By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Just one more contest separates the Tennessee Tech men's basketball team from Ohio Valley Conference play, a Dec. 22 match-up in Iowa City, Iowa facing the Hawkeyes of the University of Iowa. Tuesday's game is set for a 7:30 p.m. CST tip.
The contest marks just the second ever between the two programs and the first since 1970, a win in Iowa City by the Hawkeyes. Fans can listen to the action live on 106.1 The Eagle with Dylan Vazzano on the call or follow live via webstream on the ESPN3 and WatchESPN broadcast by Shawn Kenny with analysis from Kevin Lehman.
Tennessee Tech (8-4) at Iowa (8-3)
Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2015
7:30 p.m. CST
Carver-Hawkeye Arena (15,400) – Iowa City, Iowa.
The Broadcasts
TV: None
Radio: 106.1 The Eagle (Dylan Vazzano)
Webcast: ESPN3 on WatchESPN (Shawn Kenny & Kevin Lehman)
ABOUT IOWA
Tech closes out its non-conference schedule with a trip north for a Dec. 22 contest at Iowa, a match-up starting at 7:30 p.m. CST.
Iowa is in its sixth season under the direction of head coach Fran McCaffery.
The Hawkeyes are currently 8-3 on the year, coming off a 70-64 victory over in-state rival Drake at the Hy-Vee Big Four Classic Saturday evening.
Iowa, which received votes in both polls last week, owns wins against Gardner-Webb (76-59), Coppin State (103-68), Marquette (89-61), #20 Wichita State (84-61), Florida State (78-75, OT), UMKC (95-75), Western Illinois (90-56) and Drake (70-64).
The Hawkeyes have suffered losses to Dayton (82-77), #17 Notre Dame (68-62) and #2 Iowa State (83-82).
Last season, Iowa compiled a 22-12 overall record and 12-6 mark in the Big Ten Conference, finishing 5th in the regular season standings and advancing to the NCAA Tournament third round.
This marks just the second meeting ever between the two programs and the first since Iowa downed Tech in Iowa City, Iowa, 96-68 on Jan. 24, 1970.
Jarrod Uthoff leads both the Hawkeyes and Big Ten Conference in scoring, averaging 18.7 points per game while rejecting a team-high 33 shots. He shoots over 50 percent from the field, just under 50 percent from downtown and corrals 6.4 rebounds per game as well.
Peter Jok also averages over 10 points per game, scoring 12.5 while hitting a team-best 85.7 percent of his free throws.
Topping Iowa's rebounding numbers is Adam Woodbury, hauling in 6.3 per game while also averaging 9.0 points on 56.3 percent shooting.
MIAMI (OHIO) RECAP
Tech collected its eighth victory of the 2015-16 season Friday evening, defeating first-time opponent Miami (Ohio), 77-64 in the Eblen Center.
At 8-4 on the year, the Golden Eagles are off to their best start since beginning the 2001-02 season with the same record.
Tech went to a 17-4 mark before its fifth loss that season and wrapped up the year with the program's best record in school history at 27-7.
With the victory, Tech has now defeated 16 consecutive non-conference opponents in the Eblen Center and moved to 7-0 at home, the best record in the Hoop to start a season since going unbeaten at 13-0 in 2004-05.
The Golden Eagles posted their fourth double-digit comeback victory of the year, rallying from a 12-point deficit to down the RedHawks.
Following a slow first half that saw the team score just 25 points, Tech opened the offense in the second half, shooting 60 percent from the field, 50 percent from downtown and connecting on 17-of-21 free throw attempts (81 percent) to more than double its output from the first 20 minutes, scoring 52 points.
Junior guard Hakeem Rogers followed up his best scoring performance of his career, a 21-point outburst at Chattanooga, with 19 more against Miami (Ohio) in just 23 minutes of action.
Coming off his lowest scoring output of the season against the Mocs (four points), senior guard Torrance Rowe found his shooting touch once again, scoring a game-high 23 points while hitting five shots from beyond the arc. He also dished out four assists.
Senior Ryan Martin kept his strong play rolling with 16 points and eight rebounds against the RedHawks, sinking six of his seven attempts from the field.
CAPTAIN COMEBACK
Named one of two team captains following last season, Torrance Rowe has accepted the role as a senior and is leading by example.
