The 2nd round of the TSSAA playoffs are set for Friday night as teams continue their quest for one of nine state championships.
SportsNashville
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Lipscomb Beats Belmont 88-75 in the Battle of the Boulevard
The Lipscomb Bisons defeated the Belmont Bruins 88-75 at Allen Arena on the campus of Lipscomb University Tuesday night in the 153rd game of the down the street rivarly.
The Bisons trailed early 14-12 , but went on a 13-0 run to led 25- 14 midway through the 1st half, led 40-32 at the half, and outscored the Bruins 48-53 in the 2nd half for the final 88-75.
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Vandy WBB Defeats Morehead State 102-50
No. 8 Vanderbilt dominated Morehead State 102–50 on Monday night at Memorial Gymnasium, opening the game with an 11-0 run and securing their third consecutive 100-point game to start the season—a program first.
Key Performers & Stats
- Mikayla Blakes (Vanderbilt): Scored a game-high 25 points, extending her streak of 20-point games to 18 consecutive matches (leading active NCAA Division I players).
- Aubrey Galvan (Vanderbilt): Recorded a double-double with 18 points and 10 assists, capped off by back-to-back 3-pointers at the end of the second quarter.
- Aiyana Mitchell (Vanderbilt): Added 15 points and 10 rebounds for her own double-double.
- Mia Woolfolk (Vanderbilt): Contributed 20 points, sparking a decisive 15-0 run in the third quarter.
- Kensley Feltner (Morehead State): Led the Eagles with 17 points.
Game Highlights & Milestones
- Turnover Dominance: Vanderbilt forced early defensive pressure, converting points off turnovers into a lopsided 36–11 advantage.
- Historic Streaks: The Commodores picked up their 23rd consecutive regular-season win over nonconference opponents.
- Series History: This marked the first meeting between the two programs since 1989, with Vanderbilt sweeping all three historical matchups.
What’s Next
- Morehead State: Travels to face Murray State on Thursday.
- Vanderbilt: Hosts Western Kentucky on Wednesday night.
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Columbia knocks off Belmont WBB 84-64
The Belmont University women’s basketball team (0-3) fell 84-64 to Columbia University (3-0) on Sunday afternoon inside the Curb Event Center, wrapping up the inaugural Nashville Opening Statement tournament.
Columbia’s blistering shooting—anchored by a 50% overall clip and a 51.9% mark from beyond the arc (14-for-27)—proved too much for the Bruins to overcome.
Key Stats Breakdown
- Field Goal Shooting: Columbia shot 50.0% (30-for-60); Belmont shot 40.4%.
- 3-Point Shooting: Columbia dominated from deep with 14 triples (51.9%), while Belmont struggled at 22.7% (5-for-22).
- Rebounding: The Lions outrebounded the Bruins 42-31.
- Turnovers & Defense: Columbia capitalized on 17 Belmont turnovers to score 22 points, while Belmont forced 19 turnovers resulting in 18 points.
Standout Performances
- Chelby Jordan (Belmont): The freshman guard notched her first collegiate 20-point game in just her third outing, finishing with 20 points (8-for-12 FG), a game-best 5 assists, and 5 rebounds.
- Kate McGinnis (Belmont): Continued her hot shooting from deep, sinking four 3-pointers—including a spectacular buzzer-beater from logo range at the end of the first quarter—to finish with 15 points.
- Kenley McCarn (Belmont): Added 11 points and a team-high 7 rebounds.
- Riley Weiss (Columbia): The reigning Ivy League Player of the Year scored a game-high 28 points, dropping 21 in the second half alone (including 13 in a dominant fourth quarter).
- Fliss Henderson & Mia Broom (Columbia): Henderson posted a double-double with 11 points and 13 boards, while Broom added 11 points and 6 steals.
Game Flow
- First Quarter: Belmont erased an early 7-point deficit behind a flurry of 3-pointers from Kate McGinnis, closing the frame on an 11-3 run to take a 19-18 lead.
- Second & Third Quarters: Columbia responded with a 15-4 run in the second quarter to build a 42-31 halftime lead. Belmont fought back to within six points late in the third, but the Lions maintained a 55-44 edge heading into the final period.
- Fourth Quarter: Columbia put the game away with a decisive 17-5 scoring run fueled by Riley Weiss, outscoring the Bruins 29-20 in the final period to secure the 84-64 victory.
