By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – There's no place like home and the Tennessee Tech men's basketball team will see plenty of it over the next two weeks as the Golden Eagles open a five-game home stand Tuesday evening with a 6 p.m. CST match-up with Jackson State.
The contest marks the first-ever meeting between the two programs and represents one of four games for the Golden Eagles this week. Fans can listen to the action live on 106.1 The Eagle with Roger Ealey on the call or follow via live webstream on the OVC Digital Network with Dylan Vazzano broadcasting the contest.
Tennessee Tech (1-2) vs. Jackson State (1-3)
Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015
6:00 p.m. CST
Eblen Center – 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)
ABOUT JACKSON STATE
Tech returns home to Cookeville for its second contest in the Eblen Center of the season when it hosts Jackson State, Nov. 24 at 6 p.m. CST.
Jackson State is in its third season under the leadership of head coach Wayne Brent. The Tigers have started the 2015-16 campaign 1-3.
Last season, JSU compiled an 11-21 overall record and 9-9 mark in the Southwestern Athletic Tournament.
The Golden Eagles and Tigers will square off for the first time in program history.
Redshirt sophomore Paris Collins leads Jackson State in scoring, averaging 14.0 points and 4.8 rebounds off the bench.
Chace Franklin also averages double-figures in points, average 13.0 through four games.
NEW MEXICO STATE RECAP
The Golden Eagles fell in their second road game of the 2015-16 season, losing the second game of the Air Force Classic, 76-63, to New Mexico State, Nov. 18.
Tech entered the halftime break with a three-point lead, but a 19-6 run by the Aggies to open the second half, fueled by foul trouble and a cooled shot by the Golden Eagles proved enough for the home team.
New Mexico State shot 50 percent from the field, the third straight opponent to accomplish the feat against Tech.
The Aggies locked in 18 assists, but actually recorded three more turnovers than Tech.
While the Golden Eagles were called for just 18 fouls in the contest (six more than NMSU), 14 of them were tagged to Anthony Morse (5), Ryan Martin (5) and Mason Ramsey (4).
Tech out-shot the Aggies from the charity stripe, hitting 12-of-14 attempts compared to 6-of-15 for the home team.
With Morse, Martin and Ramsey all battling foul trouble, New Mexico State took advantage on the glass, hauling in 49 rebounds as compared to Tech's 28.
BLOCK PARTY
Adept at rejecting an opponent's attempt at the bucket since his arrival to the Tech squad in 2012, Anthony Morse has quietly climbed his way up the all-time list for career blocks.
After blocking two shots in the road-opener at Air Force, Morse now has 54 in his career and needs just 12 more to crack the top 10 in Tech history.
At the conclusion of his career in 1997, only three players (Adonal Foyle, Tim Duncan, and Alonzo Mourning) had more blocks in NCAA history than Tech's all-time leader, the late, great Lorenzo Coleman. With 439 rejections in four seasons, he still sits 12th all-time.
CAPTAIN'S ORDERS
Named one of two team captains following last season, Torrance Rowe has accepted the role as a senior and is leading by example.
In three games, Rowe leads the Golden Eagles in scoring with 15.3 points per game, good enough for fourth in the OVC.
T-Rowe owns a 83.3 percent shooting touch from the charity stripe and has dished out eight assists while playing over 30 minutes per game.
BIG ANT
After establishing a new career-high in points in Tech's season-opening victory against Piedmont College with 13, Anthony Morse reset the mark by scoring 14 at Air Force.
The senior also corralled a career-high 11 rebounds, including eight on the offensive glass, recording his first career double-double.
On the year, Morse leads the Ohio Valley Conference in field goal percentage, connecting on 75.0 percent of his shots.
ONE SHOT, ONE OPPORTUNITY
After receiving just one year of eligibility from the NCAA following his transfer from South Plains College, Ryan Martin is out to make the most of his lone season at the Division I level.
The native of London, England was heavily recruited by St. Jonh's University and drew interest from Arizona State, Gonzaga, VCU, Utah State and Louisiana, but the uncertainty of his status with the NCAA cooled most teams away from the big man.
Martin practiced all of last season with the Golden Eagles and participated in Tech's exhibition contest against Bluefield College.
Steve Payne loves Martin's energy level, raving about a motor that never seems to quit. He likes that the Brit plays with emotion and can use it to his advantage.
