Preview: Tennessee State Tigers at Lindenwood Lions

SAINT CHARLES, Mo. (Interstat) — A pivotal Ohio Valley Conference clash is set for Saturday as the Tennessee State Tigers visit the Lindenwood Lions at Robert F. Hyland Performance Arena.

The Tigers (12-6) enter on a two-game winning streak, most recently defeating Southern Indiana 73-67 last Saturday. They are led by the red-hot guard Aaron Nkrumah, who poured in 24 points in that victory and is coming off a 30-point, 5-assist performance in an overtime win against Morehead State on Jan. 15. Over his last six games, Nkrumah has averaged 18.0 points and 4.0 assists, serving as the catalyst for an offense that has scored 84 points or more in four of those contests.

The Lions (11-8), however, aim to defend their home court after a 69-55 road loss at Tennessee-Martin. Standout forward Dontrez Williams has been a consistent force for Lindenwood, scoring 20 or more points in four of his last five outings, including a 22-point effort in a win at Southeast Missouri State on Jan. 15.

This matchup features two of the conference’s top individual scorers in Nkrumah and Williams. Tennessee State’s recent form shows a potent, high-scoring attack, but the Tigers have been vulnerable on the road, as seen in a Jan. 10 loss at Eastern Illinois. Lindenwood has shown resilience at home this season, including conference wins over Southern Indiana and Morehead State earlier this month.

The game will be a test of Tennessee State’s offensive firepower against a Lindenwood team looking to rebound and solidify its conference standing. The Lions will need to contain Nkrumah’s penetration and scoring to snap their brief skid.

Saturday’s winner will gain crucial momentum in the OVC race as the regular season’s second half intensifies. The teams are scheduled for a rematch in Nashville on Thursday, Feb. 19.

Tip-off is set for Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Saint Charles.