By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – A rough, offensive start proved too large of a hurdle for the Tennessee Tech men's basketball team to clear Saturday afternoon, as the Golden Eagles fell to in-state and Ohio Valley Conference rival UT Martin, 81-73, in the Hooper Eblen Center.
The purple and gold missed each of its first eight shots to start the day, quickly falling behind by double digits against the league's top offensive unit. Tech (5-10, 0-2) fought back to finish off the opening stanza, cutting the deficit to a single point with 45 seconds to play, but a free throw and buzzer-beating triple provided UT Martin (9-6, 2-0) with a five-point lead heading into the locker room.
The Golden Eagles struggled to kick off the second half as well, trying to stay in it after the Skyhawks opened the half on a 22-10 run. Staring down a 17-point deficit, the Cookeville crew went to work, slowly chipping away and eventually narrowing the gap to just seven with 4:42 to play.
UT Martin buried a clutch 3-pointer to move back up by double figures and did not allow the purple and gold within more than eight the rest of the way. The Skyhawks owned slim margins across the board, adding up to an eight-point win.
The visitors led on the glass, 38-33, in the 3-point shooting department with an 11-7 advantage in makes, and in the turnover battle, turning in three less than the Golden Eagles. Tech overcame a frigid start from beyond the arc, a 1-for-13 showing in the first half, to finish with a 6-for-15 showing over the final 20 minutes.
Senior guard Jayvis Harvey tallied 22 points on 7-for-14 shooting to lead the Golden Eagles, sinking three treys and 5-of-6 free throws. He added five boards and three assists to the mix as well. Fellow senior guard Diante Wood turned in his best offensive showing of the season, exploding for 18 points on 5-for-8 efficiency with an 8-for-9 performance at the line.
Rookie guard Kyle Layton was clutch off the bench, burying a trio of huge triples on four attempts on his way to a season-high 13 points. He chipped in a pair of assists as well. Junior forward Rodney Johnson Jr. delivered 13 points, six boards, and a career-high four blocks while sophomore forward Daniel Egbuniwe finished the day with five points, seven rebounds, and two rejections.
UT Martin's Jordan Sears led his squad's effort with 22 points, six boards, and six dimes while Jacob Crews tallied 17 points with a 5-for-8 showing from distance. KK Curry produced 16 points and eight rebounds, Justus Jackson added 11 points, and Issa Muhammad contributed 10 points and eight boards.
Tech will hit the road for a pair of OVC tilts next week, starting with a Thursday-night match-up at Morehead State. Tip is set for 6:00 p.m. CT in Morehead, Ky. The Golden Eagles will then head to Evansville, Ind. for a 7:30 p.m. Saturday showdown against Southern Indiana.
Photo by Jim Dillon
