Morehead State completes late comeback in win over Tech

Morehead State completes late comeback in win over Tech

By Layne Weitzel, TTU Sports Information

MOREHEAD, Ky. – The Golden Eagles found themselves in their second close-game situation in the span of three days as they faced Morehead State on Saturday afternoon.

However, a pair of doubles-doubles along with a solid team defensive effort were not enough to lift Tech late as it fell to Morehead State 53-51.

Morehead State's (14-7, 5-3 OVC) 9-0 run in the last two minutes of the game doomed Tech, which had led for the majority of the game and held a 51-44 advantage with 2:47 remaining in the final quarter.

While Tech freshman Jordan Brock had made the game-tying shot with two seconds left in regulation on Thursday night at Eastern Kentucky, the reverse happened today. A Morehead State layup tied the score with 39 seconds left in the game, and another layup with just three seconds left gave the Eagles their go-ahead points.

"This is a tough one," said head coach Kim Rosamond. "I hate it for our kids because I thought we did everything we needed to do to win the basketball game. I thought they deserved to win it."

There was no doubt that Tech flipped the script compared to its earlier meeting with Morehead State on Dec. 28, 2017, during which the Golden Eagles never held a lead. Today, Tech limited Morehead State, which entered the contest averaging 74.4 points per game, to its second-lowest point total of the season.

The Golden Eagles also won the rebounding battle, totaling 52 boards to Morehead State's 37 and eclipsing their previous season-high mark of 46 against Winthrop on Dec. 19, 2017.

Tech's last two games, both with a difference of two points in the final scores, are the team's closest of the season. They also complete this season's home-and-home series with Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky – Tech had opened OVC play hosting the two teams in Cookeville, falling to Morehead 74-67 and to Eastern Kentucky 76-68.

Yaktavia "Shug" Hickson scored 10 points for Tech but really shone on the boards today, grabbing a career-high 15 rebounds. That marked her first double-double since a 14-point, 10-rebound performance on Jan. 28, 2017 against Eastern Kentucky.

MacKenzie Coleman also had her third double-double this year with a team-leading 14 points and a career-high 12 rebounds, also adding four blocks. This game was the first in which Tech has had two players with double-doubles in the same game since Jan. 7, 2017, when then-freshman Akia Harris had 19 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists and then-senior Treyvonna Brooks had 21 points and 10 rebounds against Murray State.

Senior post Asia Harper put up 10 points for her third double-figure output of the season and was just three rebounds away from a double-double herself.

In just her second game of the season, redshirt sophomore Anacia Wilkinson led Tech off the bench with two points, four rebounds and a block in 11 minutes of play.

UP NEXT
Tech ends its January schedule with a pair of games in the Hoop against Southeast Missouri (9-11, 4-4 OVC) and UT Martin (8-11, 4-3 OVC). The Golden Eagles will tip off against SEMO on Thursday, Jan. 25 at 5:30 p.m. CT and UT Martin on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 5:30 p.m. CT.
 
FOLLOW TENNESSEE TECH WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
ttusports.com
 
Photo by Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information