By Rob Schabert, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
RICHMOND, Ky. – Samaria Howard matched her career-high with 31 points and Candace Parson "un-retired" with 12 points in her season debut to lead the Tennessee Tech women's basketball team to a stunning 77-72 Ohio Valley Conference road win Saturday at Eastern Kentucky.
It was another fourth quarter victory for coach Jim Davis' team, which broke a 51-all tie after three quarters to outscore the host Colonels, 26-21, in the final 10-minute session. It also gave Tech its second consecutive victory.
Howard was 11-for-20 from the floor and a perfect 8-for-8 at the free throw line to equal her career-high.
Parson, who had a year of eligibility remaining but had "retired" prior to the season to finish up her master's degree work, returned to the floor for the first time this season and contributed 12 points and four rebounds in 18 minutes of action.
Hannah Goolsby added 11 points and five assists, and drew a charging call in the final minute that might have clinched the victory. Point guard Lindsey Jennings also had a winning performance with eight points, five rebounds and five assists. Junior Treyvonna "Trey" Brooks saw 28 minutes of action and added six points, four rebounds, three assists, one blocked shot and two steals.
Tech, which shot 50 percent (29-for-58) from the field and 83.3 percent (15-for-18) at the free throw line, protected the ball well with 12 turnovers compared with 19 by the home team.
EKU, which had lost only one home game (7-1) this season, was led by Jalen O'Bannon with 28 points and seven rebounds. Shameekia Murray also hit the 20-point mark, scoring 20 points with four rebounds and five assists. Michaela Hunter added nine points and a game-high six assists.
EKU shot even better than Tech, hitting 52.7 percent (29-for-55) from the field but just 21 percent (3-for-14) from 3-point range.
After a 5-4 lead in the first two minutes, the Golden Eagles chased EKU the rest of the first half, trailing by as many as nine in the first quarter and eight in the second. The Colonels led by four points, 37-33, at halftime.
Tech forced several third quarter EKU turnovers and converted that into a 7-0 edge in points of mistakes to tie the game at 51-51 through the third period.
That trend continued in the final period, with Tech owning a 9-0 advantage in points off turnovers to aid in the Golden Eagles taking a five point lead with 4:52 remaining following two free throws by Jennings. Maintaining that edge with free throws and clutch baskets by Howard and Parson, the Golden Eagles eventually pushed it to six points, 74-68, with 1:20 to play.
O'Bannon and Murray each scored layups to make it a two-point game at 74-72, before Parson hit one free throw for a 75-72 lead.
Then, with 15 seconds to go and the Colonels on offense in a one-possession game, Goolsby drew a charging foul on Murray away from the ball. Three seconds later Howard added two free throws for a five-point lead and the final margin.
It was the ninth time in the last 12 games that the Golden Eagles had outscored their foes in the final quarter.
The Golden Eagles play the second half of the OVC's Death Valley pair of games with a Wednesday night contest at Morehead State.