For the seventh time in two years, the Golden Eagles completed a comeback of 10 points or more with Rowe making a large impact on the outcome.
Facing Miami (Ohio) at home, the Rowe led Tech back from a 12-point deficit thanks to five 3-pointers and 23 total points, including 13 in the second half.
After erasing a 16-point deficit that included a 14-point advantage in favor of Lipscomb at the half, the Bisons' Nathan Moran picked Rowe's pocket at half court for a wide open layup and 78-76 lead with 17 seconds to play.
Rowe answered the bell, however, draining the game-winning 3-pointer with just eight seconds left on the scoreboard, his second game-winning three of his career.
Down by 15 points with just over 10 minutes to play Tech rallied to tie in-state rival East Tennessee State with a little over three minutes left thanks to a 3-pointer by Aleksa Jugovic, assisted by Rowe.
The senior guard then hit the final free throw to give Tech its two-point cushion that would eventually result in the final score of 63-61.
With just five seconds remaining on the clock and Tech trailing Jackson State 71-69, Rowe raced the length of the court just in time to toss in a layup and beat the buzzer to knot things at 71. Tech overcame a 10-point, second-half deficit to defeat the Tigers 86-82 in overtime.
Rowe scored 17 of the team's final 28 points, all coming with less than three minutes to play in the second half.
Familiar with rallying his troops, Rowe showed the ability to put the team on his back last season in a thrilling, comeback victory over Chattanooga.
Trailing by as many as 19 points in the second half, the senior scored a then-career-high 18 points in leading the Golden Eagles to a 69-67 victory.
With the score tied at 65 with 30 seconds remaining, he drilled the game-winning three to cap the remarkable turnaround.
This season, Rowe leads the Golden Eagles in scoring with 16.3 points per game, good enough for seventh in the OVC, and with 4.5 assists per game, good enough for second in the league.
T-Rowe owns an 86.8 percent shooting touch from the charity stripe and has dished out 50 assists while playing nearly 33 minutes per game.
BIG ANT'S BLOCK PARTY
Adept at rejecting an opponent's shot attempt around the bucket since his arrival to Cookeville in 2012, Anthony Morse has quietly climbed his way up the all-time list for career blocks.
After blocking two more shots at Chattanooga, Morse now has 80 in his career and has passed Bobby Porter for eighth place all-time in Tennessee Tech history. He needs just five more blocks to move into sole possession of seventh place.
At the conclusion of his career in 1997, only three players (Adonal Foyle, Tim Duncan, and Alonzo Mourning) had more blocks in NCAA history than Tech's all-time leader, the late, great Lorenzo Coleman. With 439 rejections in four seasons, he still sits 12th all-time.
After establishing a new career-high in points in Tech's season-opening victory against Piedmont College with 13, Morse reset the mark by scoring 14 at Air Force.
The senior also corralled a career-high 11 rebounds, including eight on the offensive glass, recording his first career double-double.
On the year, Morse ranks first in the Ohio Valley Conference and 29th in the nation with 2.4 blocks per game. His 29 total rejections ranks 14th in the country. He also sits in the top 10 in the league in rebounding with 6.1 boards per game.
GIVE ME SOME SUGAR
Off to a strong start in his sophomore campaign, Aleksa Jugovic ranks as the third highest scorer on the Golden Eagle roster.
The native of Serbia owns two 20-point outings to his credit this season, both representing his career-high output.
On the year, Jugovic owns a 2.5 assist/turnover ratio, ranking second in the OVC.
Fans can follow Jugovic on Twitter under his handle/nickname @SerbianSugar.
Between his junior and senior years in high school, Jugovic starred for the Serbian U-18 national team, starting at point guard at the 2013 FIBA Europe U-18 Championships.
He averaged a team-high 30.2 minutes while recording 8.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
The sophomore is one of three current Tech players to have earned adidas® OVC Freshman of the Week, having taken home the honor three times in 2014-15 (Dec. 1, Dec. 29, & Mar. 2).
Jugovic was recruited by assistant coach Frank Davis, Tech's all-time career leader in 3-point field goals made (251) and 3-point field goal percentage (.407). The former Tech standout believes Jugovic can break both records in his time in a Tech uniform, and the numbers support that claim so far.
