By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech men's basketball team plays host to Presbyterian in its final home tilt until Dec. 29, squaring off the Blue Hose in a 1:00 p.m. CT match-up in the Hooper Eblen Center Wednesday afternoon.
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+.
Wednesday's match-up marks the third in program history between Tech and Presbyterian, with the two sides each owning a victory on the other's home floor. The Blue Hose claimed the first decision in Cookeville, picking up an 80-65 win on Nov. 10, 2018. Last season, the Golden Eagles squared the series with a 79-75 victory in Clinton, S.C. in overtime.
Presbyterian enters the contest at 5-3 on the year, boasting a trio of wins at the Axe 'Em Classic last week. The Blue Hose outlasted host Stephen F. Austin, 58-55, in an overtime victory before rolling past Youngstown State in a 67-42 triumph. They finished off the tournament title with a 71-61 win over Monmouth.
Tech saw its second-half comeback bid fall just short at UCF last Tuesday, falling to the Knights 80-69 in Orlando. The purple and gold battled back from a 20-point, second-half deficit cutting the deficit to just three with a little over seven minutes to play.
Dropping a career-high 16 points, all after the 10:00 minute mark of the second half, Layton led the Tech effort while finishing 4-for-5 from beyond the arc and 4-for-5 from the charity stripe. He also led the team with four assists.
Junior guard Jaylon Johnson secured a team-high four steals while mixing in 12 points, six rebounds, and a pair of dimes. Junior forward Daniel Egbuniwe sunk 6-of-8 attempts from the free-throw line, finishing with 13 points, four boards, and two assists.
Senior forward Rodney Johnson Jr. paced the purple and gold with eight rebounds to go with 12 points and two blocks. Junior guard Ray Glasgow tallied seven points and five rebounds off the bench.
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
