By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Fresh off two huge, momentum-building home victories, the Tennessee Tech men's basketball team will head back out on the road for a Saturday tilt against Ohio Valley Conference East Division rival Jacksonville State.
The Golden Eagles (16-7, 8-2) will match-up against the Gamecocks (8-17, 4-6) in a 4:30 p.m. CST contest in the second game of a doubleheader that begins with the women's game at 2 p.m. Tech is in search of its fourth straight victory and best start to OVC play since beginning 9-2 during the 2005-06 season.
Tennessee Tech (16-7, 8-2) at Jacksonville State (8-17, 4-6)
Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016
4:30 p.m. CST
Pete Mathews Coliseum (3,500) – Jacksonville, Ala.
The Broadcasts
TV: None
Radio: 106.1 The Eagle (Roger Ealey)
Webcast: OVC Digital Network
ABOUT JACKSONVILLE STATE
Tech heads back out on the road after a brief break, not playing its next contest until Saturday, Feb. 6 at Jacksonville State. Tip is set for 4:30 p.m. CST in the two programs' first meeting of the season.
Jacksonville State is in its eighth season under the direction of head coach James Green.
The Gamecocks are currently 8-17 overall and 4-6 in OVC play, coming off a 78-53 home loss to Tennessee State Saturday.
This season, Jax State is 5-7 at home, 2-9 on the road, and 1-1 at neutral sites.
Last season, the Gamecocks compiled a 12-19 overall record and 5-11 mark in the OVC, finishing 4th in the East Division regular season standings and 9th overall.
This marks the 30th meeting all-time between the two programs, with Tech owning an 18-11 edge in the series. Last season, the Gamecocks snapped a four-game win streak by the Golden Eagles in the series.
The two teams split last season's series, with Tech claiming a 72-59 victory in the Eblen Center before the Gamecocks exacted revenge on their home floor, 82-68.
The Gamecocks boast the league's toughest 3-point defense, allowing their opponents to shoot just 31.4 percent from beyond the arc this season.
Jacksonville State is led by Malcolm Drumwright, who averages 14.0 points and 3.8 assists per game, but the Gamecocks may be without their top scorer, as well as another key starter, Christian Cunningham, after both players suffered injuries last week. Cunningham ranks third in the league in blocks, rejecting 1.6 blocks per game. He adds 4.3 rebounds on the glass.
Erik Durham adds 12.3 points per game, shooting 40.0 percent from deep and 42.9 percent from the field. He also grabs 4.1 rebounds per game.
Leading Jax State in rebounds is Jeremy Watson, averaging 5.8 per game while chipping in 8.4 points.
BELMONT RECAP
Tech continued its perfect run at home, handing Belmont its first OVC loss of the season Saturday evening in rowdy crowd of over 4,400. TTU battled to an 89-79 victory.
The Golden Eagles overcame a nine-point, second-half deficit, using a 10-0 run beginning at the 11:17 mark to retake the lead.
The Tech defense did not allow one Bruin to score more than 14 points and held their top two scorers, Evan Bradds and Craig Bradshaw to just 18 combined points.
The Golden Eagle offense was just as impressive, making just nine turnovers and not allowing a single steal by the Bruins.
Senior Torrance Rowe capped a fantastic week that eventually led to his third OVC Player of the Week honors by scoring a game-high 26 points. He hit four trifectas dished out three assists and pulled in four rebounds while hitting 6-of-7 free throws.
Junior Hakeem Rogers more than earned his OVC co-Newcomer of the Week honors after scoring 20 points off the bench, his second straight 20-point outing. He notched a career-high three steals while connecting on 7 of his 12 attempts.
Sharing OVC co-Newcomer of the Week honors with Rogers was none other than Ryan Martin, who posted his seventh double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds. He went a perfect 9-for-9 at the charity stripe and shot 50.0 percent from the field.
Senior Anthony Morse moved into fourth place in career blocks in program history with three rejections in the contest, moving his total to 99 in 102 career games.
ON A ROWE
One of the league's best free throw shooters, Torrance Rowe set a program record for highest free throw percentage in a game, sinking all 15 of his attempts at the line at Murray State. The previous record belonged to Jud Dillard who went 14-for-14 against Jacksonville State during the 2012-13 season.
