assists, a block and a steal in just 17 minutes .

The Lady Tigers hope to rebound and get their first conference win as they host Southeast Missouri State this Saturday, December 20th.

TSU Men vs. UT Martin

The men's game followed and ended in favor of the TSU Tigers with a 78-71 victory and its first conference win of the season. The Tigers trailed by five points at halftime but came back strong in the second half, led by Aaron Nkrumah, who scored 23 points.

Despite having more turnovers and less second chances, TSU's higher scoring percentages in every category provided the Tigers with the points needed for the win. First year Head Coach Nolan Smith is excited with the win and hopes this is the start of a great conference run. The Tigers are now 7 - 4 for the season.

Key Players: