COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Tech women's basketball plays host to former Ohio Valley Conference foe Samford Thursday night. No current player on Tech's roster has won against the Bulldogs but nothing will stop the Golden Eagles from rallying back to .500. Tip-off is set for 5:30.
Tennessee Tech (3-4) vs. Samford (5-2)
Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012
6:30 p.m. CT
Eblen Center - Cookeville, Tenn.
The Broadcasts
TV: none
Radio: Fox Sports Radio, 106.1 The Eagle (Roger Ealey)
Webcast: OVC Digital Network (Brandon Goodwin)
Setting the Stage:
There are few teams that Tech does not have a series lead against. As the 9th winningest program in college basketball, Tech leads series against 110 of 183 all-time opponents played but against Samford the Golden Eagles are 7-7 with their last win coming on January 14, 2007 in Cookeville. Tech has lost the past four meetings, including last years 61-55 contest.
A Glance at the 2012-13 Golden Eagles
The name of Coach Davis's game is consistency, and the journey to a steady level of play has been battle torn and tested. The Golden Eagles have been as hot as an oven during the holidays and as cold as the snow outside on the ground. Last week Tech went 1-1, jumping back to .500 against Alcorn State, but falling to Vanderbilt in their first road game of the season.
Diamond Henderson continues to lead Tech's offense with 17.4 points per game, the fourth highest scorer in the OVC. Henderson has scored double-digits in all but one game this season. Davis's idea of consistency is exemplified in senior guard Jala Harris. Harris is currently averaging 8.1 points per game, but her role as floor general is the key to a Golden Eagle victory. Harris leads the team with 23 assists on the season, and is averaging 1.9 steals per game. Lashay Davis and T'Keyah Williams are averaging 7.4 points per game, with Kellie Cook and Molly Heady adding 6.1 and 5.4 points per game respectively.
Anchoring the backcourt is Williams who is averaging 7.1 rebounds per game. Taking over the offensive glass is sophomore Candace Parson. Parson leads the Golden Eagles with 12 offensive boards this season.
Defensively, the Golden Eagles are no pushovers. Tech forced 20 Vanderbilt turnovers, and 21 Alcorn State turnovers in their past two contests. On the season, the team has forced an average of 17.8 turnovers per game.
The Golden Eagles have played in the Eblen Center for six of their past seven competitions, and this will be the last home game before a six-game road stretch.
A Look at the Bulldogs
The Bulldogs play a Princeton style of basketball, slowing their opponents down, and taking up a full shot clock. The Bulldogs have only scored 50+ points in three of their seven contests. Samford has a very balanced offensive attack led by Shelby Campbell, averaging 8.7 points per game. Taylor Reece and Hannah Dawson add 8.1 and 7.4 points per game respectively, with Dawson leading the Bulldogs with 5.7 rebounds per game.
Series History
Tech and Samford first met in 2003 and played each other annually through 2008. During the 2004-05 season, the two teams met four times, with Tech winning three meetings of the four, including an OVC Tournament game. The Golden Eagles are 7-7 against the Bulldogs and lost their last meeting 55-61 last season in Birmingham.
For complete gamenotes, please click here.
For ticket information, visit or call the Athletics Ticket Office in Eblen Center at (931) 372-3940.