By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – When Tennessee Tech faced Southern Indiana in Evansville earlier this month, the game came down to the final possession. A heated battle throughout, the expectation is there for the same Thursday as the Golden Eagles welcome the Screaming Eagles into their nest.
Tipoff for the game is slated for 5:30 p.m. Roger Ealey and Frank Harrell will have the call on 106.1 The Eagle, while Dylan Vazzano and Steve Smith will break down the action on ESPN+ (subscription required).
To throw in another avian type into the mix, Southern Indiana has been the albatross in the Ohio Valley Conference so far this season, continuing to rule the roost with an unblemished 8-0 mark with a two-game lead over Eastern Illinois and Little Rock in the conference standings.
The Screaming Eagles beat Southeast Missouri by 38, Tennessee State by 21, SIUE by 23, Little Rock by 10, Morehead State by 15 and Western Illinois by 20. Only two teams have played USI to under single digits – Lindenwood and Tennessee Tech.
The Golden Eagles had the opportunity to pluck the Screaming Eagles' feathers in Evansville, taking an 11-point lead in the third quarter before USI surged back. The game stood all square at the end of the third quarter, then once again with 2:32 to go in the contest before the hosts outscored Tech 10-7 in the final stretch.
One thing USI could not find an answer to was Kiera Hill as the forward knocked down mid-range jumper after mid-range jumper, shooting 8-for-15 to end the game with 18 points to go along with six rebounds. Anna Walker also scored in double-digits with 12 points, including a 6-for-6 effort at the line.
The game was dominated by the whistle as both teams were called for 26 fouls each with the Golden Eagles hitting 20 of 25 free-throws, while the Screaming variety sank 23 of 31 tries. Vanessa Shafford led USI with 16 points and 15 rebounds, but her night also came to a close early after receiving her fifth foul. Meredith Raley, Madison Webb and Ali Saunders each scored 12 points, with Raley also collecting a double-double with 10 caroms.
As a team, USI is averaging 70.4 points and allowing 63.1, while shooting .435 from the field, .335 from long-range and .709 at the line. They make 7.1 3-pointers and 11.2 free throws per game.
Those numbers take a considerable jump in OVC play as the Screaming Eagles are averaging 73.6 points and allowing 57.0 – an average margin of victory of 16.6 points. They also see a considerable uptick on free throws, averaging 14.5 per night.
In conference competition, Shafford is nearly averaging a double-double a night with a 15.8-point, 8.9-rebound pace with Raley scoring an average of 14.4 points and Webb 12.5.
The Golden Eagles (9-10, 4-4 OVC), meanwhile, finished up January with a 4-2 record and currently find themselves in a three-way tie for fifth in the standings with Western Illinois and UT Martin and a two-game cushion above SEMO, Lindenwood and TSU as the league slate meets the midway point.
Of Tech's four league losses, three – Little Rock, Southern Indiana and Eastern Illinois – were one-possession games with two of those on the road. The Golden Eagles bounced back from their loss at Eastern Illinois with a decisive win at SIUE on Saturday as Tech outrebounded the Cougars 44-37 with a 20-10 margin on offensive rebounds to collect 21 second-chance points.
As a team, Tech is averaging 69.1 points while allowing 65.5. The team is shooting .412 from the field, .337 from beyond-the-arc and .740 from the line with an average of 7.2 3-pointers and 13.6 free throws per game. In OVC play, the numbers are pretty steady as Tech averages 70.0 points and allows 66.0, shooting .402 from the floor, .329 from 3-point range and .765 at the line.
Maaliya Owens leads the team in scoring with a 15.6-point average, while Reghan Grimes is averaging 10.3 points and a team-best 5.6 rebounds. Anna Walker leads the team with 25 blocks, while Reagan Hurst has a team-high 26 steals. Owens leads the squad in assists with 53.
Tickets for Tennessee Tech basketball are on sale now – call (931) 372-3940, visit the Eblen Center ticket office or order online at TTUsports.com.
Photo | Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
