When Tennessee State steps onto the floor Friday for its first NCAA Tournament game in 32 years, there’s no sense of intimidation.
The Tigers, Ohio Valley Conference champions, believe the moment is theirs to seize on Friday at 2:50 p.m. ET on CBS.
“Once you are here, you are here,” Tigers guard Aaron Nkrumah said Thursday. “You’ve got to put on a show for the world. That’s what we’re ready to do. We’re going to put our best foot forward and do what we can to get that win.”
The 15th-seeded Tigers (22–11) meet No. 2 seed Iowa State in a first-round matchup that pits one of the nation’s fiercest defensive teams against a surging HBCU program making a long-awaited return to March Madness. It’s TSU’s first NCAA appearance since 1994.
“Being here is exciting — first time in 32 years,” said senior forward Travis Harper II. “We’ve got a lot of love from Nashville, a lot of love from alumni, just everywhere. Being an HBCU puts us on the map. It’s time for the work now. We’re supposed to be here.”
Tigers do have tournament experience
For Dante Harris, a transfer guard with NCAA tournament experience from Georgetown, the message to his teammates has been simple: embrace, don’t shrink from, the moment.
“This is my fourth time in March Madness, second time actually playing,” Harris said. “I just tell the guys to enjoy the moment. It goes fast. Don’t shy away from it — just play your game. You work on your game every night. Don’t be afraid of the moment.”
That mindset, he believes, could turn belief into history. Seeds may suggest a steep climb, but Harris insists the Tigers’ confidence level remains high against a Big 12 powerhouse.
“We’re a 15th seed, but I feel as though we can compete with anybody in this tournament,” Harris said. “We’ve got the guys. We’ve got the coaching staff. We’re going to be all right.”
For Nkrumah, a potential upset isn’t a fantasy — it’s motivation.
“It would mean a lot,” he said. “You don’t see it real often, but when you do, it makes a lot of noise around the world. I feel like we’re capable of doing that. We’ve got the talent, the coaching staff, and all the love from Nashville behind us.”
Tennessee State is accustomed to big-game pressure
Head coach Nolan Smith, in his first NCAA Tournament as a head coach, said his team has quickly shifted from celebration mode to business mode.
“We have a veteran group,” Smith said. “Just being here, we’re starting to talk about winning — about how tough we’re going to be, rebounding the ball, doing the little things that got us here. We’ve been in big games. We’ve been in these moments. Now it’s time to go.”
For Tennessee State, Friday isn’t just another game — it’s a stage to showcase the program, the players, and the pride of an entire HBCU community.
“We’re ready,” Nkrumah said. “Ready to show the world what TSU is all about.”
