By Holly Weber, TTU Sports Information
vs. Eastern Kentucky Game Notes
COOKEVILLE, Tenn.—After a pair of games on the road, the Tennessee Tech women's basketball team (7-14, 4-4 OVC) will return home to host OVC-opponent Eastern Kentucky (7-13, 4-3 OVC) on Saturday in a 5:30 p.m. contest at the Hooper Eblen Center.
The Golden Eagles currently lead the series by a 65-25 margin, however, the Colonels last saw victory in the 2015-16 season when EKU topped Tech 71-67 in an overtime victory in the Hoop. The Purple and Gold squad are also favored in games taking place in Cookeville by a 31-7 margin.
Yaktavia "Shug" Hickson leads the Golden Eagles averaging 17.1 points per game, which also marks her third amongst Ohio Valley conference opponents. She shoots 42.1 percent from the field, 29.9 percent from the three-point range, and 86.5 percent from the free throw line. Her 86.2 free throw percentage is the third best in the OVC. Hickson also averages 4.1 rebounds per contest and has totaled 30 assists and 24 steals thus far this season.
Treyvonna "Trey" Brooks is another go-to player on the Golden Eagle lineup. Brooks stands as Tech's leader off the glass with 6.6 rebounds per game, while also serving as the Purple and Gold's second leading scorer averaging 10.5 points per game. Brooks leads the Golden Eagles with a 49.7 field goal percentage, which is also the seventh best mark in the OVC. Brooks also shoots 33.3 percent from downtown and 61.3 percent from the charity stripe. She has tallied the second most blocks (27) and steals (20) on the squad thus far this season while rounding out her complete performance with 42 assists on the year. Brooks currently ranks 12th in the OVC in rebounding, third in offensive boards, and eighth in blocked shots.
Freshman Akia Harris is doing big things for the Tech team. Harris leads the Golden Eagles in assists with 87 thus far this year, while also standing as the Golden Eagle's third leading scorer averaging 8.5 points per game. Harris shoots 31.8 percent from the field, 25.9 percent from beyond the arc, and 65.2 percent from the free throw line. She averages 3.3 rebounds per contest while accumulating a team-best 30 steals on the season. Amongst OVC opponents, Harris ranks seventh in assists and assist/turnover ratio.
Jalen O'Bannon leads Eastern Kentucky averaging 13.5 points per game. O'Bannon shoots 44.5 percent from the field, 25 percent from downtown, and 73.7 percent from the charity stripe. She is also the Colonel's leader in rebounds and blocks averaging 6.8 boards and 1.2 blocks per contest. O'Bannon has also gathered 36 assists and 26 steals thus far this season.
Two other EKU players average double-figures this season: Alexus Cooper with 12.3 ppg and Shavontae Naylor with 11.8 ppg.
Cooper has recorded a team-best 34 steals on the season while shooting 38 percent from the field, 36.9 percent from the three-point range, and 58.7 percent from the line. Teammate Naylor is the second leader off the glass with 6.4 rpg.
As a team, the Golden Eagles average 62.4 points and 37.4 rebounds per game to the Colonels' 64.2 points and 35.0 boards. Tech shoots 39 percent from the field, 28.5 percent from the three-point range, and 70.1 percent from the free throw line while Eastern Kentucky shoots 38.9 percent from the floor 31.8 percent from downtown, and 66.9 percent from the charity stripe.
Saturday's game will also be the Golden Eagle's annual Gold Rush game. Fans are encouraged to wear Gold to the game to support the Golden Eagles.
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 Jim Dillon
