For the first time in 32 years and only the third time ever, Tennessee State basketball finished at the top of the Ohio Valley Conference regular season standings.
The Tigers, under first-year coach Nolan Smith, beat host UT-Martin 67-42 on Feb. 28 to finish tied for first with Morehead State in the final conference standings.
TSU (21-9, 15-5 in OVC) and Morehead State split during the regular season, and TSU won the tie-breaker to earn the No. 1 seed in the OVC tournament (March 4-7) in Evansville, Indiana.
TSU will receive a double bye into the semifinals of the conference tournament. The Tigers' first game will be on March 5 at 7 p.m. (ESPNU).
"Our guys came out with a huge chip on their shoulders and really from the first tip didn't let up," Smith said. "They did it together offensively, they did it together on the defensive end, and that's kind of what we've been building toward these last couple of weeks. When you start getting ready for March, you want to be trending updwards and I like where my team is heading into the OVC tournament."
Aaron Nkrumah led TSU with 20 points, and Travis Harper added 16, helping the Tigers jump to a 35-21 lead late in the first half and never look back.
Matas Deniusas, a 6-foot-9 freshman from Lithuania, led UT Martin with 13 points.
TSU, one of the top defensive teams in the OVC, caused fits for UT-Martin's offense. While holding the Skyhawks to their fewest points this season, the Tigers also recorded 13 steals and forced 19 turnovers.
"We take it personal on the defensive end," Smith said. "We've been trending toward being as athletic on the defensive end as we are on the offensive end. Creating more turnovers, being tough on the defensive end, and trying to keep you out of the paint. And then all five guys rebounding the ball. Today we only gave up three offensive rebounds."
UT Martin (21-10, 13-7) was tied with TSU for first in the OVC standings earlier this month but lost five of its last seven games.
It was TSU's second win over UT-Martin this season, but the earlier game was much closer with the Tigers claiming a 78-71 victory at Gentry Center in the OVC opener on Dec. 18. Nkrumah also led TSU in that game with 23 points.
Tennessee State posts most wins in its NCAA history
The 21 victories are the most for Tennessee State since transitioning from NAIA to NCAA Division I in 1977-78.
The Tigers won 20 games in 2015-16 under coach Dana Ford and in 2011-12 under John Cooper.
TSU also set a school record for OVC wins in a single season with 15.
The Tigers finished the regular season on a four-game win streak and won seven of their last eight.
Tennessee State eyes first NCAA tournament berth since 1994
TSU needs to win two games in the OVC tournament to earn its second berth in the NCAA tournament.
The Tigers' first time in the NCAA tournament came in 1993 after winning the OVC tournament under former coach Frankie Allen. TSU lost to Seton Hall 81-59 in the first round of the NCAA tournament that season.
Allen led TSU back to the NCAA tournament in 1994, and the Tigers lost to Kentucky, 80-73.
TSU has advanced to the OVC tournament championship five times, its last coming in 2012 when the Tigers lost to Murray State 54-52.
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TSU basketball wins first OVC regular-season title in 32 years