By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
CHARLESTON, Ill. – For the first time since 2012, the Tennessee Tech men's basketball team is heading to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament's semifinals, clinching the No. 2 seed and automatic, double-bye to the league's Final Four following a clutch, 75-66 victory at Eastern Illinois Saturday afternoon.
With regular-season champion Morehead State defeating UT Martin prior to halftime of Saturday's tilt in Charleston, the purple and gold simply needed to hang on to their one-point lead at the break. In true gritty, Tennessee Tech fashion, the Golden Eagles (15-16, 11-7) took care of business to score the program's highest seed in the OVC's postseason event since earning the No. 1 position in 2005.
The dub at EIU (9-22, 5-13) cemented Tech's first trip to the semifinals of the league tournament since 2012 and marked the first time in the merit-based format (since 2011) that the Golden Eagles earned the double-bye. At 11-7, the Cookeville crew brought home a second-place finish in the league's final regular-season standings, its highest overall ranking since winning the OVC title in 2004-05. Tech tied for second in the east division back in 2015-16 with two other programs.
It was tough sledding for the purple and gold in the first half, as the offense struggled to find its footing in the early going. The defense kept the Golden Eagles in control of the contest for the majority of the opening stanza, allowing the Panthers to lead just four-and-a-half minutes the entire day.
Tech held Eastern Illinois to just 34 percent shooting over the opening 20 minutes, keeping a handle on the scoreboard despite making nine first-half turnovers. The Golden Eagle bench was critical in keeping the lead on the visitor's side, with two Grants definitely making a right.
Sophomore Grant Slatten knocked four of his first five shots to pour in 10 points in the first half while rookie Grant Strong chipped in seven points on a perfect 3-for-3 showing in the same time frame. The two Grants combined for 17 of the team's 32 first-half points.
The Golden Eagles doubled down on ball control and ball movement in the second half and the results spoke for themselves. Tech found its rhythm to the tune of 53.6 percent efficiency from the floor and a 40 percent clip from distance.
Racking up 12 of its 18 assists in the second half alone, the Golden Eagles also made just a single turnover over the final 20 minutes. The purple and gold pushed its lead to nine early in the second stanza and fended off one last rally by the Panthers, who closed the gap to one with 13 minutes to play.
The Cookeville squad responded immediately, never allowing EIU back within a single possession the rest of the game and taking as much as a 13-point lead on the way to the massive road win.
Junior guard Jayvis Harvey led the purple and gold in scoring for the second straight contest, posting 17 points on 7-for-14 shooting. Strong racked up seven more points in the second half to finish with 14, his highest output in OVC play on the year. The freshman was highly efficient, sinking 5-of-6 tries from the floor.
Graduate forward Jaylen Sebree didn't score until there were just seven minutes remaining on the clock, but he made that time count, erupting for 13 to help close down the Golden Eagle victory. He spent most of the first half hauling in eight of his team-high 10 rebounds, securing his seventh double-double of the year and third in as many games.
Slatten closed the day littering the stats sheet with 12 points, seven rebounds (including five on the offensive glass alone), and four assists. Graduate guard Ty Perry accounted for nine points and a pair of steals while Brett Thompson dished out a team-high seven assists with five rebounds and four points.
Finishing 11-for-31 from distance in the contest, the Golden Eagles locked down a new single-season, program record for 3-pointers, surpassing a more-than-20-year-old record. The previous mark of 279, set by the 1999-2000 squad, fell as the 2022-23 group wrapped up the regular season with 285 triples.
Securing its trip to the semifinals of the OVC Tournament next week in Evansville, the Golden Eagles will play a to-be-determined opponent on Friday, Mar. 3 in a 9:30 p.m. CT tilt on ESPNU. Tech could face No. 3 UT Martin, No. 6 SIUE, or No. 7 Southern Indiana in the contest. The championship game is slated for 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 4 and will be televised on ESPN2.
There is still time to purchase your all-session tickets for the 2023 OVC Men's and Women's Basketball Championships presented by United Fidelity Bank! The tournament will be March 1-4 at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana.
Don't miss your chance to get the all-session tickets while they are on sale for only $60. The price goes up on February 27, so contact the TTU Ticket Office to reserve yours today. You can visit the TTU Ticket Office Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.; 1:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. CT or call 931-372-3940. There is a $5 processing fee on each order.
For more information on the tournament, please click here. If you have any questions, please contact the TTU Athletics Ticket Office.
Photo courtesy of Sandy King, Eastern Illinois Athletics
