By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech men's basketball team plays host to longtime Ohio Valley Conference rival Morehead State afternoon, hosting the Eagles in a 3:00 p.m. CT matinee 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+. The game will also be televised locally on WCTE.
Saturday's match-up represents the 163rd meeting all-time between the two programs, with Morehead State holding a 94-68 advantage in the series. When competing in Cookeville, the Golden Eagles boast a 44-25 lead between the longtime foes.
In this year's earlier match-up between the two longest-standing OVC members, it was a battle all through the first half, with Morehead State taking a slight, 33-32 edge into the locker room. The Eagles pulled away in the second half, using a 45-20 rebounding edge in the contest to earn an 82-57 victory.
Senior guard Diante Wood and junior guard David Early each tallied 11 points for the purple and gold. Junior forward Rodney Johnson Jr. tallied 10 points while sophomore guard Josiah Davis and senior guard Jayvis Harvey each contributed eight points.
The two rivals met twice during the 2022-23 campaign, splitting the season series with each side capturing victory on their home floor. In last year's match-up in Cookeville, Tech claimed a 79-62 advantage, hitting an elite 13-of-22 attempts from distance. Jaylen Sebree led the way with 20 points while Ty Perry poured in 14 and current senior guard Erik Oliver chipped in 12 points off the bench.
Morehead State got its revenge on its home court of Johnson Arena, securing a 64-45 victory to even the season series. Sebree again paced the Tech effort on his previous home floor, totaling 16 points and seven rebounds. This time around, the Golden Eagles were limited to just two makes from downtown on 12 attempts.
On Thursday, the Golden Eagles dropped a nail-biter to Southern Indiana in the Hooper Eblen Center, falling 74-71. USI finished 11-for-11 from the charity stripe down the stretch and 19-of-24 for the contest while Tech knocked down eight of just 11 trips to the line.
Harvey led all scorers on the night with 20 points in 37 minutes of action, chipping in a team-high six assists. He finished 5-for-7 from distance before fouling out with 2:26 to play.
Sophomore guard Josiah Davis was efficient, finishing the night 7-for-9 from the floor and 3-for-4 from the charity stripe on his way to 17 points. He locked down two steals while dishing out two assists with three rebounds.
Wood tallied 12 points, five assists, and a team-high-tying six rebounds in 34 minutes off the bench. Rookie forward Rylee Samons enjoyed a strong performance in the contest, contributing 10 points on 4-for-8 shooting with a 2-for-4 display from deep. Sophomore forward Daniel Egbuniwe notched seven points with six rebounds.
The Golden Eagles will hit the road for a pair of OVC tilts next week, starting with a Thursday-night affair in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Tech's rematch with Southeast Missouri will feature a 7:30 p.m. CT tip before the squad heads to St. Charles, Mo. for 3:30 p.m. contest at Lindenwood on Saturday, Feb. 10.
Photo by Jim Dillon
