By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Looking to keep its brilliant start to Ohio Valley Conference play rolling, the Tennessee Tech men's basketball team will hit the road for a three-game swing, starting with a Thursday night tilt with long-time rival Murray State.
The 7:00 p.m. CST start will pit the Racers against the Golden Eagles for the 179th time, the longest running series in program history. Tech is looking for its first 3-0 start to league play since the 2005-06 season. Fans can listen to the action live on 106.1 The Eagle with Roger Ealey on the call or follow live via webstream on the OVC Digital Network.
Tennessee Tech (10-5, 2-0) at Murray State (7-7, 1-0)
Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016
7:00 p.m. CST
CFSB Center (8,600) – Murray, Ky.
The Broadcasts
TV: None
Radio: 106.1 The Eagle (Roger Ealey)
Webcast: OVC Digital Network
ABOUT MURRAY STATE
Tech hits the highway for its first road test in Ohio Valley Conference play, visiting Murray State Jan. 7 for a 7:00 p.m. CST tilt.
Murray State is in its first season under the direction of head coach Matt McMahon.
The Racers are currently 7-7 on the year, coming off a home victory over Morehead State to kick off OVC play.
Murray State owns wins over Harris-Stowe (105-55), Middle Tennessee (76-65), versus Milwaukee (66-63), versus Pepperdine (59-55), over Alabama A&M (63-61), over Brescia (101-75) and over Morehead State (62-57).
The Racers have suffered losses at Georgia (63-52), versus Weber State (75-59), at Houston (93-78), to Evansville (85-81, OT), at Illinois State (63-61), to Southern Illinois (88-73) and at Wright State (65-49).
Last season, Murray State compiled a 29-6 overall record and perfect 16-0 mark in the OVC, finishing 1st in the West Division regular season standings and overall.
This marks the 179th meeting all-time between the two programs, Tech's longest standing series. The Racers claimed last season's match-up with an 83-67 victory in Cookeville.
Murray State has won six straight in the series, with Tech's last win coming in the OVC Tournament (a 64-59 victory) March 4, 2011.
Wayne Langston leads the Racers in scoring with 14.1 points per game and rebounding with 6.6 boards per game.
SIUE RECAP
Tech collected its 10th victory of the 2015-16 season Thursday, picking up an impressive 86-63 victory over SIUE in the Eblen Center.
With the win, the Golden Eagles moved to a perfect 9-0 record in the comfort of the Eblen Center, the team's best mark at home since going 13-0 in 2004-05.
Tech shot an impressive 57.4 percent from the field and a solid 40.0 percent from deep, not to mention 80.0 percent at the charity stripe.
The team's 57.4 field goal percentage represented the fifth time this season the Golden Eagles shot better than 50 percent and the second time this year the team shot 50 percent or better in back-to-back games.
Tech dished out 15 or more assists for the eighth time in the 2015-16 season, doling out 18 dimes.
For the 14th time in 15 games this season, Tech scored more second-half points than first-half points, edging its 42-point first-half total with 44 over the final 20 minutes.
Ryan Martin followed up an impressive 20-point performance against EIU with a career-high 26 points, firing 8-for-13 from the field and 9-for-10 from the charity stripe. He also hauled in seven rebounds.
Fellow senior big man Anthony Morse also dominated the paint, dropping a career-high 17 points. He went 7-for-9 from the field while corralling seven rebounds. He also blocked a shot, moving him into a tie for seventh place all-time in Tech history.
With the big men dominating the scoring effort, Aleksa Jugovic made sure to find ways to give them the ball, racking up a career-high eight assists while chipping in eight points of his own.
Torrance Rowe scored 12 points in the contest, recording five assists in 35 minutes of work.
Dominating form beyond the 3-point line, junior Hakeem Rogers dropped in 12 points to the scoring effort in just 18 minutes off the bench. He hit four of his eight 3-point attempts, grabbed two rebounds and blocked his second shot of the year.
CAPTAIN COMEBACK
Named one of two team captains following last season, Torrance Rowe has accepted the role again and is leading by example.
For the seventh time in two years, the Golden Eagles completed a comeback of 10 points or more with Rowe making a large impact on the outcome.
Facing Miami (Ohio) at home, the Rowe led Tech back from a 12-point deficit thanks to five 3-pointers and 23 total points, including 13 in the second half.
