Click to
view video of Charles Newton's comments following win
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – As expected, Tennessee Tech returned to
action Thursday night with a 106-44 non-conference victory over
visiting Crowley's Ridge College in the Eblen Center.
What wasn't expected was the battle the Pioneers gave the Golden
Eagles for the first 15 minutes of the game. It took a flurry a
3-pointers by Charles Newton
late in the half and a handful of steals to ignite a rally that
turned a five-point lead into a 27-point bulge by halftime.
Newton went 5-for-7 from long distance and finished with a
career-high 23 points to top all scorers. He also had three assists
and four of Tech's 22 steals. Liam McMorrow had
his second career double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, and
also swiped the ball four times.
Tech had five players in double figures. Joining Newton and
McMorrow, Kevin
Murphy had 19 points, Zac Swansey added 12
points and nine assists, and Jud Dillard netted
10. Terrell
Barnes finished with seven points and 10 rebounds as Tech
posted a 50-29 margin on the glass.
Quentin Franks led Crowley's Ridge with 10 points while Kurtis
Edson added nine. Zach Mitchell finished with eight points, five
assists and four steals, and Ethan talent had eight points and four
rebounds.
The Golden Eagles were pushed for much of the first half by the
Pioneers and also struggled to shake off the rust from a nine-day
layoff. Once untracked, Tech took control and improved to 5-6
overall. The Pioneers, a National Christian College Athletic
Association program from northeast Arkansas, saw their record slip
to 5-7.
The Golden Eagles remain at home for their next game, hosting
Bluefield College Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. in the second game of
a doubleheader matinee. The Tech women's team hosts St. Louis
University at 2 p.m. to open the action.
Sunday's games are "Church Bulletin Sunday" with fans invited to
purchase tickets for one dollar simply by showing a church bulletin
(limit four per bulletin). The ticket office will be close Friday
and Saturday, and will open Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Golden Eagles looked unstoppable in the opening minutes,
rolling out to a 9-0 lead and jumping on top 14-5 as Murphy hit six
early points. The lead made it to double figures quickly, when
McMorrow's dunk made it 18-7 with 13:27 to play.
Franks hit back-to-back mid-range jumpers to rally Crowley's Ridge
back to within seven points, 18-11, with 12 minutes to go.
Alfred
Jones dropped in a layup on an inbounds play, and added the
free throw for a three-point play and the lead was back to double
digits, 21-11. Consecutive 3-pointers by Quentin Fields and Edson
cut the difference down to five, 21-16, with 10;57 remaining and
the Pioneers used that to keep their confidence high.
The visitors were still within eight points, 28-20, with 6:21 to
play in the half when Tech exploded for a 23-2 run over the next
five minutes. Newton hit four consecutive 3-pointers in the run and
Tech was on top 51-22 with two minutes left.
The second half saw Tech outscore the Pioneers 38-2 in the paint and 24-4 off turnovers. Crowley's Ridge finished with 30 turnovers. The largest margin was the final 62-point difference.
Tech shot 57.6 percent in the first half and used numerous dunks in the second period to shoot 64.9 percent after the intermission. It left coach Mike Sutton's squad with a 61.4 percent mark for the game (43-for-70).