By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech men's basketball team got a first-hand look at why in-state rival Tennessee came into the teams' match-up ranked 10th nationally Friday evening, falling to the Vols in Knoxville, 103-49.
Known for its defensive prowess this season, the Vols had yet to allow an opponent reach the 60-point plateau, Tennessee saw an explosive output from its offense on the night, shooting over 58 percent from the field while holding the Golden Eagles to 31 percent on the other end of the floor.
Tech knocked back a couple of triples very early in the contest, keeping things tight at 10-6 heading into the first media break. The Vols flipped a switch on both sides of the ball, using their size advantage to their benefit with a 45-26 output on the glass.
"They are extremely physical, not only on defense, but on offense too, and that was a really big challenge for us in the game," Tech head coach John Pelphrey expressed. "Just their physicality, especially on offense, whether it was their frontcourt players being physical getting to spots or posting up for the guards, was a challenge. There's obviously a big difference between us and them physicality-wise."
The purple and gold dealt with some offensive cold spells in both halves, scoring in spurts but struggling to keep pace with a consistent and relentless attack on the other end of the floor.
Junior guard Jr. Clay led the Golden Eagles on offense, scoring all 13 of his points on the night in the second half. He also tied for the team lead with four rebounds and corralled a pair of steals.
Backcourt mate Keishawn Davidson joined him in double figures, producing 12 points and team-high three assists. JUCO transfer Damaria Franklin chipped in eight points in the affair to round out Tech's leading scorers.
"At times I thought we played well, moved the ball and got some good looks, but we didn't make nearly enough to challenge them or be competitive in the game," Pelphrey said. "There is going to be a lot for us to learn from this. There were some good moments."
In the contest, CJ Gettelfinger became the first known Golden Eagle to call Knoxville home to score against the Vols in their home gym with a mid-range jumper early in the first half. The Oakland University transfer finished with two points and a rebound in five minutes off the bench.
"We're proud of the guys," Pelphrey explained. "Our attitude and our body language is outstanding. We've been able to play eight basketball games now with a very young basketball team. We have a lot of growth coming and we're excited to get back to work."
The Golden Eagles are set to wrap up their non-conference schedule Tuesday, Dec. 22 with a trip to Bowling Green, Ky. and a tilt with Western Kentucky. Tip against Tech's former Ohio Valley Conference rival is set for 6:00 p.m. CT with the game slated to appear on ESPNU.
Photo courtesy of Randy Sartin
