By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech men's basketball team is primed for a trip southeast, traveling to Clinton, S.C. for a Wednesday afternoon match-up at Presbyterian.
Tip is slated for 1:00 p.m. CT at Templeton Center. The action can be followed live via radio with Roger Ealey on the call on 106.1 The Eagle. Fans can also view the action via stream on ESPN+.
The Golden Eagles fell to the Blue Hose in the two teams' only previous meeting, an 80-65 decision in the Hooper Eblen Center back on Nov. 10, 2018.
In that tilt, Tech forward Courtney Alexander II led the purple and gold with a double-double, sporting team-highs of 17 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists. Rookie guard Jr. Clay chipped in 14 points, three boards, and four dimes off the bench while Corey Tillery added 12 points on 4-for-7 shooting from distance.
Presbyterian's Francois Lewis topped all scorers in the contest with 20 points, contributing six rebounds and four assists. Davon Bell produced 14 points, five boards, and seven helpers while Adam Flagler tallied 13 points and J.C. Younger posted 11 points.
On Sunday, the Golden Eagles dropped a tough one at Chattanooga, falling to the Mocs, 68-63, in a game that saw the purple and gold lead for nearly 30 minutes. UTC moved in front for good with just under three minutes to play.
Junior forward Rodney Johnson Jr. paced the purple and gold with another impressive display on the hardwood, scoring a team-high 18 points while narrowly missing a double-double with a team-best nine rebounds. He hit 3-of-6 attempts from deep to lead the Golden Eagles.
Sophomore guard Josiah Davis finished the day with 14 points on 6-for-11 shooting, chipping in five boards and a pair of steals to the effort. Junior guard David Early completed the contest with 13 points on a 6-for-13 effort from the floor, snagging three boards as well.
Local Celina native Grant Strong led the Golden Eagles with four assists to go along with six points while sophomore forward Daniel Egbuniwe contributed six points, five rebounds, and a block.
The purple and gold head back to Cookeville following a brief, Thanksgiving break, returning to the Hoop to host Western Carolina in a 6:00 p.m. CT affair on Tuesday, Nov. 28. It will represent the first of two contests for Tech as part of the Southeast Triangular multi-team event. The Golden Eagles will conclude the MTE on Thursday, Nov. 30 in a 7:00 p.m. contest at North Alabama.
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 Jim Dillon