The senior turned in one of the best passing performances in program history against Southeast Missouri, dishing out 12 assists with zero turnovers. Only Maurice Houston posted more with zero turnovers, recording 15 dimes against Morehead State in March of 1993.
This season, Rowe leads Tech in scoring with 17.7 points per game, good enough to rank fourth in the OVC, and with 4.7 assists per game, also ranking fourth in the league. In OVC play, he ranks second in scoring, averaging 19.1 points per game.
T-Rowe owns an 87.3 percent shooting touch from the charity stripe and has dished out 109 assists while playing 34.6 minutes per game.
BIG ANT'S BLOCK PARTY
Adept at rejecting shots around the bucket since his arrival in Cookeville in 2012, Anthony Morse has climbed his way up the all-time list for career blocks (listed far right).
After blocking three more shots against Belmont, Morse now has 99 in his career and holds sole possession of fourth place all-time in Tech history. He needs 17 more blocks to pass Milos Babic for sole possession of third 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, he still sits 12th all-time.
Against Eastern Illinois, Morse hauled in 14 rebounds for a career-best mark, including 10 on the defensive glass alone.
Facing SIUE, the big man dominated the paint to the tune of a career-high 17 points, chipping in seven rebounds.
He gathered his second double-double with 12 points and 10 boards at APSU.
On the year, Morse ranks first in the OVC with 2.1 blocks per game. He ranks fourth in the league with a 60.7 field goal percentage and also sits in the top 10 in rebounding with 6.4 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 seven 20-point outings to his credit this season, including his career-high 27 coming against Southeast Missouri. Jugovic went 9-of-13 from the field while hitting 7-of-11 3-pointers and both free throw attempts.
He ranks third in the OVC in 3-point shooting at 43.3 percent, owning more makes and attempts than the other two players ahead of him. In league play alone, he has knocked down the most treys, dropping 29-of-56 attempts to rank third in percentage with a mark of 51.8 percent. He also ranks third in the OVC with an 86.7 free throw percentage.
Facing EIU, he dropped 26 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including 5-of-8 from deep.
Against SIUE, he dished out a career-high eight assists, just a game after doling out seven dimes against Eastern Illinois.
Jugovic dropped 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting at UT Martin, sinking all six of his first half field goal attempts. He was 5-for-7 from downtown as well.
The bonafide sharpshooter connected on 4-of-8 missiles from downtown at Morehead State, tallying 21 points on the night.
He took to the mid-range jumper at EKU, sinking 8-of-13, field goals, 2-of-4 3-pointers and 6-of-7 free throws on his way to 24 points, equaling the most consecutive 20-point outings by a Golden Eagles since Jud Dillard posted four straight to end his career during the 2012-13 season.
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.
Jugovic was recruited by assistant coach Frank Davis, Tech's all-time career leader in 3-pointers made (251) and 3-point percentage (.407). Davis believes Jugovic can break both records in his career, and the numbers support that claim so far.
CAPTAIN COMEBACK
Named one of two team captains following last season, Torrance Rowe has accepted the role again and is leading by example.
For the eighth time in two years, the Golden Eagles completed a comeback of 10 points or more with Rowe making a large impact on the outcome. He has hit the game-winning or tying shot in four of those contests.
In a bizarre finish, Tennessee State guard Keron DeShields was fouled from 3-point range with 5.5 seconds to play, sinking all three attempts to tie the game at 79.
Rowe raced down the court, threw up a shot fake and earned his own trip to the line for three attempts, this time with 0.5 second left. He sank the first two free throws before missing the final on purpose to give Tech the 13-point rally and victory.
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.
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.
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.
Against SIUE, Martin dominated inside for a career-high 26 points, going 8-for-13 from the field and 9-of-10 from the charity stripe. He added seven rebounds as well.
He tallied his seventh career double-double in Tech's impressive home victory over Belmont, tallying 18 points and 13 rebounds while sinking all nine of his free throw attempts.
On the year, Martin is averaging 14.6 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 a .794 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 his 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.
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 20 steals and seven blocks so far while grabbing 3.4 rebounds per game, including a career-high seven at Iowa and against Tennessee State.
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.
