By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The John Pelphrey era will officially begin for the Tennessee Tech men's basketball team Tuesday evening, as the Golden Eagles take a trip north to Bowling Green, Ky. to kick off the 2019-20 campaign against former Ohio Valley Conference rival Western Kentucky in a 7:00 p.m. CT tilt.
Tennessee Tech (0-0) at Western Kentucky (0-0)
Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019
7:00 p.m. CT
E.A. Diddle Arena – Bowling Green, Ky.
The Broadcasts
TV: None
Radio: 106.1 The Eagle (Roger Ealey)
Webcast: ESPN3 (Nate Gatter & Jay Walton)
Coach Pelphrey embarks on his first season at the helm of the Golden Eagle program, being named the 13th head coach in school history back in April. The nine-year head coaching veteran, who served at both South Alabama and Arkansas in the same role, was most recently the associate head coach for Avery Johnson at Alabama the previous three seasons.
Tech, which features a roster of seven newcomers and three redshirt freshmen, got its first true test as a unit last Tuesday with an exhibition win over Bryan College in the Hooper Eblen Center. The Golden Eagles downed the Lions 84-65, with 16 of the 17 rostered players seeing game action.
True freshman Keishawn Davidson was highlight of the night, dropping 26 points and eight rebounds in just over 27 minutes of action. He finished 9-of-12 from the field, including a deadly 6-for-7 from beyond the arc. Returning sophomores Jr. Clay and Hunter Vick each tallied 11 points while freshman Tujautae Williams also chipped in 11 points. Vick also turned in team-highs of seven assists and three blocks.
New sophomore forward Amadou Sylla posted eight points and six boards while senior Baylor transfer Darius Allen notched nine points and five dimes.
The match-up with the Hilltoppers represents the first meeting between the two teams since 2002, a neutral site affair in Manoa, Hawaii. Western Kentucky won the contest, 74-51, and leads the all-time series between the former OVC foes 79-20.
The 2002 meeting marked the first between the two programs since 1992, a 99-92 victory by the Golden Eagles in Cookeville. Tech's most recent victory in Bowling Green came back in 1977, just five years before the Hilltoppers' exodus from the OVC. The purple and gold wrangled a 75-68 win in the contest.
Western Kentucky scored an 85-45 victory in its exhibition contest on Saturday against Kentucky State. Four Hilltoppers posted double figures, including a game-high 18 points, as well as 10 rebounds, from Northern Kentucky transfer Carson Williams. Reigning Conference USA Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, center Charles Bassey, notched 16 points and 14 boards while former Austin Peay wing Jared Savage totaled 14 boards and nine points.
Season tickets for Tennessee Tech basketball are on sale now. Call (931) 372-3940, visit the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office, or log on to TTUSports.com to order yours today.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
