By Rob Schabert, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Sophomore Aleksa Jugovic poured in a career-high with 30 points and senior Torrance Rowe scored 20 of his 23 in the second half to help Tennessee Tech (19-10/11-5 OVC) close out the regular season with a 92-82 Ohio Valley Conference victory over Eastern Kentucky (15-16/6-10 OVC) Saturday night in Eblen Center.
Tech finished the regular season with a 14-1 record on its home floor.
The Golden Eagles will head to Nashville next week for the 2016 OVC Tournament at Municipal Auditorium. They will find out their seed in the eight-team affair on Sunday afternoon, depending on the outcome of the Belmont vs. Tennessee State game at TSU. A TSU loss would make Tech the No. 4 seed, while a win by the Tigers would put the Golden Eagles as the No. 5 seed.
Jugovic tied his career-high with seven 3-pointers, going 7-for-12 in the contest. Rowe, who was held to three points in the first half, hit 5-for-12 from long range, all coming after intermission.
The Golden Eagles also got double digit scoring from Mason Ramsey with 13, and both Ryan Martin and Savonte Frazier with 10 each. For Frazier, the 10 points and five rebounds were both career-high numbers.
Martin topped Tech on the boards with eight, helping the Golden Eagles to a 40-35 rebound advantage.
Five Colonels hit double figures with Javontae Hawkins, Nick Mayo and Paul Jackson netting 16 apiece. Jarelle Reischel added 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists while Ja'Mill Powell chipped in with 10 points and five boards.
Tech trailed 43-39 early in the second half following a 3-pointer by Hawkins, and the Golden Eagle long guns took over. Starting with a trey from Jugovic, followed by three consecutive 3-pointers by Rowe and the Golden Eagles had put together a 14-0 run to build a double-digit lead.
Jugovic's bomb kicked off a stretch in which seven of Tech's next eight baskets came from long range.
The Colonels pushed back, creeping all the way back to within three points, 60-57, with 8:48 to play.
A layup from Shirmane Thomas and another Jugovic trey made it an eight-point lead, and the Golden Eagles kept it hat way the rest of the way. The difference went to double figures in the final minute, and reached 13 on Jugovic's final points, a 3-pointer with 50 seconds to play for the largest Golden Eagle lead of the night.
The Golden Eagles will head to Nashville next week for the 2016 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament at Municipal Auditorium. They will find out their seed in the eight-team affair on Sunday afternoon, depending on the outcome of the Belmont vs. Tennessee State game at TSU.
Tickets for the OVC Tournament are available from the TTU Athletic Ticket Office in Eblen Center, or by calling (931) 372-3940.
