By Jonathan Caudle, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee Tech women's basketball has a long and successful legacy of being one of the winningest programs in the nation. Following the 2019-20 season, the Golden Eagles remain the 21st most winningest program in NCAA Division I history all-time by victories with 957 program victories.
Nearing the close of the 1988-89 season, No. 11-seeded Tennessee Tech secured its third OVC championship to spark its fourth NCAA tournament appearance in the program's history and matchup against the No. 6-seeded South Carolina Lady Gamecocks in Columbia, S.C. on March 15, 1989.
The sixth-ranked Lady Gamecocks entered postseason with a 23-6 record, while the Golden Eaglettes carried a 21-7 record into the first-round matchup.
Four Golden Eagles tallied double-digit scoring totals in the contest with Angela Brown leading the way for the Purple and Gold. Brown netted a team-high 23 points, shooting 11-of-23 from the field and 1-of-2 from the line. Joining Brown in double-digits was Melinda Clayton with 17 points, Renay Adams with 14 points, and Dana Scott with 10 points. Clayton also led the team on the glass, recording a double-double with 12 rebounds, while teammate and Tech's leading scorer Brown narrowly missed a double-double, pulling down nine rebounds in the contest.
The Lady Gamecocks scored first but Tech responded to trade scores to an eventual 4-4 tie through the first two minutes of play. South Carolina would produce an 11-4 run through the 14:28-minute mark to take a seven-point lead, 15-8. Tech's Adams responded with a layup to bring the Golden Eaglettes back within five at the first timeout of the contest, 15-10.
South Carolina maintained the momentum as they outscored Tech 13-7 to take a double-digit lead with 9:56 remaining in the opening half. Tech would cut into the Lady Gamecocks lead over the following eight-minute of clock to bring the contest back within six, 42-36, with 2:11 to play. However, the Lady Gamecocks held Tech scoreless for two minutes scoring seven unanswered to hold a 49-36 advantage, before Clayton connected on a layup with four seconds on the clock to send the game into the break with South Carolina leading by 11, 49-38.
Brown and Clayton led the Golden Eagles with 12 points and 11 points respectively during the first 20 minutes.
Tech flipped the script over the final 20 minutes of play, to mount one of the most impressive comebacks in the program's impressive history.
USC's Middleton knocked down a 3-pointer to open the second half of play and give the Lady Gamecocks a 14-point advantage, their largest lead of the contest, with 19:41 to play, 52-38. Tech continued to trail by 10 points, 61-51, through the 13:46-minute mark. However, over the following minute and a half, the Golden Eagelettes held the Lady Gamecocks scoreless while scoring eight unanswered points to bring the game back within a basket, 61-59, and spark a Lady Gamecock timeout. South Carolina responded following the timeout to extend its lead back to four, 63-59, but a Cecilia Ramsey jumper and a Brown layup would even the contest at 63 with 9:18 to play. Back-to-back layups from Adams gave Tech a four-point advantage, 67-63, with seven minutes to play. South Carolina bounced back to even the contest at 67 with 5:21 to play. The Golden Eagles and Lady Gamecocks traded baskets to an eventual 73-73 standstill with one minute remaining. However, Tech locked in over the final minute of play to hold the Lady Gamecocks scoreless and knock down four free throws to complete the comeback and secure the 77-73 upset over the Lady Gamecocks.
The Golden Eaglettes dominated the glass, outrebounding South Carolina 40-29. Tech also outshot the Lady Gamecocks 51 percent (34-of-67) from the field and 33 percent (1-of-3) from 3-point range, while South Carolina scored 48 percent (28-of-58) from the field and 33 percent (3-of-9) from 3-point range.
With the win, the 1988-89 Golden Eagles earned their second-ever NCAA tournament victory and advanced to the second round to match up against the Iowa State Hawkeyes, falling in a close-knit 77-75 contest, to finish their 1988-89 campaign 22-8 overall.
Photo by TTU Sports Information