After erasing a 16-point deficit that included a 14-point advantage in favor of Lipscomb at the half, the Bisons' Nathan Moran picked Rowe's pocket at half court for a wide open layup and 78-76 lead with 17 seconds to play.
Rowe answered the bell, however, draining the game-winning 3-pointer with just eight seconds left on the scoreboard, his second game-winning three of his career.
Down by 15 points with just over 10 minutes to play Tech rallied to tie in-state rival East Tennessee State with a little over three minutes left thanks to a 3-pointer by Aleksa Jugovic, assisted by Rowe.
The senior guard then hit the final free throw to give Tech its two-point cushion that would eventually result in the final score of 63-61.
With just five seconds remaining on the clock and Tech trailing Jackson State 71-69, Rowe raced the length of the court just in time to toss in a layup and beat the buzzer to knot things at 71. Tech overcame a 10-point, second-half deficit to defeat the Tigers 86-82 in overtime.
Rowe scored 17 of the team's final 28 points, all coming with less than three minutes to play in the second half.
Familiar with rallying his troops, Rowe showed the ability to put the team on his back last season in a thrilling, comeback victory over Chattanooga.
Trailing by as many as 19 points in the second half, the senior scored a then-career-high 18 points in leading the Golden Eagles to a 69-67 victory.
With the score tied at 65 with 30 seconds remaining, he drilled the game-winning three to cap the remarkable turnaround.
This season, Rowe leads Tech in scoring with 16.7 points per game, good enough to rank sixth in the OVC, and with 4.4 assists per game, good enough for third in the league.
T-Rowe owns an 86.2 percent shooting touch from the charity stripe and has dished out 66 assists while playing over 33 minutes per game.
BIG ANT'S BLOCK PARTY
Adept at rejecting an opponent's shot attempt around the bucket since his arrival to Cookeville in 2012, Anthony Morse has quietly climbed his way up the all-time list for career blocks.
After blocking one more shot against SIUE, Morse now has 84 in his career and has moved into a tie with Steve Taylor for seventh place all-time in Tennessee Tech history. He needs just one more block to move into sole possession of seventh place.
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, he still sits 12th all-time.
The senior recorded his first career double-double at Air Force, recording 14 points and 11 rebounds, including eight on the offensive glass.
Against Eastern Illinois, Morse hauled in 14 rebounds for a new career-best mark, including 10 on the defensive glass alone.
Facing SIUE, the big man dominated the paint to the tune of a career-high 17 points, chipping in seven rebounds.
On the year, Morse ranks first in the Ohio Valley Conference and 35thin the nation with 2.2 blocks per game. His 33 total rejections ranks 25th in the country. He also sits in the top 10 in the league in rebounding with 6.5 boards per game.
GIVE ME SOME SUGAR
Off to a strong start in his sophomore campaign, Aleksa Jugovic ranks as the third highest scorer on the Golden Eagle roster.
The native of Serbia owns three 20-point outings to his credit this season, including his career-high 26 coming against Eastern Illinois. Jugovic went 8-of-11 from the field while hitting 5-of-8 3-pointers and all five free throw attempts.
Against SIUE, he dished out a career-high eight assists, just a game after doling out seven dimes against Eastern Illinois.
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.
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 a Tech uniform, and the numbers support that claim so far.
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. John'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 played 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.
Against Robert Morris, Martin tied his career-high in points with 20 and added 10 boards. It marked his first double-double.
He tallied his third career double-double and second in as many games with 18 points and 11 boards at Lipscomb.
Against SIUE, Martin dominated inside for a career-high 26 points, going 8-for-13 from the field and 9-of-10 from the charity stripe. He added seven rebounds as well.
On the year, Martin is averaging 14.4 points and 7.3 rebounds, the best mark on the team and sixth best in the league. He ranks eighth in the OVC in free throw percentage, hitting at an .802 clip.
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.
The rookie dished out five more dimes against UC Clermont, giving him two five-plus assist games on the year.
EARNING A SPOT
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.
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 notched his first career double-double against Mississippi Valley State, posting career-highs with 14 points and 10 rebounds. He has four games with seven or more boards this season.
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 left-handed and former Golden Eagle and current Graduate Assistant Manager Mitchell Hill was a southpaw during his Tech career as well.
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 13 steals and three blocks so far while grabbing 3.5 rebounds per game, including a career-high seven at Iowa.
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.
Photo by Jim Dillon
