By Holly Weber, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn.—The Tennessee Tech women's basketball team (7-13, 4-3 OVC) will hit the road one more time before returning home to take on OVC-opponent Morehead State (15-5, 5-2 OVC) in a 5 p.m. contest in Johnson Arena in Morehead, Ky.
The Golden Eagles currently lead the series by a 59-23 margin. Tech also last saw success in the 2015-16 season, when the Purple and Gold squad topped the Eagles 77-69, ending their four-game winning streak in the series. For games played at Morehead, the Golden Eagles are also slightly favored 22-15.
Yaktavia "Shug" Hickson leads the Golden Eagles averaging 17.1 points per game. She recently scored a career-high 37 points at Belmont, where she went a career-best 12-for-13 at the free throw line. Hickson shoots 43.1 percent from the field, 29.3 percent from the three-point range, and 86.2 percent from the charity stripe. Her 17.1 points per game and 86.2 free throw percentage ranks her third amongst Ohio Valley Conference players. Hickson averages 4.1 rebounds per contest, while gathering 28 assists and 23 steals thus far this season.
Treyvonna "Trey" Brooks is another key player on the Golden Eagle lineup. Brooks leads Tech off the glass averaging 6.7 boards per game. She is also the Golden Eagle's second leading scorer averaging 10.6 points per game. Brooks shoots 49.5 percent from the floor, 33.3 percent from downtown, and 58.6 percent from the charity stripe. Her 49.5 field goal percentage marks her seventh in the OVC, while her 3.1 offensive boards per game ranks her third. Brooks rounds out her solid all-around performance gathering 37 assists, 27 blocks (tied for team-best), and 25 steals (second best mark on team) thus far this season.
Freshman Akia Harris continues to hold solid performances week after week for the Tech squad. Harris leads the Golden Eagles in assists with 87 on the year, while also standing as the team's third leading scorer averaging 8.7 points per game. Harris shoots 31.9 percent from the field, 26.4 percent from beyond the arc, and 65.6 percent from the charity stripe. Harris' 4.4 assists per game and her 1.5 assist/turnover ratio marks her seventh in the OVC.
Brianna McQueen leads Morehead State averaging 11.8 points per game. McQueen averages 3.6 boards and 1.0 assists per game while shooting 38.8 percent from the floor, 34.1 percent from the three-point range, and 78 percent from the free throw line.
Eriel McKee is another go-to player for the Eagles. McKee leads Morehead State off the glass averaging 8.1 rebounds per contest. She is also the team's second leading scorer averaging 11.6 points per game. McKee shoots 38.8 percent from the field, 19.7 percent from downtown, and 72.7 percent from the charity stripe.
Miranda Crockett is the only other Eagle averaging double-figures thus far this season, averaging 10.9 points per game. She shoots 48.6 percent from the field and 77.1 percent from the free throw line, while averaging 5.4 rebounds per contest and grabbing a team-high 33 steals.
As a team, Tech shoots 39.1 percent from the floor, 27.9 percent from downtown, and 69.5 percent from the charity stripe while Morehead State shoots 40.4 percent from the field, 28.8 percent from the three-point range, and 72.7 percent from the line. The Golden Eagles average 37.1 boards and 16.7 turnovers per game to the Eagle's 43.3 rebounds and 15.2 turnovers per contest. Morehead State stands second in the OVC rankings, behind only undefeated-Belmont, while Tech currently ranks in the middle of the pack at sixth.
You can follow the Golden Eagles online on the TTU Sports and Tennessee Tech Women's Basketball Facebook pages or on Twitter at @TTUGoldenEagles and @TTUWBB.
Photo by Jim Dillon
