By Holly Weber, TTU Sports Information
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.—The Tennessee Tech women's basketball team (4-10, 1-0 OVC) will look to continue their conference winning streak on Saturday when they face OVC-opponent SIUE (4-9, 0-0 OVC) in a noon contest at the Vadalabene Center.
The Golden Eagles are hot off a 74-36 conference-opening win over Southeast Missouri, where Yaktavia "Shug" Hickson dropped 30 points and a career-best 12 rebounds to notch her first career double-double.
Tech and SIUE will each look to take the go-ahead game in the series as the Golden Eagles are currently tied up at 4-4, with records of 2-2 in both Edwardsville and Cookeville. However, the Cougars have won the last two matchups, most recently defeating the Golden Eagles on their home court in the 2015-16 season by an 83-68 margin.
Hickson leads the Golden Eagles averaging 17.3 points per game. She shoots 42.9 percent from the field, 32.7 percent from the three-point range, and 87.3 percent from the free throw line. Hickson's 17.3 points per game ranks her second amongst Ohio Valley Conference players, while her 87.3 free throw percentage marks her fourth in the league. Hickson also finds herself ranked nationally, as her free throw percentage marks her 40th in the NCAA and her 62 free throws made ranks her 19th.
Treyvonna "Trey" Brooks is another key player on the Golden Eagle lineup. Brooks is Tech's leader off the glass with 7.1 boards per game, and second leading scorer with 9.8 points per game. Brooks shoots 47.2 percent from the floor, 29.4 percent from downtown, and 63.6 percent from the charity stripe. Her 20 blocks and 20 steals on the season are the best on the squad, while her 29 assists is the second best mark on the team. Brooks' 7.1 rebounds per game marks her sixth amongst OVC opponents, while her 1.4 blocked shots per game ranks her eighth and her 3.3 offensive boards per game marks her tied at first.
Freshman Akia Harris is making a name for herself on the Purple and Gold squad. Harris is Tech's leader in assists with 52 on the season. She also stands as the Golden Eagle's third leading scorer averaging 7.2 points per game. Harris shoots 27.1 from the field, 27.2 percent from beyond the arc, and 63.9 percent from the line. Harris is also Tech's second leader in steals with 17 thus far this year, and her 3.7 assists per game marks her eighth in the OVC.
Donshel Beck leads SIUE averaging 14.9 points and 6.8 boards per game. Beck shoots 42.8 percent from the floor and 67.5 percent from the charity stripe. She is also the Cougar's second leader in steals with 17 on the year.
Three other SIUE players average double-figures on the season. Lauren White with 11.5 points per game, Gwen Adams with 10.7 points per game, and Nakiah Bell with 10.2 points per game.
White leads the Cougars in steals with 25 thus far this year and shoots 41.4 percent from the floor, 33.3 percent from downtown, and 74.5 percent from the free throw line. White is also SIUE's third leader off the glass averaging 4.2 rebounds per contest and second leader in assists dishing out 34 on the year.
As a team, the Golden Eagles shoot 37.8 percent from the floor, 29.3 percent from beyond the arc, and 70 percent from the free throw line while the Cougars shoot 38.5 percent from the field, 37.3 percent from the three-point range, and 71.4 percent from the free throw line. Tech averages 37.1 rebounds and 17.1 turnovers per game while SIUE averages 38.2 caroms and 15.8 turnovers per contest.
You can follow the Golden Eagles online on the TTU Sports and Tennessee Tech Women's Basketball Facebook pages or on Twitter at @TTUGoldenEagles and @TTUWBB.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
