By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech men's basketball team returns to the Hooper Eblen Center for its first Ohio Valley Conference home game of the 2022-23 season, playing host to Eastern Illinois in a 7:30 p.m. CT tilt Thursday evening in Cookeville.
Thursday's games at the Hooper Eblen Center is Upper Cumberland Night, as residents of Putnam County and the rest of the Upper Cumberland region will be able to receive half-off admission to the Eastern Illinois doubleheader.
Fans can follow the action via radio on 106.1 The Eagle with Roger Ealey and Frank Harrell on the call or stream the game on ESPN+.
Eastern Illinois comes into the contest on a four-game winning streak, representing the only OVC team still undefeated in league play. The Panthers won a tight, 55-54 decision over Lindenwood last Thursday, as the Lions watched the potential game-winning bucket roll of the rim.
EIU followed it up with an impressive, offensive outburst in a 91-80 triumph over Southern Indiana on Saturday. Prior to the start of conference action, the Panthers claimed a 70-59 win at IUPUI before delivering one of the most impressive wins in the country this season, a 92-83 victory at Iowa, the program's second-ever win over a Big Ten opponent and fourth over a Power-5 conference foe.
In the all-time series between the two OVC rivals, Tech leads with a 29-18 advantage. The Golden Eagles hold a decisive, 17-6 lead in the series when competing in Cookeville. Tech has won each of the last three match-ups with the Panthers, including a pair of contests within just three days of each other last season.
The purple and gold rolled to an 84-58 victory in Cookeville on Feb. 7 before making the trip to Charleston on Feb. 10. Tech walked away with a 73-62 win and 2-0 mark against the Panthers for the year.
The Golden Eagles enter Thursday's action after a tough loss at Lindenwood last Saturday, falling to the Lions in their inaugural match-up, 82-64. Tech was held to just 31.3 percent shooting from the floor and 17.6 percent from distance while Lindenwood turned in a lights-out shooting display, firing 52.7 percent from the field and 47.8 percent from beyond the arc.
For the second straight game, junior guard Jayvis Harvey led the Golden Eagles in scoring, posting 18 points with four rebounds. Fellow junior Diante Wood added 10 points, five boards, and a team-high three steals while making his first start since the season opener.
Graduate forward Jaylen Sebree tacked on 10 points and a team-high six rebounds with two assists and two steals. Rounding out the double-digit scoring for the purple and gold was graduate guard Ty Perry, who finished with 10 points, five boards, two dimes, and a pair of steals.
Following Thursday's match-up, Tech will hit the road again, this time for a trip west for a Saturday meeting with in-state and OVC rival UT Martin. Tip is slated for 3:30 p.m. CT, following the conclusion of the Golden Eagle women's contest with the Skyhawks at 1:00 p.m.
Photo by Jim Dillon
