By Jonathan Caudle, TTU Sports Information
Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (2-2) vs. Samford Bulldogs (1-5)
Game 5 • Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019 • 2 p.m. (CT)
Birmingham, Ala. • Pete Hanna Center
Video Stream: ESPN+
Listen: 106.1 The Eagle (Roger Ealey)
Live Stats: Live Stats
Twitter Updates: @TTUWBB
Series Record: Tech leads, 7-6 (Last: Tech W 65-56, 12/6/12)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Golden Eagles prepare for one more contest before the Thanksgiving holidays roll around as the team heads to Birmingham, Ala. for a tilt against the Samford Bulldogs on Sunday, November 24. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. from the Pete Hanna Center.
About the Golden Eagles
The Golden Eagles are 2-2 to start the season. Tech earned a pair of victories over Cumberland (Tenn.) and ULM, before falling to Southern Illinois and Middle Tennessee to hold a .500 record heading into the program's fifth contest of the young season.
Junior Kesha Brady has led the Golden Eagles offensively through their first four contests, averaging 12.5 points per game. Long-range threat junior Jordan Brock has also been a huge offensive contributor for Tech this season as she has averaged 11.5 points per contest, shooting 53 percent from the field and 52 percent from beyond the arc. Junior Mackenzie Coleman rounds out Tech's scorers averaging double-digits so far this season as she has knocked down 11.3 points per game. Senior Akia Harris, junior Abby Buckner, and freshman Jada Guinn have helped distribute the ball evenly this season, combining for 37 assists and helping lead to three double-digit scoring averages so far this season. Defensively, Anacia Wilkinson has led the Golden Eagles in rebounds collecting seven per game, and blocks with 2.5 per game this season.
About the Bulldogs
The Samford Bulldogs are former members of the Ohio Valley Conference, holding membership from 2003 to 2008. Samford enters Sunday's contest with a record of 1-5 through their first six games of the 2019-20 season. The Bulldogs began the season with an 81-60 victory over the Montevallo Falcons, before going on their current five-game losing streaks as they have fallen to Kennesaw State (60-55), Troy (74-65), Florida (84-48), No. 12 Florida State (88-59), and in an overtime contest against fellow OVC member UT Martin (80-75).
The Bulldogs leading scorer has been Sarah Myers, tallying 15.2 points per game, in addition to contributing defensively, averaging 6.8 rebounds per contest and collecting a team-high three blocks. Charity Brown has been Samford's other scorer to average double-digit scoring totals through their first six games, netting 11.2 points per contest. Brown has also dished out a team-leading 31 assists and tallied nine steals this season.
Golden Eagles vs. Samford
Sunday's contest marks the 14th contest between the two programs with Tech leading the Samford Bulldogs in the all-time series, 7-6. The Golden Eagles hold the 4-2 advantage in contests played on Tech's home court in Cookeville, while Samford holds the lead in Birmingham, 4-3. The last matchup between the two programs came on Dec. 6, 2012 in which the Golden Eagles secured a 65-56 victory at the Hooper Eblen Center.
Approaching Milestones
Wilkinson set the school record last season for blocked shots in a season with a dominant 92 blocked shots during the 33-game campaign. Currently, Wilkinson sits 49 blocks away, with 146 career blocks, from breaking the school record of 194 career blocks, held by Melinda Clayton during her career from 1986-90. Additionally, Wilkinson's 1.9 blocks per game average currently leads the Tech record books.
Harris has collected 791 points throughout her career at Tech and is just 209 points shy of becoming the 31st player in Tech history to surpass the 1,000-point mark during their career as a Golden Eagle.
Brock has been a dominant long-range threat for the Golden Eagles ever since arriving in Cookeville. Brock currently sits 6th all-time in the Tech history books for made 3-pointers with 159 through 66 career contests and 66 away from breaking the school record of 225 held by current Tech assistant coach Allison Clark. Brock has also netted 754 career points as a Golden Eagle, putting her 246 points away from breaking the 1,000-point mark and becoming the 31st Golden Eagle in school history to achieve the feat.
A Look Ahead
Following the Sunday's competition, the Golden Eagles will prepare for their furthest road trip of the season as they travel to Las Vegas, Nev. for the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout with matchups against Northern Illinois on Friday, Nov. 29 and Detroit Mercy on Saturday, Nov. 30.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
