Tigers Edge Trojans in Close Contest
Saturday, January 3, 2026, 4:30 PM ET · Jack Stephens Center
Tennessee State Tigers 84, Little Rock Trojans 79, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.
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Quick answers
Who won Tennessee State Tigers vs Little Rock Trojans?
Tennessee State Tigers beat Little Rock Trojans 84-79 at Jack Stephens Center on January 3, 2026.
Who was favored in Tennessee State Tigers vs Little Rock Trojans?
Tennessee State Tigers were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -115 (about 53% implied). The favorite won.
In a thrilling matchup at the Jack Stephens Center, the Tennessee State Tigers narrowly defeated the Little Rock Trojans with a final score of 84-79. This victory marks Tennessee State's continued success against Little Rock, extending their head-to-head record to 2-0 this season. The previous meetings saw Tennessee State win 95-86 on January 4, 2025, and 72-70 on January 31, 2025, showcasing their ability to perform under pressure against the Trojans.
Tennessee State entered the game with a record of 9-5, having won six of their last ten games, including a recent victory against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles, where they scored 88 points. They averaged 74.9 points per game while allowing 77.6 points during this stretch. In contrast, Little Rock had a record of 5-10, with a recent form of 3-7 in their last ten games. They had a three-game winning streak leading into this match, scoring an average of 68.8 points while allowing 77.5 points.
At home, Little Rock had a record of 2-1 in their last three games, while Tennessee State was 4-3 away. The Trojans had been showing signs of improvement, particularly in their last five games, where they averaged 74.8 points scored and 74.4 points allowed. However, their overall performance this season has been inconsistent, which made the matchup against the better-performing Tigers critical.
The odds for this game, provided by DraftKings, favored Tennessee State with a spread of 1.5 points, indicating a closely contested game. The total points line was set at 144.5, reflecting expectations for a competitive scoring environment.
The game conditions were conducive for a high-energy matchup, with both teams looking to leverage their strengths. Tennessee State's Dante Harris was pivotal in the second half, contributing key plays that ultimately sealed the victory for the Tigers. His performance included crucial free throws and a layup that put Tennessee State ahead late in the game.
Little Rock's scoring was led by strong performances as well, but they could not overcome the late-game execution of Tennessee State. The Trojans had opportunities to retake the lead but fell short in the final moments, unable to capitalize on their chances.
This game illustrated the competitive nature of NCAAB, with both teams showcasing their capabilities. Viewers were treated to a display of resilience and skill, particularly in the second half, where the lead changed hands multiple times. As the season progresses, both teams will look to build on this performance, with Tennessee State aiming to maintain their momentum and Little Rock seeking to improve their consistency.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | TNST -1.5 | 144.5 o -110 / u -110 | Tennessee State Tigers -115 · Little Rock Trojans -105 |
Leaders
- PointsJohnathan Lawson20Little Rock Trojans
- AssistsTuongthach Gatkek4Little Rock Trojans
- ReboundsKachi Nzeh8Little Rock Trojans
- PointsAaron Nkrumah22Tennessee State Tigers
- AssistsAaron Nkrumah5Tennessee State Tigers
- ReboundsAntoine Lorick III9Tennessee State Tigers
Recent form
Little Rock Trojans
Last 10: 3-7Streak W368.8 scored · 77.5 allowed per game2-1 at home
- W77-58vs Tennessee Tech Golden EaglesJan 1
- W98-84vs Williams Baptist EaglesDec 23
- W77-62at Southern Indiana Screaming EaglesDec 19
- L64-78at Morehead State EaglesDec 17
- L58-90at West Virginia MountaineersDec 10
- L78-90vs Arkansas State Red WolvesDec 7
- L47-85at Central Arkansas BearsDec 4
- L65-74at Southern Illinois SalukisNov 30
- L56-65at Texas State BobcatsNov 22
- L68-89at Murray State RacersNov 19
Tennessee State Tigers
Last 10: 6-4Streak W174.9 scored · 77.6 allowed per game4-3 away
- W88-76at Tennessee Tech Golden EaglesDec 31
- L82-91vs Southeast Missouri State RedhawksDec 20
- W78-71vs UT Martin SkyhawksDec 19
- W63-60at UNLV RebelsDec 14
- L53-80at Alabama A&M BulldogsDec 4
- W70-64at Chattanooga MocsNov 30
- W98-77vs Tennessee Wesleyan BulldogsNov 29
- W75-73at UNC Asheville BulldogsNov 25
- L60-89at Tennessee VolunteersNov 21
- L82-95at Western Kentucky HilltoppersNov 16
Standings
| Team | Overall | Games behind | In conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee State | 23-10 | - | 15-5 |
| Morehead State | 20-13 | - | 15-5 |
