By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech men's basketball guard John Pettway was named the Ohio Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week Monday morning after helping the Golden Eagles secure their first OVC Tournament bid since the 2017-18 campaign.
The graduate transfer from South Alabama was instrumental in Tech's two huge victories over the week, averaging 19.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game while shooting a nearly perfect rate. Pettway finished 14-of-17 (82.4 percent) from the field, 10-of-13 (76.9 percent) from the charity stripe, and drained his lone attempt from distance, his first 3-pointer of the season.
In Tech's 98-94 victory over Southeast Missouri in the Hooper Eblen Center, the Safford, Ala. native delivered 17 points on 7-for-9 shooting from the floor. He converted 3-of-4 tries at the free-throw line and racked up three steals to go along with a pair of assists.
He turned in his top showing in the purple and gold in the Golden Eagles' 73-69 triumph at Austin Peay, dropping a season-high 22 points while hitting seven of his eight attempts from the field. The guard scored each of Tech's final seven points in the contest, including a critical three-point play with just under two minutes to play that gave the purple and gold the lead for good. Pettway was also 7-for-9 on free-throw tries while securing seven rebounds.
Tech returns to the Eblen Center to wrap up the regular season with a pair of in-state tilts this week, starting with a 7:30 p.m. CT affair against Tennessee State on Thursday. The Golden Eagles will then host UT Martin in a 7:30 p.m. contest on Saturday with four members of the program being honored as part of Senior Night festivities.
Photo by Jim Dillon