Looking Ahead
Belmont continues its five-game homestand with an 11:00 AM Education Day matchup against Troy on Friday (broadcast on ESPN+), followed by a marquee home game against eight-time national champion Tennessee on Tuesday, Nov. 17.
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Trevecca MBB Blasts Wright State University- Lake 142-50
In a Homecoming exhibition game, Trevecca Men’s Basketball blitzed the Wright State University-Lake Lakers 142-50. While technically an exhibition and thus not a countable official record, the 92-point blowout marked the largest offensive output by a Trevecca team in more than 50 years.
Historical Context
The Trojans have only ever scored more points in a single game once: a 157-61 victory over John Wesley College on Valentine’s Day in 1970. Prior to Saturday, Trevecca had only crossed the 130-point mark twice in program history:
- 135–56 vs. Piedmont College (Nov. 15, 1985)
- 134–108 vs. Jimmy Swaggart Bible College (Nov. 21, 1989)
How It Happened
The Trojans suffocated the Lakers from the opening tip. Capitalizing on early defensive pressure, Trevecca forced three turnovers in the first four minutes and sprinted out to a 19-6 lead. Shooting 14-of-20 out of the gate and dominating the glass (grabbing 12 of the first 13 rebounds), the Trojans built a commanding 30-10 lead and cruised into halftime up 75-25.
Even with the bench getting heavy minutes in the second half, the pace never slowed. Trevecca finished the night having created nearly 40 more possessions than the Lakers.
Team & Player Highlights
The stat sheet tells the story of a complete team dismantling:
- Shooting: 59-of-94 (62.8%) overall, including 15-of-37 (40.5%) from three-point range. (Though they struggled slightly at the line, going 9-for-18).
- Dominance: Out-rebounded the Lakers 59-19 and converted 31 forced turnovers into 50 points.
- Bench & Paint: A staggering 80 points came off the bench, alongside 88 points in the paint, 29 fast-break points, and 27 second-chance points.
- Balanced Scoring: A remarkable nine players scored in double figures:
- Justin Bass: 21 points (four 3-pointers)
- Jeremy Jackson, Jr.: 15 points and 12 rebounds (double-double)
- Jett Montgomery: 14 points (in just 16 minutes)
- D’Shay Knights Wright: 12 points
- Fred Bailey & Eli Williams: 11 points each
- Shahar Lazar, Ben Groth, & Tyler Moore: 10 points each
Up Next
The Trojans officially tip off their regular season on November 13–14 in Daytona Beach, Florida. They will compete in the Bahama House Shootout hosted by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, facing Palm Beach Atlantic University on Friday at Noon before taking on host ERAU on Saturday at 7:00 PM.
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Trevecca WBB Easily Handles Wesleyan (Ga) 84-50
NASHVILLE — Celebrating its 125th anniversary homecoming in style, the Trevecca Nazarene University women’s basketball team opened their 2026-27 campaign with a dominant 84-50 victory over the Wesleyan College (Ga.) Wolves.
Game Highlights & Flow
- Fast Start: Freshman Allie Gillies needed just 33 seconds to score her first points as a Trojan, igniting an 8-1 opening run. Trevecca never looked back, leading 23-8 after the first quarter.
- Stingy Defense: The Trojans held Wesleyan to just 5-of-24 shooting in the first half, forcing 13 turnovers that translated into 15 points to build a commanding 45-21 halftime cushion.
- Blowing It Open: A suffocating 11-0 run in the third quarter pushed the lead past 30 points (61-28), allowing Trevecca to lean deep into its rotation down the stretch.
- Historic Matchup: This marked the first-ever meeting between the two programs, making Wesleyan the 156th all-time opponent faced by Trevecca.
Standout Performances
- Jordan Gillies (Preseason All-GSC selection) led all scorers with 18 points alongside 4 assists and 4 triples.
- Allie Gillies, Brianna Burgess, and Alyssa Petty each chipped in 12 points, with Burgess and the Gillies sisters shooting an impressive 4-of-9 from beyond the arc. Allie also anchored the defense with 5 steals.
- Maria Perulles Sanchez added 11 points and tied with Natalia Hernandez for a team-high 5 rebounds.
- In total, 10 different Trojans scored, with five finishing in double figures.
Team Stats Breakdown
- Shooting: 32-of-71 (45.1%) overall; 14-of-40 (35%) from 3-point range.
- Rebounds: Trevecca out-rebounded Wesleyan 37–32.
