By Rob Schabert, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports
Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech had one slip away
Thursday night when the Golden Eagles (9-9/1-4 OVC) dropped a
three-point, Ohio Valley Conference homecourt contest to UT Martin
(10-6/2-1 OVC) in Eblen Center, 63-60.
The Golden Eagles forced a turnover with 6.7 seconds remaining,
trailing by three, but had to wait 10 minutes while officials
reviewed replays to determine who should be on the floor for the
final play.
When it was finally sorted out, Tech worked the ball to the top of
the key for a 3-pointer by Javon McKay but his shot bounded off the
iron and the SKyhawks snapped down the long rebound and waited for
the horn to sound.
Junior Charles Jackson paced Tech with his 13th
double-double of the year, posting 21 points and 10 rebounds along
with two blocked shots. Torrance Rowe added 14 points and a
game-high, career-high eight assists while Josiah Moore finished
with nine points and nine rebounds.
UT Martin had three players in double digits, topped by Deville
Smith’s 16 points and five assists. Twymond Howard added 11
points and six rebounds and Alex Anderson also notched 11. Marshun
Newell finished with seven points, seven rebounds and five
assists.
The Skyhawks led for most of the first 20 minutes, going up by
as many as eight points, 23-15, with 8:50 to play. A 6-0 Tech run
pulled Tech back within two as Caldwell hit a jumper and Jackson
slammed home a dunk to make it 23-21.
Tech tied it at 29- all on a 3-pointer by Rowe with 3:40
remaining, and the Golden Eagles went up by one a couple of times
in the final two minutes before a 3-pointer by Howard with 44
seconds left closed the first half scoring and sent the visitors to
their dressing room with a 34-32 lead. UTM was 8-for-16 from long
range in the first half.
In all, the lead exchanged benches five times in the first
half.
Tech looked to be taking control early in the second half, breaking a 40-40 tie and building a five-point lead at 47-42 on a jumper by Moore with 11:05 to play.
The score was tied twice more, before a 3-pointer by Anderson with 5:27 to play pushed UTM on top, 54-53, a lead that the Skyhawks were able to nurse to the end.
Tech was within one when Rowe buried a 3-pointer to make it 59-58 with 2:27 to play, but the Skyhawks made four straight free throws for a five-point advantage with 11 seconds left.
A dunk by Jackson with 6.7 seconds left made it 63-60, and set the stage for the final dramatic seconds when the Golden Eagles forced a five-second call on the UTM inbounds play.
The next stop for the Golden Eagles is in the Show-Me Center in
Cape Girardeau, Mo., where Tech faces Southeast Missouri in a 6
p.m. contest Saturday.
