By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – A fierce comeback highlighted a competitive and thrilling ball game in the Hooper Eblen Center, as the Tennessee Tech men's basketball team took down visiting North Alabama, 70-67, Saturday afternoon.
The Golden Eagles (5-7) triumphed over the Lions (6-6) behind an 11-0 run to end the day, finalizing some revenge after the Cookeville crew fell to UNA in Florence, Ala. just a few weeks prior. Veteran guards Jayvis Harvey and David Early were at the forefront of the Tech attack once again, leading the charge down the stretch.
Harvey delivered the game-winning bucket with just under a minute to play, using a dazzling spin move to find some open space in the paint before converting a layup for a 68-67 lead. Following a defensive stop on the other end of the court, Early provided the home purple and gold with a key bucket for some insurance, making his own impressive drive to the cup for a three-point advantage with 11 seconds to go.
It was a close battle throughout, with neither side able to establish more than an eight-point lead at any point. The Lions took a six-point lead into the locker room at the break, but came out on a mission and had the contest squared at 39 just two minutes into the second half.
North Alabama pushed back in front without allowing the Golden Eagles to take a lead of their own, expanding that edge out to eight with a little over four minutes on the clock. Tech head coach John Pelphrey called his final timeout of the ball game, looking to regroup his squad for one final run.
The defense stepped up in a huge way, forcing the Lions into a pair of turnovers and a 0-for-5 showing from the field. That performance paved the way for the offense to go to work, starting with a free throw by sophomore guard Josiah Davis.
Senior guard Diante Wood followed with a fast-break layup courtesy of one of the Lion turnovers. Harvey and Early alternated buckets over the next four possessions to conclude the comeback.
Early led the Golden Eagles with a game-high 21 points, finishing 7-for-11 from the field and 5-for-7 from the charity stripe. Harvey turned in 18 points with a 5-for-6 showing from the free-throw line, adding four rebounds, and four assists to the mix.
Also contributing with double figures in the scoring column, Davis chipped in 10 points while hitting six of his seven free-throw tries. Sophomore guard Daniel Egbuniwe notched nine points with four boards, two dimes, and a pair of steals.
Back in the lineup after missing the previous five games due to illness, junior forward Rodney Johnson Jr. dominated the glass for the Golden Eagles, hauling in a season-high 12 rebounds with six points. Wood rounded out his day with six points, four assists, and a pair of blocks.
Tech rounds out non-conference action on Wednesday, making a trip north to Indiana to take on Evansville in a 7:00 p.m. CT tilt. The contest will take place at the Ford Center, home not only to the Purple Aces, but also the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
Season tickets for Tennessee Tech men's basketball are now on sale. To order, call 931-372-3940, visit the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office, or visit TTUSports.com.
Photo by Jim Dillon