- Specialty Stats Dominance:
- Points off turnovers: 27–11
- Second-chance points: 22–11
- Points in the paint: 36–24
- Bench points: 28–11
Up Next
Trevecca (1-0) hits the road for a tough matchup against Georgia Southwestern State University on Tuesday night at 4:30 p.m. Central Time.
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Lipscomb MBB Defeats SIUE 78-77
Lipscomb Men’s Basketball Edges SIU Edwardsville 78-77 in Thrilling Home Opener
NASHVILLE — Bisons Weekend came to a dramatic close inside Allen Arena on Saturday night as the Lipscomb University men’s basketball team (1-2) secured a thrilling 78-77 victory over Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (2-1).
A clutch late-game surge—highlighted by a roaring dunk and game-winning free throw—pushed the Bisons past the Cougars to capture their first win of the season.
How It Happened
- First Half (Lipscomb 46, SIUE 35): Lipscomb seized early momentum by shooting 50% from the field (15-for-30) and connecting on seven 3-pointers. An 8-0 run fueled by suffocating defense turned nine SIUE turnovers into a 13-4 advantage in points off turnovers, giving the Bisons an 11-point halftime cushion.
- Second Half (SIUE 42, Lipscomb 32): The Cougars stormed back after the break, dominating the paint (30-16) and outscoring Lipscomb by 10. However, the Bisons relied on steady free-throw shooting (13-for-18) and a +7 rebounding edge to stay within striking distance.
- The Dramatic Finish: Trailing late, Lipscomb pulled off the comeback when Kennedy Okpara threw down a clutch dunk to tie the game at 77 with 45 seconds remaining. Moments later, Devyn Martin stepped to the line and hit the game-winning free throw with just seven seconds left on the clock to seal the 78-77 win.
Key Statistics & Standouts
- Devyn Martin: Led the charge with a monster double-double, posting a team-high 17 points and 10 rebounds.
- Takai Simpkins: Controlled the floor with 12 points (8-for-10 from the charity stripe) and 5 assists.
- Kennedy Okpara: Provided a huge spark off the bench with 13 points in just 19 minutes of action.
- Mateo Esmeraldo: Added 13 points, helping fuel an offensive attack where four of the five starters scored in double figures.
Up Next
The Bisons enjoy a week off to recover before hitting the road to face Western Carolina on Saturday, November 14.
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Lipscomb WBB Dominates Carolina 90-49
Lipscomb Dominates Carolina University 90-49 in Home Opener Showcase
NASHVILLE — On National Bison Day and Bisons Weekend on campus, it was all Bisons for the Lipscomb University women’s basketball team (1-2) on Saturday afternoon at Allen Arena. Pushed by a balanced attack and a stifling defensive effort, Lipscomb cruised to a 90-49 victory over Carolina University (0-2).
How It Happened
After Carolina’s Alexis Gibbs opened the scoring with a 3-pointer, Taliah Lee answered immediately for Lipscomb at the 9:12 mark. That spark ignited a 10-3 run featuring a layup and free throw from McKayla Miller, a transition bucket from Lee, and another layup by Miller.
The Bruins clawed back to make it a one-point game at 12-11 late in the first quarter, but Lipscomb closed the period on a 5-0 push—capped by a Hannah Richardson basket inside—to take a 17-11 lead.
The Bisons blew the game open in the second quarter. Leading 21-11 following baskets from Lee and Miller, Lipscomb unleashed a dominant 10-0 run. Defense fueled the surge as Hope Counts and Miller notched steals, Counts added a block, and CarolinaU went scoreless for nearly five minutes. CC Quigley caught fire down the stretch of the half, scoring a layup, a free throw, and a deep 3-pointer to help stretch the halftime advantage to 39-21.
Lipscomb didn’t let up after the break. Counts and Miller opened the third quarter with back-to-back triples, and a subsequent 12-0 run pushed the lead to 57-23. Miller continued her stellar play with six quick points down the stretch, sending the Bisons into the fourth quarter firmly in control at 69-34.
The Bisons capped off the afternoon with a dominant closing surge. Up 74-47 late in the fourth, Lipscomb rattled off a 16-0 run, featuring stellar defensive plays—including a block by Richardson and a steal and layup by Elena Bertrand—before closing out the 41-point victory.
Herd Notes & Key Statistics
- Historic Home Openers: With the win, the Bisons improve to 15-12 in home openers since the 2000-01 season.
- Total Team Effort: In a rare and impressive team feat, all 11 active Lipscomb players scored at least two points.
