By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech men's basketball team returns to Cookeville for its 2024-25 home opener Thursday evening, playing host to Bryan College in a 7:00 p.m. CT affair in the Hooper Eblen Center.
Tip for the contest was pushed back an hour from its original scheduled start due to Tennessee Tech hosting the Ohio Valley Conference Women's Soccer Championships on Thursday and Sunday. The action can be followed live via radio with Metz 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 marks the sixth meeting between Tech and Bryan College all time, with the Golden Eagles sporting a perfect 5-0 mark in those contests. All five victories came in the Hoop, starting with the inaugural match-up on Dec. 21, 1998, a 93-68 Tech win.
The purple and gold cruised to a 97-44 triumph the last time the two in-state programs met back on Dec. 19, 2009. Over the previous five clashes with the Lions, Tech has boasted an average margin of victory of 39.2 points.
Bryan College owns a 2-2 record heading into a Wednesday evening bout at the University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) at 7:30 p.m.
The Golden Eagles enter Thursday's affair following an impressive showing in Athens, Ga. in Monday's season opener. Tech ultimately fell to Georgia at Stegeman Coliseum, 83-78, but spent nearly the entire contest either trading the lead or nipping at the Bulldogs' heels.
Neither side led by more than nine points at any point on the evening, with Tech boasting as large as a two-point advantage. UGA knocked down just enough free throws down the stretch to hold off a late Golden Eagle rally.
It was senior guard Mekhi Cameron leading the charge for the purple and gold, dropping 21 points on 7-for-11 shooting with a trio of triples. Sophomore guard Kyle Layton tied his career-high with 14 points and swiped a career-best four steals.
Junior guard Jaylon Johnson flirted with a double-double, inking 12 points and seven assists. Senior forward Rodney Johnson Jr. tacked on a dozen points and a team-high seven rebounds on 5-for-8 shooting in 21 minutes off the bench. Junior forward Daniel Egbuniwe chipped in nine points, three boards, and a pair of dimes.
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
