By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech men's basketball team makes its return to the Hooper Eblen Center for its lone home contest in the month of January, playing host to Ohio Valley Conference rival Southeast Missouri in a 3:00 p.m. CT tilt Saturday afternoon.
The action can be followed live via radio with Roger Ealey and Frank Harrell on the call on 106.1 The Eagle while Metz and Steve Smith will provide video coverage of the contest on ESPN+.
Saturday's match-up represents the 60th all-time between the two programs, with the Golden Eagles holding a decisive, 38-21 advantage in the series. When competing in Cookeville, Tech boasts a 25-5 lead.
The two rivals delivered three incredibly tight contests during the 2022-23 campaign, with the purple and gold picking up a victory on its home court. SEMO earned the first win of the season, outlasting the Golden Eagles in double overtime in Cape Girardeau, 84-77. Current senior guard Jayvis Harvey led the Tech effort with 22 points, five boards, three assists, and three steals. Fellow senior guard Erik Oliver added 13 points in 30 minutes off the bench.
Tech got its revenge in Cookeville, with former Golden Eagle guard Brett Thompson sinking a buzzer-beater to lift the purple and gold to an 82-80 triumph. Former Tech forward Jaylen Sebree paced the squad with 22 points and nine rebounds while current senior guard Diante Wood produced nine points and eight boards.
Both teams saved their best efforts for last, meeting a third time in the OVC Tournament title game. The Golden Eagles appeared to win the contest, as Sebree launched a full-court pass that found Wood. The Anniston, Ala. native turned and drilled what appeared to be a buzzer-beating triple to give Tech the win. Upon review, it was determined that Wood's foot was on the line, resulting in a game-tying bucket that sent the game to overtime. The Redhawks pulled off an 89-82 win for its first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2000.
Wood erupted for a career-high 24 points off the bench in the game, adding seven rebounds and four assists. Thompson chipped in 18 points and Sebree turned in 14 while Harvey contributed 13 points and five assists.
On Saturday, the Golden Eagles picked up their first league win of the season, pulling away from Southern Indiana down the stretch in Evansville for a 73-59 decision. The Cookeville crew finished an impressive 27-for-32 from the charity stripe, including a 10-for-12 showing over the final two minutes.
Junior guard David Early led a relatively balanced Tech offensive attack, producing 18 points with four makes from downtown and a 4-for-5 showing from the line. Harvey chipped in 16 points with team-highs of six assists and four steals, all while finishing the evening 10-for-10 on free-throw tries.
Sophomore guard Josiah Davis was efficient with his chances, tallying a 6-for-8 showing from the floor on his way to 15 points. Wood tacked on 11 points with three dimes and a 7-for-8 performance at the charity stripe.
Just missing out on double figures, junior forward Rodney Johnson Jr. turned in eight points, tied for the team lead with seven rebounds, and swatted away four USI shot attempts. Sophomore guard Daniel Egbuniwe also secured seven boards while scoring five points.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
