Ten years ago this weekend a fifteen seed from the State of Tennessee defeated second seeded power conference team in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. Middle Tennessee defeated Michigan State 90-81 and Friday, fifteenth seeded Tennessee State (23-9) faces number two, Iowa State (27-7) with a chance to repeat history in St. Louis.
While no one on the planet is liable to pick the Tigers in this matchup with the Cyclones, the TSU players and coaching staff are a confident bunch. Iowa State is taller, stronger, deeper and is an overwhelming favorite in this first round game.
So, how can the Tigers repeat history?
Head coach Nolan Smith says his team has to excel on defense and continue to play hard-nosed basketball.
“On the defense we have to gang rebound,” said Smith. “All five guys have to be in that paint, in that fight. On the offensive end we have to value the ball. We have to get a shot up every possession or it needs to be a dead ball turnover. It can't be a live ball turnover where we give them run-outs and give them easy points.”
Each of these teams average just over 80 points per game, but Iowa State holds its opponents to just 65 points per contest. TSU allows 73.
Tiger players are determined to show the basketball world that they belong on the NCAA Tournament stage. Ohio Valley Conference ‘Player of the Year’ Aaron Nkrumah says his team will put its best foot forward.
“Once you are here, you are here,” said Nkrumah. “You got to put on a show for the world. That's what we are ready to do. We are going to put our best foot forward and do what we can to get that win.”
Nkrumah and all-OVC guard Travis Harper II are outstanding scorers, and Nkrumah is second nationally in steals. They are the key players in terms of production and attitude. They are confident players with unique skills.
Each is averaging over 17 points-per-game and they are converting over 35 percent of their three-point attempts. The two, 6’6 wings have combined to make 132 of TSU’s 204 triples.
Overcoming Iowa State’s Strength and Talent
Iowa State is loaded. 6’9 forward Joshua Jefferson is an all-American and a dominant player, averaging 16.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists. Leading scorer Milan Momcilovic is 6’8 forward that is deadly from deep (.496). He’s made nearly as many triples as Nkrumah and Harper combined.
Guard Tamin Lipsey is Big 12 first-teamer who distributes five assists and adds 13.3 points per game.
This is the Cyclones’ sixth NCAA Tournament under head coach T.J. Otzelberger. Smith is bringing TSU to its first ‘Big Dance’ in 32 years.
Iowa State’s path has been bumpy of late. The Cyclones are 3-3 over their last six games. TSU has won its last six and nine of its last ten games.
Smith says his team picked up a tougher mindset after a loss to co-OVC champion Morehead State.
“There is a moment in our season where I would've said they weren't prepared,” said Smith. “But that's part of the process of becoming a champion. But once they realized they had a chance to become a champion, that's when they changed. All of the soft stuff, the giving up offensive rebounds, being careless with the ball. After the Morehead State loss the guys talked about all of our flaws and what it is going to take to be a tougher team. As a championship team, players take ownership. Once they took ownership over what we are doing, that's where I think everybody that has watched us become the tough and together team that we have become.”
A pair of unheralded 6’8 juniors could be the key to the game. Jalen Pitre and Antoine Lorick III must be sturdy against the talented and physical Cyclone frontcourt players.
Lorick had a sensational OVC Tournament, scoring 13 and 18 points in TSU’s championship run. He grabbed ten rebounds in the team’s semifinal win over UT Martin.
Eleven, fifteen seeds have defeated their second seeded foes. The 2022 St. Peter’s team is the only one to reach the Elite Eight.
If TSU hopes to repeat history in St. Louis, the Tigers will need to play the perfect game and allow their toughness to carry them into the record books.
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