By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech men's basketball team officially kicks off its journey for an Ohio Valley Conference crown Thursday evening, opening league play with a 7:30 p.m. CT match-up with Little Rock in the Hooper Eblen Center.
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 Steve Smith will provide video coverage of the contest on ESPN+.
Thursday's match-up represents just the third between the two programs, with the series currently tied at one win each. Tech took the victory in the first-ever meeting last January, topping the Trojans on the road, 77-75. Current senior guard Jayvis Harvey tallied 14 points in the win.
Little Rock got its revenge in Cookeville just one week later, outlasting the Golden Eagles in a 91-89 barn burner in the Hoop. Harvey exploded for a then-career-high 24 points in the rematch, finishing an impressive 6-for-8 from distance in the affair.
In Tech's final non-conference action of the year last Wednesday, the purple and gold fell at the hands of a 10-2 Evansville squad. The Purple Aces downed the Golden Eagles, 82-51, at the Ford Center in Evansville.
Junior guard David Early led the purple and gold with 13 points in the contest, making all four of his tries from the free-throw line. Harvey added 12 points to the mix before exiting the ball game early in the second half with a lower-body injury.
Harvey ended the evening 3-for-6 from the floor and 5-for-6 from the charity stripe, chipping in four rebounds and a pair of dimes to the effort. Sophomore center David Craig paced the Golden Eagles with five rebounds. Senior guard Diante Wood and junior forward Rodney Johnson Jr. each contributed six points on 3-for-7 shooting.
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 Bob Pristash, Evansville Athletics