The senior possesses great rebounding ability and the option to step back and knock down shots from beyond the arc.
In his Golden Eagle debut, Martin tallied 10 points on 3-of-5 shooting and hauled in five rebounds with just 23 minutes of action. On the year, Martin is averaging 8.3 points and 5.3 rebounds.
GIVE ME SOME SUGAR
Making just his fourth career start, Aleksa Jugovic enjoyed his best performance in the purple and gold in the season-opener, exploding for a career-high 20 points while dishing out five assists with no turnovers. The sophomore shot 8-of-9 from the field while knocking down four out of five 3-point attempts.
Fans can follow Jugovic on Twitter under his handle/nickname @SerbianSugar.
Between his junior and senior years in high school, Jugovic starred for the Serbian U-18 national team, starting at point guard at the 2013 FIBA Europe U-18 Championships. He averaged a team-high 30.2 minutes while recording 8.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
The sophomore is one of three current Tech players to have earned adidas® OVC Freshman of the Week, having taken home the honor three times in 2014-15 (Dec. 1, Dec. 29, & Mar. 2).
Jugovic was recruited by assistant coach Frank Davis, Tech's all-time career leader in 3-point field goals made (251) and 3-point field goal percentage (.407). The former Tech standout believes Jugovic can break both records in his time in the purple and gold and numbers support that claim so far.
SOUTHPAWS
True freshman Courtney Alexander II is changing the hand he shoots with for the second time in his young career. As a prep player, the forward shot primarily with his left hand, making the switch to his right during his senior season. The rookie began the transition back to his left hand for the 2015-16 season in October.
Torrance Rowe also shoots lefthanded and former Golden Eagle and current Graduate Assistant Manger Mitchell Hill was a southpaw during his Tech career as well.
YEAR IN RESIDENCY
Following a redshirt season in 2014-15, Savonte Frazier made his Golden Eagle debut against Piedmont College, dishing out five assists and hitting his lone field goal attempt, a 3-pointer, to finish with three points.
Steve Payne raved about the youngster's improvement over the summer, making note of his improved strength and shooting ability.
Payne also was quick to talk about his strong leadership ability, which he has displayed since day one in Cookeville, which all starts with his drive and toughness.
A walk-on to the Tech roster back during the 2013-14 season, Mason Ramsey has done plenty to earn the respect of his teammates and coaches in his two season in the purple and gold.
The local Livingston, Tenn. native was awarded a scholarship by Steve Payne following the 2014-15 season, Ramsey's first year of action on the court in Eblen Center.
After redshirting in 2013-14, Ramsey became the first Tech freshman since 1986-87 to open his career with a double-double, posting 14 points and 14 rebounds.
Now just a sophomore, Ramsey is averaging 5.7 points and 2.3 rebounds while shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 85.7 percent from the charity stripe during the 2015-16 campaign.
ON THE DEFENSIVE
Steve Payne listed Shirmane Thomas as the top defender heading into the 2015-16 Tech squad, citing his physical strength, toughness and willingness to stick his nose in there and get a stop.
The guard has notched three steals and two blocks so far while grabbing 3.7 rebounds and committing just two fouls per game.
FAMILIAR ROOTS
By far the youngest player on the roster, Micaiah Henry hardly looks like a typical teen that just celebrated his 18th birthday. At 6-foot-8 and 230 pounds, there is plenty to work with in the post for the Tech squad.
The youngster has shown improvement since his arrival on campus, possessing a knack for rebounding and blocking shots, but will sit out the 2015-16 campaign as a redshirt.
He also comes from some familiar territory to the Golden Eagle program, hailing from Columbia High School (Ga.).
TTU legend Lorenzo Coleman, Tech's all-time leader in blocked shots also attended Columbia High School. The post also posted the most double-doubles in program history with 40 in four years.
GOOD GENES
Courtney Alexander II has one of the best role models in which to model his game after that a freshman collegiate player can have. And he lives in the same house.
His father, Courtney Alexander Sr., was the 13th overall selection by the Orlando Magic in the 2000 NBA Draft.
Courtney Sr. went on to play three seasons in the Association, including stints with Dallas, Washington and New Orleans.
In college, he led the NCAA in scoring with 24.8 points per game as a senior at Fresno State.
Alexander II ripped down a career-high seven rebounds at New Mexico State and also dished out two assists. He ranks third on the Golden Eagle squad with 4.3 boards per game.
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