By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Not out of the hunt for an Ohio Valley Conference regular season title, the Tennessee Tech men's basketball team will return to defend its perfect 13-0 mark at the Eblen Center this season, playing host to East Division rival Morehead State in a 6 p.m. tilt with several postseason implications built into the mix.
The Golden Eagles (18-9, 10-4) will look to avenge one of just four league losses on the season, an 81-74 decision in favor of the Eagles (16-11, 9-5) in Morehead, Ky. back in mid-January. With a victory, Tech will keep itself well in the mix to take home a share of the league's regular season championship and No. 1 seed in the OVC Tournament next weekend.
Simply put, victories over Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky, as well as a Belmont loss to Tennessee State Sunday afternoon, and the Golden Eagles will earn a share of the OVC title and, perhaps more importantly, wrap up the No. 1 seed in the postseason tournament and the double-bye that comes with it. Should the Bruins defeat the Tigers, Tech can still clinch the No. 3 seed with two more wins on its home court.
For additional information on the game or to reserve tickets to the game, contact the Athletics Ticket Office in Eblen Center or call (931) 372-3940. Tickets may also be purchased online at TTUsports.com.
Fans can listen to the action live on 106.1 The Eagle with Roger Ealey on the call or follow live via webstream on the OVC Digital Network broadcast by Dylan Vazzano.
Tennessee Tech (18-9, 10-4) vs. Morehead State (16-11, 9-5)
Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016
6:00 p.m. CST
Eblen Center (7,500) – Cookeville, Tenn.
The Broadcasts
TV: None
Radio: 106.1 The Eagle (Roger Ealey)
Webcast: OVC Digital Network (Dylan Vazzano)
ABOUT MOREHEAD STATE
Tech returns home for the final weekend of the regular season, putting its undefeated record in the Eblen Center on the line with a 6 p.m. CST match-up with Ohio Valley Conference East Division rival Morehead State.
Morehead State is in its fourth season under the direction of head coach Sean Woods.
The Eagles are currently 16-11 overall and 9-5 in OVC play, coming off a 66-61 home victory over Tennessee State Thursday evening. They currently have a four-game winning streak rolling, including three in league play, having defeated Eastern Kentucky, Belmont and Tennessee State.
This season, Morehead State is 12-2 at home and 4-9 on the road.
Last season, the Eagles compiled a 17-17 overall record and 10-6 mark in the OVC, finishing 3rd in the East Division regular season standings and fifth overall.
This marks the 146th meeting all-time between the two programs, with Morehead owning an 81-64 lead. Tech owns a 42-23 edge in the all-time series when it makes its way to Cookeville.
The Eagles claimed each of last season's match-ups with a 78-74 victory in Cookeville and 86-73 win in Morehead. They also defeated Tech in this season's earlier match-up, an 81-74 victory at home.
Morehead State has won four straight in what represents the second-longest series against an opponent in Tech history.
Morehead State is led by Corban Collins, who posts team-bests with 11.8 points and 3.1 assists per game. He is shooting 41.7 percent from 3-point range as well.
DeJuan Marrero adds a team-high 7.7 rebounds to the mix, as well as 8.4 points per game.
Morehead State ranks as the OVC's stingiest scoring defense, holding opponents to just 66.9 points per game. Tech is the league's third-best scoring offense, dropping 78.8 points per game.
BELMONT RECAP
The Golden Eagles couldn't quite keep pace with Belmont in what turned out to be a 3-point contest Saturday, falling to the Bruins on their home floor, 95-86.
Tech sunk 14-of-33 attempts from beyond the arc, tying a season-high effort for makes. The Bruins edged TTU with a 15-for-31 showing from downtown.
The Golden Eagles nearly pulled off another patented come-from-behind performance, turning an 18-point, second-half deficit into a just a four-point Belmont advantage, but the home team buried a couple of key shots that sealed the game.
Senior Torrance Rowe led all scorers on the night while finishing with the second-most made 3-pointers in a single game in Tech history, draining 7-of-15 attempts on his way to 27 points. He also dished out four assists while playing every minute of the contest.
Ryan Martin notched his eighth double-double of the season, posting 16 points and 10 rebounds while also rejecting a career-high three shots.
Coming off the bench, Hakeem Rogers drained three triples and made all six of his free throw attempts, finishing with 15 points while also tallying three assists and a team-high two steals.
Aleksa Jugovic chipped in 10 points with two more made 3-pointers while fellow sophomore Mason Ramsey contributed nine points off the bench, scoring seven in a two-minute stretch that helped spark Tech's attempted comeback.
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.
At Belmont, Rowe sank the second-most 3-pointers in a single game in Tech history, hitting 7-of-15 attempted triples on his way to 27 points.
After posting four more assists at Belmont, the point guard recorded his 200th career dime in a Golden Eagle uniform, moving him into 25th place all-time in program history.
This season, Rowe leads Tech in scoring with 17.8 points per game, good enough to rank third in the OVC, and with 4.5 assists per game, also ranking fourth in the league. In OVC play, he ranks second in scoring, averaging 18.8 points per game.
T-Rowe owns an 85.1 percent shooting touch from the charity stripe, ranking fourth in the league, and has dished out 117 assists while averaging 35.1 minutes.
BIG ANT'S BLOCK PARTY
Adept at rejecting shots around the bucket since his arrival in Cookeville in 2012, Anthony Morse has climbed up the all-time list for career blocks (listed far right).
After blocking one more shot Belmont, Morse now has 104 in his career and holds sole possession of fourth place all-time in Tech history. He needs 12 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.
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 second in the OVC with 2.0 blocks per game. He ranks fifth in the league with a 60.7 field goal percentage and also sits in the top 15 in rebounding with 6.0 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 fifth in the OVC in 3-point shooting at 42.4 percent, owning more makes and attempts than the other four players ahead of him. In league play alone, he ranks third in accuracy from downtown at 48.0 percent. He leads the OVC at the charity stripe with an 87.5 free throw percentage, a mark that jumps to 88.9 percent in league play.
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.
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.
Following his junior year of 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 and in five total games.
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 seconds 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 14.3 points and 7.9 rebounds, the best mark on the team and fourth best in the league. He ranks eighth in the OVC in free throw percentage, hitting at a .797 clip.
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 24 steals and seven blocks so far while grabbing 3.5 rebounds per game, including a career-high seven at Iowa and against Tennessee State.
ROGERS THAT
One of Tech's most valuable scoring options, Hakeem Rogers has made the most of his opportunities coming off the bench this season, averaging 10.0 points and shooting 39.2 percent from 3-point range in just 18.4 minutes per game.
One of four JUCO transfers on the team, Rogers became the first Tech player to hit four triples in his Golden Eagle debut in over 15 years, scoring 18 points.
Rogers owns three 20-point outings this season, including back-to-back 20-point performances during Tech's most crucial two-game swing of the year.
Against Tennessee State, the junior posted a career-high 23 points on 7-for-11 shooting, including a 4-for-6 showing from beyond the arc.
In Tech's victory over Belmont, Rogers dropped 20 more on the scoreboard, firing at a 7-for-12 rate from the floor. He also recorded a career-high three steals.
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 seasons 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.
At Jacksonville State, the sophomore played a career-high 31 minutes, scoring five points and grabbing six 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.
He also 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 as did former Golden Eagle and current Graduate Assistant Manager Mitchell Hill.
FAMILIAR ROOTS
By far the youngest player on the roster, Micaiah Henry hardly looks like a typical 18-year-old. At 6-foot-8 and 230 pounds, there is plenty to work with in the post for the Tech squad. The youngster will sit out the 2015-16 season 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.
Photo by Jim Dillon
