By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech men's basketball team heads back to Cookeville and the Hooper Eblen Center for its first nationally televised home contest of the season, playing host to SIUE Thursday evening in a 6:00 p.m. CT contest.
The contest, a match-up of two of a whopping six teams tied atop the Ohio Valley Conference standings, will serve as Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night. Each Tennessee Tech will be provided a complimentary ticket for each member of their immediate family with the presentation of their University ID/Eagle Card. Employees will also receive a voucher to redeem for a drink and popcorn OR a drink and hotdog at any concession stand. For questions about tickets, call the TTU Ticket Office at 931-372-3940 or contact Jessica Morgan at jlmorgan@tntech.edu.
Fans will have plenty of options to follow the action should they be unable to attend in person, with Roger Ealey and Frank Harrell providing radio coverage on 106.1 The Eagle and David Saltzman and Richie Scheuler sharing the call on both ESPNews and ESPN+. The game can also be heard on the WTTU student radio station 88.5 FM.
SIUE comes into the contest after following back-to-back home losses last weekend, the team's first two-game skid since early December. The Cougars dropped a 67-58 decision to Morehead State last Thursday before falling to Southern Indiana in an 82-72 contest on Saturday.
In this season's first match-up between the Golden Eagles and Cougars in Edwardsville, it was the home squad taking the win. SIUE kicked off OVC action with a 64-51 victory over Tech, holding the purple and gold to just four points over the final five minutes of play.
In the all-time series between the two OVC foes, Tech leads with a 12-7 advantage. The Golden Eagles have dominated when playing in Cookeville to the tune of a 6-1 lead. The two sides had traded wins back and forth over six match-ups before the Cougars claimed its second straight victory back in December.
The Golden Eagles enter Thursday's action after falling for the first time since game two of the OVC campaign, snapping a five-game winning streak with an 84-77 loss at Southeast Missouri in double overtime last Saturday. Tech overcame a 22-point, first-half deficit to force extra time, but was outscored 18-11 in the two overtime sessions.
Junior guard Jayvis Harvey put forth a fantastic effort, leading the purple and gold with 22 points on 7-for-13 shooting with five rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Fellow junior Brett Thompson was highly efficient for the second game in a row, locking down 18 points with six makes on 10 tries from the floor, including a spectacular 4-for-5 effort from downtown.
Playing more than 30 minutes off the bench, junior Erik Oliver chipped in 13 points and four rebounds on 6-for-10 efficiency. Rounding out the double-digit scoring performances for the Golden Eagles, graduate guard Ty Perry secured 10 points with a team-high six assists. Jaylen Sebree led Tech with a career-high 14 rebounds while adding five points.
Following Thursday's match-up, Tech will play host to Little Rock in a rematch from last Thursday's tilt with the Trojans. Tip is set for 3:00 p.m. CT Saturday afternoon in the Hoop, with the contest representing Alumni Weekend for the Golden Eagle men's team.
All men's basketball alumni are invited back for the contest, with complimentary tickets for men's basketball alumni and their guests available. In addition to welcoming Tech men's basketball alumni back, recognitions are planned for the 1957-58 OVC Championship team celebrating its 65th anniversary and the 1962-63 OVC Championship team celebrating its 60th anniversary. Additionally, members of the All-Century Team will be recognized at halftime of the contest.
Please RSVP with the number of tickets you will need to Kristie Phillips at kphillips@tntech.edu or call 931-372-6857.
Photo by Jim Dillon
