By Rob Schabert, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Charles Jackson sure picked a good time for a great game.

The Tennessee Tech junior went wild Monday night with career-highs of 28 points and 16 rebounds to lead Tennessee Tech to a slim, 87-84 victory over UNF in non-conference action. The victory kept Tech unbeaten at home in Eblen Center this season at 6-0.

Tech (8-5) never led by more than five points, and had to overcome a UNF effort that featured four players in double figures. It gave Tech a sweep of the home-and-home series with the team from Jacksonville, Fla., following a two-point win on the Ospreys’ floor two weeks ago.

 The Golden Eagles were led by the 6-10 Jackson, who was 12-for-18 from the floor and 4-for-5 at the free throw line. But he got plenty of support as senior Dwan Caldwell notched 14 points and true freshman Aleksa Jugovic added 13 well-timed markers including a 3-pointer and three free throws in the final six minutes as UNF was threatening. Josiah Moore played a big role in the win, as well, with seven points, six rebounds and a game-high five assists.

Dallas Moore led UNF with 20 points and four assists, while gunner Trent Mackey added 18 points on 6-for-7 shooting from the perimeter. Beau Beech also scored 19 and grabbed eight rebounds, and Chris Davenport finished with 12 points. Jalen Nesbitt also put up impressive numbers for the Ospreys (7-7) with nine points, 11 rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocked shots.
 
Trailing for the final five minutes of the first half and the first eight in the second, the Golden Eagles finally caught up at 55-55 with 12:03 remaining on a 3-pointer by Moore.

Mackey knocked down a trey just nine seconds later, and UNF went back on top for the next six minutes, including a six-point bulge on a Mackey 3-pointer with 7:48 remaining.

A 3-pointer by Jugovic lifted Tech to a 71-70 lead with 6:25 to play, and the teams were tied once again, 75-all, with 4:21 to go on another Mackey bomb.

Fouled on a 3-point attempt with 3:52 remaining, Jugovic calmly stepped to the line out of a timeout and the true freshman made all three freebies for a lead that Tech was able to hold until the final buzzer…barely.

The Ospreys pulled within one twice, including 80-79 with 1:56 to play, but Jackson hit a jumper with 1:43 left on the clock, then added two free throws. DeOndre Haynes made three straight at the line and the Golden Eagle defense, which had allowed the Ospreys to hit 10-for-22 from long distance to that point, didn’t give UNF a good look in the final 20 seconds. Beech fired up a long trey with three ticks on the clock that missed and the horn sounded.

UNF was pesky throughout the first 15 minutes, never allowing Tech to establish its homecourt advantage by more than five points. The Ospreys tied it twice during that stretch, but never led.

Finally, with 5:21 to play, Demarcus Daniels’ dunk put UNF on top, 29-28, for the first time in the contest and the visitors led until the intermission…and beyond. The largest UNF lead in the first half was six points, 37-31, with 1:42 to go, before taking a 39-36 lead into halftime.

The Golden Eagles leave the comforts of home for a quick trip to Illinois to open Ohio Valley Conference play along with the new year. Tech is scheduled to play at Eastern Illinois on Thursday (Jan. 1) at 3:15 p.m. CT, followed by a contest at SIUE Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

Tech returns to Eblen Center on Thursday, Jan. 8, to host Murray State in the nightcap of an OVC doubleheader against the Racers.