By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech men's basketball team wraps up a January journey of road contests with one final swing away from Cookeville, kicking the weekend off with a Thursday trip to Charleston, Ill. and 7:30 p.m. CT tilt against Eastern Illinois at Lantz Arena.
The action can be followed live via radio with Roger Ealey on the call on 106.1 The Eagle while video coverage of the contest will be provided on ESPN+.
Thursday's match-up represents the 50th meeting all-time between the two programs, with the Golden Eagles owning a decisive, 31-18 advantage in the series. When competing in Charleston, Tech has earned a 13-11 edge. The Golden Eagles have won five straight contests against the Panthers.
Last season, the purple and gold claimed a pair of victories over the Panthers, starting with a dominant showing in Cookeville on Jan. 5. Tech cruised to a 70-49 decision, the lowest scoring output by an Ohio Valley Conference opponent since the 2004-05 campaign.
The Golden Eagles also held EIU without a double-digit scorer, a first for the Tech defense in over 20 years. Jaylen Sebree led the Cookeville crew with 15 points while Brett Thompson kicked in 11 off the bench.
In the Feb. 25 return to Charleston, the Golden Eagles clinched second place in the final regular-season standings behind a 75-66 victory. Current senior guard Jayvis Harvey paced the effort, dropping 17 points while guards Grant Strong and Grant Slatten chipped in 14 points and 12 points off the bench, respectively. Sebree added 13 points.
Last Thursday, Tech fell in its annual visit to the Gentry Center in Nashville in an 85-53 decision against Tennessee State. The Tigers shot a remarkable 63.3 percent for the night while holding the purple and gold to just 36.8 percent efficiency and a 1-for-17 showing.
Harvey led the team's scoring effort on the night, posting 17 points with five rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Junior forward Rodney Johnson Jr. tacked on 13 points and five boards over 31 minutes off the bench.
Joining the double-digit point club for the contest was sophomore guard Josiah Davis, securing 13 points and four rebounds. Sophomore forward Daniel Egbuniwe led the purple and gold with six boards, contributing four points to the mix as well.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
