By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech men's basketball team will go to battle against two opponents Saturday evening in the Eblen Center, playing host to Eastern Kentucky in doubleheader match-up while taking part in the 2015 Coaches vs. Cancer Suits And Sneakers™ Awareness Week.
The Golden Eagles (9-11, 1-6) will battle with the defending Ohio Valley Conference tournament champion Colonels (11-7, 3-2) for the first time this season as both teams enter the contest coming off tough losses.
The TTU women's team, which will be hosting its annual "Think Pink" night to support breast cancer awareness, will kickoff the night's action with its own contest against EKU at 5:30 p.m. CST.
The first 1,000 fans to enter the building before the women's game will receive a "Think Pink" t-shirt and any fan that wears the color pink to the games will be offered a special admission price of one dollar. Fans are also encouraged to wear sneakers to help support cancer awareness.
Fans may purchase their tickets online (TTUsports.com), in person at the Athletics Ticket Office in Eblen Center, or on the telephone (931-372-3940).
Tennessee Tech (9-11, 1-6) vs. Eastern Kentucky (11-7, 3-2)
Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015
7:30 p.m. CST
Eblen Center (9,250) – Cookeville, Tenn.
The Broadcasts
TV: None
Radio: 106.1 The Eagle (Roger Ealey)
Webcast: Golden Eagle Sports Network on the OVC Digital Network (Dylan Vazzano)
SETTING THE STAGE
Eastern Kentucky makes the trip to Cookeville after suffering a shocking upset loss at the hands of East Division rival Jacksonville State Thursday evening. The Gamecocks erased a seven-point deficit in the final 90 seconds to hand the Colonels a tough 71-67 loss, bumping EKU into second place in the division behind Belmont.
Prior to the loss, the Colonels had won five of their past six contests and, earlier this season, went into Coral Gables, Fla. and upset #18 Miami by 28 points.
Corey Walden returned for his senior season and leads the EKU squad, averaging 18.6 points per game while dishing out 3.7 assists and shooting 55 percent from the field. He also averages 2.7 steals per game while leading the league's best team at forcing turnovers. EKU forces its opponents to cough up the leather over 20 times per game, while doing so only 11.7 times itself, a margin of +8.8.
The other key factor for the EKU offense has been another senior, Eric Stutz. One of just two listed forwards on the team, Stutz averages 13.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while shooting 60 percent from the field and 82.5 percent from the charity stripe.
The Golden Eagles boast arguably the best post player in the conference in Charles Jackson, a JUCO transfer and native of Sacramento, Calif. The junior leads the team with 13.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game while shooting a team-best 58.3 percent from the field and blocking a team-high 26 shots. He also is tied for third in the nation in double-doubles with 13 on the year.
Both Dwan Caldwell and Torrance Rowe average double digits in the scoring column for the Golden Eagles, representing 11.7 and 10.4 points per game, respectively. Caldwell, also a California native, pulls in 5.1 rebounds per game and shoots over 70 percent from the free throw line.
Jordan Johnson has provided a huge spark off the bench for the Tech squad over the past three games, averaging 13 points on 54 percent shooting over that span. He has also knocked down 50 percent of his 3-point attempts and all of his five free throw attempts.
Photo by Tony Marable
