By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Fans will get their chance to see the Ohio Valley Conference preseason No. 1-ranked Tennessee Tech women's basketball squad in action Thursday night as the Golden Eagles take on Stephens College in exhibition action as a part of the annual Purple Palooza event.
Admission to the game is free to the public with doors at the Hooper Eblen Center opening at 4:30 p.m. for trick-or-treating around the Hoop's concourse with campus and community groups handing out candy and treats for the children in attendance.
Roger Ealey and Frank Harrell will handle the radio call on 106.1 The Eagle, while Dylan Vazzano and Michael Cooper will take on the broadcast on ESPN+ (subscription required).
As an exhibition contest, the game will not count in the regular-season standings for either team.
Stephens College went 8-18, 4-14 in the NAIA's American Midwest Conference last season under the first-year direction of former Tennessee Tech men's basketball assistant Andre Bell.
The Stars return leading scorer Allison Moore, who averaged 15.3 points per game. She shot .388 from the floor, .310 from beyond the arc and .827 at the charity stripe for 366 total points. Moore also pulled down 3.1 rebounds a night.
They also return a well-balanced threat in Marveen Ross, who averaged 12.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest.
As a team last season, Stephens averaged 55.25 points and 34.5 rebounds, while collecting 9.8 steals and 9.4 assists. The team shot .354 from the field, .244 from 3-point range and .677 from the free-throw line.
The all-girls school from Columbia, Missouri, sponsors four varsity sports – basketball, soccer, softball and volleyball, while offering competitive dance as a club sport and an eSports program in Overwatch and Super Smash Bros.
The Golden Eagles, meanwhile, are coming off one of the best seasons in recent years as Tech finished 21-11 last season, finishing second in the OVC regular-season and earning the conference's automatic berth to the WNIT by reaching the tournament championship game.
While Tech lost a fantastic core of Anna Jones, Mackenzie Coleman, Kesha Brady and Megan Clark, the Golden Eagles return an amazing group of talent, including Preseason All-OVC selections Jada Guinn (8.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg), Anna Walker (8.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and – in her sixth season following a medical redshirt – Jordan Brock, the program's all-time record holder in 3-pointers.
The Golden Eagles also have an incredible group of newcomers who could see plenty of time in the spotlight on Thursday in Cayla Cowart, Reghan Grimes, Jennifer Sullivan, JUCO transfer Kiera Hill and redshirt freshman Reagan Hurst.
Tech last season averaged 65.8 points and 36.4 rebounds a game last season, while shooting .425 from the floor, .316 from long-range and .706 from the free-throw line.
Following Thursday's exhibition contest, the Golden Eagles will open up the regular-season on Monday, Nov. 7, with a home contest against Ball State before hitting the road on Nov. 10 to take on Cincinnati.
Season tickets for Tennessee Tech basketball are on sale now. Call (931) 372-3940, visit the Eblen Center ticket office or visit TTUsports.com to order today.
