By TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – One of the most well-balanced players in Tennessee Tech women's basketball history, Tacarra Hayes Barnes could do it all. Over the course of her career, she led the Golden Eagle women in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals from 2009-10 to 2011-12, while also leading the team in blocks during her sophomore campaign.
Earning the Ohio Valley Conference's Defensive Player of the Year in 2010-11 – the same year she helped lead the Golden Eagles to their 17th regular-season title – she had 234 rebounds, an average of 7.5 boards, while also collecting 53 steals, an average of 1.7.
She is one of five inductees into the 48th class of the Tennessee Tech Sports Hall of Fame. Along with Hayes Barnes, David Collett (football, 1998-2001), Kevin Murphy (men's basketball, 2008-12), Ottis Phillips (football/supporter, 1969-present), and Dave Pratt (baseball/men's basketball, 1964-67) will be inducted during the annual Hall of Fame Dinner on Friday night at 6:30 p.m. at the Roaden University Center's Multipurpose Room. Tickets for the dinner are on sale by calling (931) 372-3940, visiting the Eblen Center ticket office, or by visiting TTUsports.com.
Her game was much more than defense though. As a three-year leading scorer, Hayes climbed up the all-time leaders in points, finishing her career ninth in scoring with 1,786 points, averaging 14.3 per game.
In the career charts, she ranks 13th in field goals made (599) and eighth in field goals attempted (1,453). She ranks second in free throws made (575) and attempted (815). She ranks 11th in rebounds (708) and 13th in rebounds per game (5.7). She ranks ninth in assists (444) and 12th in assists per game (3.5), while also ranking 11th in steals (180) and 12th in steals per game.
At the charity stripe, three of her four seasons rank fifth, sixth, and seventh in program history for free throws made in a single season, knocking down 175 as a senior, 174 as a junior, and 162 as a sophomore. She also recorded the second-most attempts in a season with 257 as a sophomore and tied with herself for the fifth-most attempts as a junior and senior with 228.
Hayes was also a constant presence on the court as she has two of the single-season top 10 tallies in minutes played, compiling 1,133 as a senior and 1,043 as a sophomore to rank second and eighth respectively.
She is one of just five Tennessee Tech women's basketball players in the program's 52 seasons to record a triple-double. Hayes accomplished the feat on January 7, 2010 against Morehead State as she posted 15 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. She also ranks 10th in career double-doubles with 14.
Hayes had a career-high 41 points against Tennessee State on February 15, 2010, which tied her for the eighth-most points in a single game in program history. She had 15 made free throws in the game, tying her for fourth in most free throws made in a single game. Hayes finished her career with five games scoring 30 or more points.
She also recorded the fourth-most steals in a game as a freshman as she had seven against Bluefield on December 30, 2008.
A team captain in 2010-11 and 2011-12, Hayes took the Golden Eagles to the postseason in both of those seasons as Tech won the regular-season OVC title for the program's 17th time in her junior season. Tech fell in the championship game to UT Martin and earned the automatic bid to the WNIT, where the Golden Eagles took on Auburn. Tech finished 23-8 that season, 15-3 in the OVC.
The following season, Tech finished 17-17 overall against a challenging schedule and went 11-5 in conference play. The Golden Eagles beat Eastern Illinois in overtime to reach the title game again, but fell to UT Martin. Tech earned a berth to the WBI, which was the team's last postseason appearance until the 2018-19 campaign.
Hayes was named to the All-OVC First-Team roster three times, including 2009-10, 2010-11, and 2011-12, the only player to do that since Emily Christian was named First Team three seasons in a row between 2003-04 and 2005-06.
She was also named to the OVC All-Tournament Team in 2011 and 2012. In her sophomore season, she was also honored with the team's Frank Porter Award.
Hayes graduated from Tennessee Tech in 2012 with a degree in interdisciplinary studies.
