By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Saturday's game was everything one could ask for in an Ohio Valley Conference matchup between two of the top three teams. The Tennessee Tech women battled back from a 12-point deficit and it was a battle the rest of the way going down to the wire.
Little Rock might have won the day, escaping the Eblen Center with a 66-63 victory, but Tennessee Tech certainly made them earn it. The improvement showed from the first meeting to the next and it makes a potential showdown in Evansville an intriguing one.
So 63 points? That's not just the most any OVC team has scored against the Trojans this season, it's the fifth-most points scored by any opponent in Little Rock's 21 games played. The teams that have scored more? Arkansas (93), Oral Roberts (74), Auburn (70) and Alabama (69).
Not only that, Maaliya Owens tied for the fourth-most individually scored against Little Rock with 20 points. Tennessee State's Erica Haynes-Overton, Oral Roberts' Hannah Cooper and Arkansas' Chrissy Carr each scored 22, while Auburn's Honesty Scott-Grayson and Oral Roberts' Ariel Walker also scored 20.
Owens also tied for the most 3-pointers the Trojans have allowed by a single player in a game with four treys.
The Golden Eagles (13-7, 7-3 OVC) found a way to penetrate Little Rock's vaunted offense, but it was a struggle early. Tech saw just three of its first 13 shots connect, shooting 23.1 percent, but Little Rock wasn't faring too much better, shooting at a 31.3-percent rate and the first quarter closed with the Golden Eagles trailing 12-9.
Owens paced Tech's offense early with eight of the Golden Eagles' nine points, going 3-for-8 from the field with two 3-pointers.
The second quarter saw Little Rock score 14 of its 19 points in the paint as the Trojans used its speed and size to get into the lane as Faith Lee and Angelique Francis led the way with eight and seven points respectively – Lee going 4-for-4 from the field and Francis 5-for-5 at the line.
The Trojans outscored Tech 19-12 in the second – even as the Golden Eagles saw their shooting numbers improve – as Little Rock enjoyed a 31-21 lead at the intermission.
The third quarter, however, was where the tide turned. The Golden Eagles pulled together a 9-0 run as Tech was able to catch the Trojans in transition with quick passes. The Golden Eagles were also able to break down their defense to shoot 58.8 percent on 10-of-17 shooting. Jada Guinn had six points, Reagan Grimes had five and Jordan Brock and Kiera Hill each had four in the quarter, while Owens led the way with seven, including a step-back 3-pointer with seven seconds left in the quarter to give the Golden Eagles a 47-45 lead.
Tech outscored Little Rock 26-14 in the period.
In the fourth, it was pretty much a back-and-forth affair as the advantage swapped sides often. There were eight ties and seven lead changes in the final 10 minutes alone and neither team led by more than three down the stretch.
Trailing 63-61 with 21 left, Peyton Carter drew a foul and hit both shots to knot the game at 63. Looking to have the last possession, Little Rock milked the clock until Jaiyah Harris-Smith was able to work the ball inside to Sali Kourouma, who put in the go-ahead layup and draw the and-one on a foul from Reghan Grimes. Kourouma hit the free throw to put Little Rock up three with just over one second remaining on the clock.
Carter's long heave sailed into the other side of the court but into the hands of Jayla Brooks and Little Rock was able to run out the clock.
Tech did not hit a field goal in the final 4:12 of the contest with the Trojans outscoring the Golden Eagles 21-16 in the final 10.
Little Rock (12-9, 9-1 OVC) ended the game with four players in double-figures with Francis leading the way with 19 points, while Kourouma and Lee each adding 14 and Brooks 10. Harris-Smith had nine assists and seven rebounds to lead both categories.
Carter had a team-high eight rebounds for the Golden Eagles, while Guinn had four assists.
Tech returns to action on Thursday for a 4 p.m. Central road game at Morehead State, then returns home to take on Southeast Missouri next Saturday.
Tickets for Tennessee Tech basketball are on sale – call (931) 372-3940, visit the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office or visit TTUsports.com to order.
Photo | Jim Dillon
