As the Tennessee State University family celebrates Homecoming this weekend, there’s a lot to be happy about. New football coach Eddie George has his team at 4-3, and basketball is beginning its season.
FOOTBALL
Geremy Hickbottom finished with three touchdowns as TSU shut out Eastern Illinois, 28-0, last Saturday afternoon in Charleston, spoiling the Panthers homecoming. The shutout was TSU’s first D1 / Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) defensive blanking since 2013 in a 31-0 win over SEMO; the last overall was 60-0 over Virginia Lynchburg in 2017.
The win marks TSU’s first three-game winning streak since 2017, when they defeated Georgia State, Jackson State, and Florida A&M to start the season 3-0. The last time TSU won three straight OVC matches was in 2013 over SEMO, Jacksonville St. and UT Martin.
TSU returns to Nissan Stadium this Saturday, October 30, to host Murray State at 5 p.m. on Homecoming. The Tigers travel to UT Martin Nov. 6, then host Austin Peay Nov. 13 for Senior Day, and close out the season Nov. 20 in Starkville, MS at Mississippi State.
BASKETBALL
After a shortened season due to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, TSU men’s basketball coach Brian “Penny” Collins is pleased with a 2021-22 schedule that features 13 home games at Gentry Center. Entering his fourth season in #RoarCity, Collins has a competitive non-conference schedule to prepare the Tigers for a grueling OVC slate.
TSU opened in exhibition against Trevecca Nazarene Oct. 27. The regular season begins in Huntsville against Alabama A&M Nov. 9, followed by a contest in Atlanta against MEAC Champion Norfolk State Nov 13. The Tigers home-opener is against NAIA member Fisk University in the Battle of Jefferson Street on the 16th. The Tigers play at South Dakota on Nov. 21 and Nebraska on Nov. 23, before returning home for a post-Thanksgiving bout with Southern University from the SWAC on Nov. 28.
The Tigers return to Atlanta, against Georgia State on Dec. 1, and then face Chicago State in the Windy City on Dec. 4. The Tigers host IUPUI Friday, Dec. 10, before three straight road games, at Lipscomb on Dec. 12, Charleston Southern on Dec. 16 and South Carolina State on the 18th. They host Campbellsville-Harrodsburg Dec. 21 and Tennessee Tech Dec. 30th.
Tennessee State University women’s basketball second-year head coach Ty Evans has a tough 2021-22 schedule that features non-conference games against Kansas, UT Chattanooga, and a pre-holiday tournament at Stetson. The Tigers will have 13 home games at the Gentry Center beginning with the home opener on November 9 against Fisk University.
The Tigers face Georgia State there Nov. 12 and Big 12 powerhouse Kansas there Nov. 14. UT Chattanooga visits #RoarCity Nov. 17, before games at North Alabama Nov. 23, Western Kentucky Nov. 28, and Nebraska – Omaha Dec. 2. They host Mercer Dec. 5 and Kansas City Dec. 12 and play at Lipscomb Dec. 15, before playing the Stetson Tournament Dec. 18-19. OVC play starts Dec. 30 against Tennessee Tech.
