COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Meagan Lyons netted 21 points, Jasmine
White had a double-double, and the Tennessee Tech women’s
basketball team led from start-to-finish on the way to landing a
71-67 Ohio Valley Conference victory over Morehead State Saturday
night in Eblen Center. Tech had a commanding 38-29 edge in
rebounds, limiting the visiting Eagles to just three offensive
boards on the way to getting their second consecutive win. The
Golden Eagles improved to 6-18 overall and 4-9 inside the OVC.
Morehead State, which beat Tech by 12 in Morehead in January,
slipped to 14-11 overall and 8-5 in the OVC.
White had 12 points and 10 rebounds, along with four of
Tech’s nine steals. She made two clutch free throws with 20
seconds remaining and the Golden Eagles clinging to a two-point
lead. Those made it 71-67, and Blair Bowens added one final free
throw with four seconds remaining for the final margin.
Lyons was the game’s top scorer with 21 points, going
9-for-15 from the field. She also led Tech with four assists and
swiped the ball twice.
Jasmine White had 12 points and 10 rebounds
Freshman Tacarra Hayes also scored in double figures for Tech with
11, along with five rebounds. Bowens, who was recognized in pregame
ceremonies for surpassing 1,000 career points in Thursday
night’s game, finished with nine points and five boards.
Morehead State had three players in double figures, led by Chynna
Bozeman with 16, Brittany Pittman had a double-double with 14
points and 11 rebounds. She also had four assists, four blocked
shots and two steals. Tiffany Hamilton scored 11 points for the
Eagles. Courtney Lumpkin had nine points and a game-high five
assists for MSU.
Tech opened with a 6-1 spurt to get the game underway, and had a
lead of 11 points with 7:24 to go in the first half. MSU cut it to
four points on a 3-pointer by Bozeman and four consecutive free
throws.
Tech scored an 8-0 run to regain the double-digit advantage, going
up 31-19 as Lyons and White hit back-to-back jumpers and Lyons
added two free throws. Tech’s lead at the half was 12 points,
37-25.
After Bozeman hit a 3-pointer to start the second half, Tech got
the crowd of 1,114 to its feet quickly afterward with a 7-0 run to
increase its lead to 16 points, the largest of the game, at 44-28
with 18:10 remaining.
But Morehead State fought back, using a 12-1 run to cut
Tech’s lead down to 45-40, with 14:16 to play. Two minutes
later, MSU was within three points, 49-46. The Eagles were within
three one more time a minute later, but Tech never relinquished its
lead.
Morehead hung close, getting two free throws by Erica Coleman with
1:56 to play to trim Tech’s 69-63 lead town to 69-65. After a
missed TTU free throw, Lumpkin scored a layup with 44 seconds left
to make it a two-point game, 69-67.
White missed the front of a one-and-one with 29 seconds left, but
Tech got a key rebound at the other end, got the ball ahead to
White, who was fouled. She converted both free throws this
time.
Tech hits the road this week for games at Murray State Thursday
night and UT Martin Saturday.