| Current: | 2023–24 Tennessee State Tigers basketball team |
| Tennessee State Tigers | |
| University: | Tennessee State University |
| Conference: | Ohio Valley |
| Location: | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Coach: | Brian "Penny" Collins |
| Tenure: | 6th |
| Arena: | Gentry Complex |
| Capacity: | 9,100 |
| Nickname: | Tigers |
| Naiachampion: | 1957, 1958, 1959 |
| Naiasemifinals: | 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960 |
| Ncaarunnerup: | 1970*, 1973* |
| Ncaafinalfour: | 1970*, 1972*, 1973*, 1975* |
| Ncaaeliteight: | 1970*, 1972*, 1973*, 1975* |
| Ncaasweetsixteen: | 1970*, 1971*, 1972*, 1973*, 1975* |
| Ncaatourneys: | 1967*, 1970*, 1971*, 1972*, 1973*, 1974*, 1975*, 1993, 1994 *at Division II level |
| Conference Tournament: | 1993, 1994 |
| Conference Season: | 1993, 1995 |
The Tennessee State Tigers basketball team represents Tennessee State University (TSU) in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. The school's team currently competes in the NCAA Division I's Ohio Valley Conference. They play their home games at the Gentry Complex and are led by sixth-year head coach Brian "Penny" Collins.[1]
While they were a member of the NAIA, they were three time national champions (1957, 1958, 1959). TSU was the first team to win three consecutive basketball national championships at any level of college basketball – a feat only repeated once as of 2021, by Kentucky State (1970, 1971, 1972) The 1957 championship made TSU the first historically black college to win a national championship. The team was coached by Harold Hunter from 1960 to 1968.[2] Hunter still holds the record as the second-winningest men's basketball coach in Tennessee State's history.[3] Hunter had succeeded outgoing coach John McLendon, who left in 1959.[2]
The Tigers joined NCAA Division I for the 1977-78 season and joined the OVC for the 1986-87 season. Since joining Division I, Tennessee State has appeared twice in the NCAA Tournament, most recently in 1994.
Seventeen former Tennessee State Tigers have played in the NBA; the best known are Ben Warley, Robert Covington, Dick Barnett, John Barnhill, Truck Robinson, Anthony Mason and Carlos Rogers.
The Tigers have appeared in two NCAA Division I Tournaments. Their combined record is 0–2.
| First round | Seton Hall | L 59–81 | ||
| First round | Kentucky | L 70–83 |
The Tigers have appeared in seven NCAA Division II Tournaments. Their record is 18–8.
| Regional Semifinals Regional Third Place | South Carolina State Stetson | L 59–66 W 65–53 | ||
| Regional Semifinals Regional Finals Elite Eight Final Four National Championship Game | Bellarmine Kentucky Wesleyan South Dakota State Buffalo State Philadelphia | W 82–77 W 75–73 W 92–89 W 101–80 L 65–76 | ||
| Regional Semifinals Regional Finals | Louisiana Tech Louisiana–Lafayette | W 92–91 OT L 82–86 | ||
| Regional Semifinals Regional Finals Elite Eight Final Four National Third Place game | New Orleans Delta State Southampton Akron Eastern Michigan | W 80–79 W 79–73 W 95–55 L 69–71 OT W 107–82 | ||
| Regional Semifinals Regional Finals Elite Eight Final Four National Championship Game | Transylvania Southeastern Louisiana Akron Assumption Kentucky Wesleyan | W 53–45 W 62–54 OT W 54–50 W 106–76 L 76–78 OT | ||
| Regional Semifinals Regional Third Place | Fisk Southern | L 54–65 W 98–88 | ||
| Regional Semifinals Regional Finals Elite Eight Final Four National Third Place | Armstrong Atlantic State Chattanooga Akron Old Dominion Assumption | W 63–53 W 82–81 W 72–69 L 60–77 L 80–88 |
The Tigers have appeared in seven NAIA Tournaments. Their combined record is 23–4 and are three time national champions (1957, 1958, 1959). Those same teams were later announced as inductees into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on April 6, 2019, with those teams being "the first collegiate team to win back-to-back-to-back championships."[4]
| First round Second Round Quarterfinals | W 89–88 W 79–56 L 67–72 | |||
| First round | Regis (CO) | L 58–61 | ||
| First round Second Round Quarterfinals | Indianapolis Wisconsin-Eau Claire McNeese State | W 84–76 W 62–61 L 68–76 | ||
| First round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship Game | Adrian Portland Western Illinois Pacific Lutheran Southeastern Oklahoma State | W 87–69 W 87–70 W 90–88 W 71–70 W 92–73 | ||
| First round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship Game | Northern Michigan Anderson (IN) Texas A&M-Commerce Texas Southern Western Illinois | W 113–45 W 77–56 W 81–62 W 110–85 W 85–73 | ||
| First round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship Game | Nebraska Wesleyan Youngstown State Illinois State Texas State Pacific Lutheran | W 75–57 W 89–80 W 131–74 W 64–62 W 97–87 | ||
| First round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals National 3rd-place game | Midwestern State West Virginia Wesleyan Wofford Westminster (PA) William Jewell | W 102–83 W 84–79 W 75–60 L 38–39 W 100–65 |
The Tigers have appeared in three CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournaments (CIT). Their combined record is 0–3. They accepted an invitation to the 2020 CIT before it was cancelled amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
| First round | Mercer | L 60–68 | ||
| First round | Evansville | L 72–84 | ||
| First round | Ball State | L 73–78 2OT | ||
| First round | Cancelled |