By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech men's basketball team officially kicks off the 2024-25 regular season with a trip to Athens, Ga. Monday evening, squaring off with the Georgia Bulldogs in a 6:30 p.m. CT tilt at Stegeman Coliseum.
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 live on SEC Network+.
Monday's match-up marks the first meeting between Tech and Georgia since Dec. 29, 1994, when the Bulldogs downed the visiting Golden Eagles, 99-72, in Athens. UGA also picked up the victory in the only other meeting between the two programs, a 105-90 decision in Athens on Dec. 28, 1991.
During this year's OVC Virtual Media Days, it was announced that Tech forward Daniel Egbuniwe and Rodney Johnson Jr. were selected as players to watch in the league for the upcoming season. Joining Egbuniwe and Johnson as returners to this year's squad are sophomore guard Kyle Layton, redshirt junior guard Grant Slatten, redshirt sophomore guard Grant Strong, sophomore forward Rylee Samons, senior guard Bogdan Zimonjic, and junior center David Craig.
New to the crew for 2024-25 campaign are senior guard Mekhi Cameron (Atlanta, Ga. / Northern Colorado), junior guard Jaylon Johnson (Houston, Texas / College of Southern Idaho), junior guard Ray Glasgow (The Bronx, N.Y. / Yavapai College), sophomore forward JaJuan Nicholls (Scranton, Pa. / Spartanburg Methodist), junior forward Ola Ajiboye (Chicago, Ill. / Central Michigan/Valparaiso), senior guard Matthew Sells (Rickman, Tenn. / Lincoln Memorial), freshman guard Josh Heard (Cookeville, Tenn. / Cookeville HS), and freshman guard Colin Ayers (Cookeville, Tenn. / Cookeville HS).
The purple and gold split its pair of exhibition contests during the preseason, falling in a 90-80, barn burner against Austin Peay before lighting up the Hooper Eblen Center with a 100-56 victory over Oakland City. Cameron set the tone for the Golden Eagles in both contests averaging 17 points and six rebounds per game. Fellow newbie Jaylon Johnson tacked on 13 points and eight assists per game.
Egbuniwe was efficient all over the court for Tech, averaging 12 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and a block per game while shooting over 50 percent from the floor. Layton was steady across the board as well, chipping in 10.5 points, 2.5 boards, 5.5 dimes, and 3.0 steals per contest while hitting 45.5 percent from distance.
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