ONE SHOT, ONE OPPORTUNITY
After receiving just one year of eligibility from the NCAA following his transfer from South Plains College, Ryan Martin is out to make the most of his lone season at the Division I level.
The native of London, England was heavily recruited by St. John's University and drew interest from Arizona State, Gonzaga, VCU, Utah State and Louisiana, but the uncertainty of his status with the NCAA cooled most teams away from the big man.
Martin practiced all of last season with the Golden Eagles and participated in Tech's exhibition contest against Bluefield College.
Steve Payne loves Martin's energy level, raving about a motor that never seems to quit. He likes that the Brit plays with emotion and can use it to his advantage.
The senior possesses great rebounding ability and the option to step back and knock down shots from beyond the arc.
Against Robert Morris, Martin tied his career-high in points with 20 and added 10 boards. It marked his first double-double.
He tallied his third career double-double and second in as many games with 18 points and 11 boards at Lipscomb.
On the year, Martin is averaging 13.8 points and 8.1 rebounds, the best mark on the team and fourth best in the league. He ranks ninth in the OVC in free throw percentage, hitting at an .785 clip.
YEAR IN RESIDENCY
Following a redshirt season in 2014-15, Savonte Frazier made his Golden Eagle debut against Piedmont College, dishing out five assists and hitting his lone field goal attempt, a 3-pointer, to finish with three points.
Steve Payne raved about the youngster's improvement over the summer, making note of his improved strength and shooting ability.
Payne also was quick to talk about his strong leadership ability, which he has displayed since day one in Cookeville, which all starts with his drive and toughness.
The rookie dished out five more dimes against UC Clermont, giving him two five-plus assist games on the year.
EARNING A SPOT
A walk-on to the Tech roster back during the 2013-14 season, Mason Ramsey has done plenty to earn the respect of his teammates and coaches in his two season in the purple and gold.
The local Livingston, Tenn. native was awarded a scholarship by Steve Payne following the 2014-15 season, Ramsey's first year of action on the court in Eblen Center.
After redshirting in 2013-14, Ramsey became the first Tech freshman since 1986-87 to open his career with a double-double, posting 14 points and 14 rebounds.
GOOD GENES
Courtney Alexander II has one of the best role models in which to model his game after that a freshman collegiate player can have. And he lives in the same house.
His father, Courtney Alexander Sr., was the 13th overall selection by the Orlando Magic in the 2000 NBA Draft.
Courtney Sr. went on to play three seasons in the Association, including stints with Dallas, Washington and New Orleans.
In college, he led the NCAA in scoring with 24.8 points per game as a senior at Fresno State.
Alexander II notched his first career double-double against Mississippi Valley State, posting career-highs with 14 points and 10 rebounds. He has four games with seven or more boards this season.
SOUTHPAWS
True freshman Courtney Alexander II is changing the hand he shoots with for the second time in his young career. As a prep player, the forward shot primarily with his left hand, making the switch to his right during his senior season. The rookie began the transition back to his left hand for the 2015-16 season in October.
Torrance Rowe also shoots left-handed and former Golden Eagle and current Graduate Assistant Manager Mitchell Hill was a southpaw during his Tech career as well.
ON THE DEFENSIVE
Steve Payne listed Shirmane Thomas as the top defender heading into the 2015-16 Tech squad, citing his physical strength, toughness and willingness to stick his nose in there and get a stop.
The guard has notched nine steals and three blocks so far while grabbing 3.5 rebounds per game.
FAMILIAR ROOTS
By far the youngest player on the roster, Micaiah Henry hardly looks like a typical teen that just celebrated his 18th birthday. At 6-foot-8 and 230 pounds, there is plenty to work with in the post for the Tech squad.
The youngster has shown improvement since his arrival on campus, possessing a knack for rebounding and blocking shots, but will sit out the 2015-16 campaign as a redshirt.
He also comes from some familiar territory to the Golden Eagle program, hailing from Columbia High School (Ga.).
TTU legend Lorenzo Coleman, Tech's all-time leader in blocked shots also attended Columbia High School. The post also posted the most double-doubles in program history with 40 in four years.
TECH PICKED 4th IN OVC EAST
Tech was predicted to finish 4th in the East Division in the 2016 OVC race in voting by the league's head coaches and SIDs.
Photo by Andy Mitchell
