By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Basketball is finally back in the Hooper Eblen Center as the Tennessee Tech men's team opens its 2014-15 slate Friday evening, playing host to visiting Piedmont International in a 6 p.m. tilt.
There's plenty of buzz around the Eblen Center as this season promises to present a very different look from the past with a brand new, state-of-the-art video board and Golden Eagle squad boasting six newcomers.
"We're looking forward to getting started," head coach Steve Payne said. "With six new players, it's going to take some time to gel. We'll be a work-in-progress for a little awhile, which we expected going into the year. We're at that point with our practices that we need somebody else in the gym. We're going to learn more at this point from playing games and watching film then we will from beating each other up."
Fans were able to get a small taste of this year's edition of the Tech squad last Thursday, as the Golden Eagles easily handled Bluefield College in a exhibition contest, claiming a swift 93-54 victory. All 13 of Tech's eligible players this year saw double figures in minutes in the game, with five scoring in double digits.
"We're really excited," Payne concluded. "We hope to have a great crowd out here Friday night against Piedmont. We're ready to come out and play well. The other night we had a nice crowd for our exhibition and we hope that will carry over the rest of the year. The biggest thing we need is support. If we can make this the toughest place to play in the Ohio Valley Conference, we have a chance to have a very strong year."
Season tickets that will allow fans to enjoy the entire Golden Eagle home basketball schedule are on sale, with a variety of ticket options to choose from. Fans may purchase their tickets online (TTUsports.com), in person at the Athletics Ticket Office in Eblen Center, or on the telephone (931-372-3940).
Tennessee Tech (0-0) vs. Piedmont International (3-1)
Friday, Nov. 14, 2014
6 p.m. CT
Eblen Center (9,250) – Cookeville, Tenn.
The Broadcasts
TV: none
Radio: 106.1 The Eagle (Roger Ealey)
Webcast: Golden Eagle Sports Network on the OVC Digital Network (Dylan Vazzano)
SETTING THE STAGE
Friday's match-up marks the first ever between the two programs, one of four such contests on the year for the Golden Eagles.
The Bruins come into the game at 3-1 on the year, having kicked off their season back on Oct. 30 with a victory over Crown College. Piedmont suffered its first loss of the year Tuesday evening, falling at home to Warren Wilson in a 70-68 nailbiter.
The team from Winston-Salem, N.C. is averaging 88.5 points per game this season, already hitting the century mark in a home win over College of Faith last week.
Tech enters with five new faces on the court, including JUCO transfers Charles Jackson and Torrance Rowe as well as freshmen Josh Bougher, Savonte Frazier and Aleksa Jugovic. Redshirt freshman Mason Ramsey also comes back and will look for his first action in purple and gold after sitting out last season.
All six newbies saw extended time on the floor against Bluefield College, with Jackson tallying a double-double with 10 points and a dominating 15 rebounds. Jugovic and Rowe each knocked down multiple treys while Frazier dished out three assists. Ramsey collected five rebounds and added five points.
DEFENDING HOME COURT
The Golden Eagles will look to continue a long tradition of making a statement in the first game of the year in the Eblen Center. Tech is an outrageous 39-1 since 1974 in home openers, winning 33 straight at one point.
The last loss to open play in the Hoop came back in 2009 to one of the best teams ever fielded by Oakland University. The Golden Grizzlies compiled a 26-9 record that season, including a 17-1 mark on their way to both regular season and tournament titles in the Summit League.