| Southeast Missouri State | 20-13 | 1 | 14-6 |
| UT Martin | 22-11 | 2 | 13-7 |
| SIU Edwardsville | 19-13 | 3 | 12-8 |
| Lindenwood | 18-15 | 4 | 11-9 |
| Little Rock | 12-20 | 6 | 9-11 |
| Tennessee Tech | 13-18 | 6 | 8-12 |
| Eastern Illinois | 13-20 | 7 | 8-12 |
| Southern Indiana | 7-23 | 11 | 4-16 |
| Western Illinois | 5-26 | 14 | 1-19 |
| Utah Valley | 25-9 | - | 14-4 |
| California Baptist | 25-9 | 1 | 13-5 |
| Utah Tech | 19-15 | 2 | 11-7 |
| UT Arlington | 18-14 | 5 | 9-9 |
| Southern Utah | 10-22 | 7 | 6-12 |
| Tarleton State | 14-18 | 9 | 5-13 |
| Abilene Christian | 14-19 | 9 | 5-13 |
Box score
| Stat | Tennessee State Tigers | Little Rock Trojans |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 31-68 | 26-59 |
| Field goal % | 46 | 44 |
| Three-pointers | 5-17 | 6-18 |
| Three-point % | 29 | 33 |
| Free throws | 17-21 | 21-29 |
| Free throw % | 81 | 72 |
| Rebounds | 40 | 39 |
| Offensive rebounds | 14 | 13 |
| Defensive rebounds | 26 | 26 |
| Assists | 12 | 14 |
| Steals | 10 | 8 |
| Blocks | 2 | 3 |
| Turnovers | 11 | 14 |
| Team turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls | 0 | 1 |
| Technical fouls, total | 0 | 1 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Points off turnovers | 16 | 12 |
| Fast-break points | 17 | 10 |
| Points in the paint | 50 | 34 |
| Fouls | 19 | 17 |
| Largest lead | 8 | 1 |
| Lead changes | 6 | 6 |
| Time in front | 88 | 4 |
How the scoring went
- 2nd Half53-48Johnathan Lawson makes 29-foot three point jumper (Tuongthach Gatkek assists)
- 2nd Half55-48Aaron Nkrumah makes 3-foot alley oop dunk (Dante Harris assists)
- 2nd Half55-50Johnathan Lawson makes layup (Tuongthach Gatkek assists)
- 2nd Half55-52Tuongthach Gatkek makes 0-foot tip in dunk
- 2nd Half57-52Aaron Nkrumah makes layup (Jalen Pitre assists)
- 2nd Half57-54Truman Claytor IV makes 2-foot dunk
- 2nd Half59-54Jalen Pitre makes 1-foot dunk (Dante Harris assists)
- 2nd Half59-57Braxton Bayless makes 25-foot three point jumper
- 2nd Half61-57Antoine Lorick III makes layup
- 2nd Half62-57Antoine Lorick III makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half62-60Kachi Nzeh makes 24-foot three point jumper (Braxton Bayless assists)
- 2nd Half64-60Antoine Lorick III makes 0-foot tip in layup
- 2nd Half64-61Kachi Nzeh makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half64-62Kachi Nzeh makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half65-62Jalen Pitre makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half66-62Jalen Pitre makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half66-64Truman Claytor IV makes 19-foot jumper (Johnathan Lawson assists)
- 2nd Half68-64Antoine Lorick III makes layup (Jalen Pitre assists)
- 2nd Half70-64Antoine Lorick III makes layup
- 2nd Half70-65Tuongthach Gatkek makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half71-65Travis Harper II makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half72-65Travis Harper II makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half72-66Braxton Bayless makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half72-67Braxton Bayless makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half75-67Aaron Nkrumah makes 26-foot three pointer
- 2nd Half75-69Tuongthach Gatkek makes layup
- 2nd Half75-71Kachi Nzeh makes layup
- 2nd Half75-72Kachi Nzeh makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half75-73Kachi Nzeh makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half75-74Kachi Nzeh makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half76-74Dante Harris makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half76-76Braxton Bayless makes layup
- 2nd Half78-76Dante Harris makes layup
- 2nd Half78-77Johnathan Lawson makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half79-77Dante Harris makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half80-77Dante Harris makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half80-79Kachi Nzeh makes 0-foot tip in dunk
- 2nd Half81-79Aaron Nkrumah makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half82-79Aaron Nkrumah makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half84-79Aaron Nkrumah makes 2-foot dunk
Win probability
Above the line favours Little Rock Trojans, below favours Tennessee State Tigers.
Venue
- Jack Stephens CenterLittle Rock, AR
- Attendance1129
- OfficialsLuke Chittum, Alex Manuel, Michael Stramiello
Elsewhere
- Carson Crawford, No. 46 in '27 class, commits to Arizona St.
- Tennessee's Ralph Scott to have knee surgery, out at least 6 months
- Men's NCAA basketball 2026-27 Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings
- Transfers, recruits and roster moves for key men's NCAA basketball teams
- Michigan 5-star freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. (knee) to miss season
- With $6.5 million left on deal, UCLA fires AD Martin Jarmond