1956–57 Tennessee A&I State Tigers basketball team

The 1956–57 Tennessee A&I State Tigers basketball team represented Tennessee A&I State College (now called Tennessee State University) in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) men's basketball during the 1956–57 season. Coached by third-year head coach John McLendon, the Tigers finished the season with a 31–4 record and were crowned NAIA national champions by winning the 1957 NAIA tournament.[1] This marked the first of three consecutive national championships, a feat that no other team at any level of college basketball had previously accomplished.[2] In addition, the 1956–57 team became the first historically black college to win a national basketball title.[3] In 2019, all three national championship teams were inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.[2][4]

1956–57 Tennessee A&I State Tigers men's basketball
NAIA tournament National Champions
ConferenceIndependent
Record31–4
Head coach
Home arenaKean Hall
Seasons

Individual honors

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References

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  1. ^ "2018–19 Tennessee State Tigers Men's Basketball Media Guide: History" (PDF). Tennessee State University. 2018. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  2. ^ a b "1957-1959 NAIA Championship Teams Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement This Weekend". TSUTigers.com. Tennessee State University. September 4, 2019. Archived from the original on September 19, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  3. ^ Sheckler Finch, Jackie (2009). Insider's Guide to Nashville, 7th ed. Guilford, Connecticut: Morris Book Publishing, LLC. p. 253. ISBN 978-0-7627-4867-9.
  4. ^ "Twelve honorees announced for 2019 Hall of Fame Class". NBA.com. NBA Media Ventures, LLC. April 6, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2019.