COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech women's basketball team continues the opening weekend of Ohio Valley Conference action as it heads to SIU Edwardsville for a 2 p.m. CST game on Saturday.
The Golden Eagles (3-11, 0-1) will look to bounce back from a 67-59 loss to Eastern Illinois on New Year's Day.
Junior Samaria Howard did her part to aid the Golden Eagles, making an immediate splash in the OVC, as she dropped 21 of her career-best 28 points in the second half against the Panthers. Howard added a team-high seven boards as well. Senior Candace Parson joined her in double figures with 12 points, adding six boards, a team-high three steals, an assist and a block. Sophomore Hannah Goolsby added nine points.
Tech is now 2-3 over the last five season in the first road conference game of the season.
Tennessee Tech (3-11, 0-1) at SIU Edwardsville (5-9, 0-1)
Saturday, Jan. 3, 2014
2 p.m. CST
Vadalabene Center (4,157) – Edwardsville, Ill.
The Broadcasts
TV: None
Radio: 106.1 The Eagle (Roger Ealey)
Webcast: OVC Digital Network
SETTING THE STAGE
Tech leads the all-time series 4-2, and is on a two-game winning streak over the Cougars after last season's home win. The Golden Eagles took that game at a 72-66 advantage while outrebounding SIUE 53-36.
SIUE (5-9, 0-1) is coming off a 73-69 loss to Jacksonville State on Thursday. Shronda Butts, a redshirt junior scored a career-best 23 points and added a team-high five assists. Tierney Austin scored 12 points for SIUE. Gwen Adams, a freshman, recorded her third double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
SIUE is shooting 39.7-percent for the season, while averaging 65.7 points per game. Austin, Butts, and Adams are the three leading scoring for the Cougars. Austin leads with 12.9 points per game, while adding 5.4 rebounds. Butts follows with 12 point per game, adding 2.9 rebounds. Adams rounds it out with 10 points per game, and follow with a team-high 7.1 rebounds.
Tech will counter with a junior transfer of its own in Samaria Howard. Howard, fresh off a career-best 28 points, is now averaging a team-best 14.4 points per game, while adding 5.2 rebounds. Parson follows with 11.1 points per game, adding a team-best 5.7 boards per game.
The Golden Eagles are shooting 39.6-percent from the field, while averaging 61.6 point per game.
