By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech men's basketball fans will get a brief glimpse of what the 2022-23 season has to offer Thursday night as the Golden Eagles play host to Cumberland University as part of an exhibition doubleheader and Purple Palooza in the Hooper Eblen Center.
Tip is set for 7:30 p.m. CT as fourth-year head coach John Pelphrey and the purple and gold square off with the Phoenix in the team's lone exhibition tilt of the preseason. As part of Purple Palooza, the Tech women's basketball squad will face Stephens College at 5:30 p.m. Doors open to the public Thursday at 4:30 p.m. as local businesses and organizations, as well as Tennessee Tech teams and student groups will host trick-or-treat stations around the Eblen Center concourse.
The action can be followed live via radio with Roger Ealey and Frank Harrell on the call on 106.1 The Eagle while Dylan Vazzano and Michael Cooper will cover the contest on ESPN+.
The purple and gold step into its newest season celebrating the program's 100th anniversary and carrying some momentum from last year. Tech clinched its first postseason berth since 2017-18, picking up a decisive 78-51 victory over in-state rival Austin Peay in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament in the programs' final meeting as OVC opponents.
A new look to the league awaits the Golden Eagles in 2022-23, with the departures of Austin Peay, Belmont, and Murray State and the additions of Lindenwood, Little Rock, and Southern Indiana. A slate of 31 regular-season contests will challenge the Tech squad this year from day one, including the season opener at Tennessee on Monday, Nov. 7.
The Tech roster will add several new faces to the mix for this season, but also welcome back five returners from the 2021-22 squad. Back for the purple and gold are junior guard Diante Wood, junior forward Daniel Ramsey, sophomore forward Jalen Stayton, sophomore guard Bailey Gilliam, and redshirt freshman forward Isaiah Nelson-Ododa.
Two freshmen and 10 transfers make up the rest of the roster this season, with a slew of experience mixed among the group. Local guard Grant Strong (Clay County HS) will join forward Jerome Beya (Sunrise Christian Academy [KS]) as the lone rookies on the squad.
Guard Ty Perry (Lafayette) and forward Jaylen Sebree (Florida Atlantic/Morehead State) make up a duo of graduate transfers set to make an impact both on the court and from a leadership standpoint. Center Nolan Causwell (Laramie County CC) and guard Brett Thompson (Mineral Area CC) represent a pair of junior college transfers with valuable minutes to add to the depth of the team.
Guards Jayvis Harvey (James Madison/Georgia Highlands College) and Erik Oliver (Laramie County CC/South Dakota) boast experience at two levels of the game and are expected to play big roles this season for the Golden Eagles. Sparta native Grant Slatten returns to the Upper Cumberland after spending his freshman year at Ole Miss, providing another weapon for Pelphrey to utilize.
Bogdan Zimonjic comes to Tech after a year at Florida Atlantic and a summer playing for his native Serbia. Marcus Lee Jr. represents the team's second manager in as many years to earn a walk-on roster spot after transferring to Tech last year from UT Southern. Walter Peggs Jr. became the third manager to earn a role on the roster on Oct. 21 after spending last season at Columbia State Community College.
Thursday's game – and all of the Purple Palooza event – is free and open to the public. The Golden Eagles will officially kick off the new slate with its season opener at Tennessee on Monday, Nov. 7. Tech then returns to Cookeville for its home opener on Thursday, Nov. 10 against Tennessee Wesleyan.
Season tickets for Tennessee Tech men's basketball are now on sale. To order, call (931) 372-3940, visit the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office or visit TTUSports.com.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