- CC Quigley (22 PTS, 7 REB): Led all scorers with 22 points in just 22 minutes off the bench, shooting an efficient 8-of-11.
- McKayla Miller (21 PTS, 7 REB, 2 BLK): Put up an elite stat line on 7-of-9 shooting.
- Supporting Cast: Lexi Primus and Taliah Lee each chipped in 10 points, Mia Smith dished out five assists, and Hope Counts anchored the defense with three steals and two blocks.
Up Next
The Bisons conclude their two-game home stand on Thursday evening, welcoming Mississippi Valley State to Allen Arena for a 6 p.m. tipoff.
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Vandy MBB Downs Demon Deacons 74-51
Game Summary: No. 24/21 Vanderbilt 74, Wake Forest 51
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — No. 24/21 Vanderbilt turned in a stifling defensive performance at Memorial Gymnasium on Thursday, cruising to a 74-51 victory over Wake Forest to improve to 2-0.
Key Performers & Stats
- Tyler Tanner: Led the Commodores with 17 points and grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds for his second career double-double.
- Anthony Brown Jr.: Added 14 points, hitting 4-of-9 from three-point range during a crucial second-half run.
- Chandler Bing: Tallied a career-high 13 points, making it four Dores in double figures.
- Team Dominance: Vanderbilt hauled in 48 rebounds (17 offensive)—their best rebounding performance since 2023—and scored 30 points in the paint.
How It Happened
After falling behind 6-5 early, Vanderbilt seized control and never trailed again, taking a 39-27 lead into halftime. Though Wake Forest (1-1) trimmed the deficit to 46-40 midway through the second half, an 8-0 spurt capped by Brown Jr. pushed the lead back to double digits, where it stayed for the rest of the night.
The Demon Deacons were held to just 51 points—their lowest output since December 2024—while Kevair Kennedy led all scorers with 20 points in the loss.
What’s Next
Vanderbilt returns to Memorial Gymnasium on Monday, Nov. 10, to host Memphis at 6:15 p.m.
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TSSAA Football Playoffs Begin Friday
Photo by Jamal Southall,Hillsboro Globe The 2026 TSSAA Football Playoffs begin play on Friday with many Nashville teams seeking the “Gold Ball” trophy. There will be nine championships overall across six Division I schools and three Division II schools. Division I schools are public and Division II schools are private. The Championships will be held in Chattanooga on December 3rd, 4th, and 5th.
Brackets are here – https://tssaasports.com/sports/football/
Division I Format – There are eight regions across the state with the top four teams from each region qualifying for the playoffs. Each region will play their adjacent region with the #1 team from one region playing the #4 team from the other region and #2 playing #3.
DI Nashville Teams Playing Friday
2A – R5 #4 Mt. Pleasant (6-4) at R6 #1 East Nashville (7-3)
3A – R6#4 Waverly (5-5) at R5#1 Whites Creek (9-1)
R5 #4 Stratford (4-6) at R6 #1 Fairview (10-0)
4A – R5 #4 Montgomery Central (6-4) at R6 #1 Pearl-Cohn (7-3)
5A – R5 #4 Hillsboro (5-5) at R6 #1 Beech (9-1)
R5 #3 James Lawson (6-4) at R6 #2 Station Camp (5-5)
6A – R6 #4 Franklin (6-4) at R5 #1 Antioch (10-0)
R5 #4 Cane Ridge (5-5) at R6 #1 Ravenwood (8-2)
Division II Format – DII-A has three regions, East, Middle and West with East getting four teams, Middle getting five teams, and four teams in the West. DII-AA has six teams in the East and Middle and four teams from the West. DII-AAA has two regions, East and West. Nashville teams rotate between the two regions. East gets five teams and six teams are in the West. Because of the odd number of teams, several teams get byes in the first rounds.
DII Nashville Teams Playing Friday
DII-A – M#4 Ezell-Harding (6-4) at W#3 Jackson Christian (8-2)
M#3 DCA (6-4) at E#3 Providence Christian (6-4)
DII-AA – M#5 Davidson Academy (5-5) at W#1 Lausanne (6-3)
E#4 Lakeway Christian (7-3) at M#3 Goodpasture(8-2)
E#5 Boyd Buchanan (6-3) at M#2 FRA (7-3)
DII-AAA – E#5 CPA (1-9) at W#4 Christian Brothers (6-4)
W#6 MUS (4-6) at E#3 MBA (8-2)
W#5 Father Ryan (3-7) at E#4 McCallie (4-6)
Good luck to all.
