By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Reghan Grimes was a spark Wednesday night as the Tennessee Tech women cruised to an 84-57 victory over Division II Lincoln Memorial.
The Golden Eagles improved to 2-4 on the season, while the game does not count against the visiting Lady Railsplitters as they are counting the game as an exhibition contest.
Grimes, the sophomore from Nashville, scored a career-high 20 points as she finished 5-for-6 from the field, including a 3-point shot in the middle of Tech's 13-0 run in the first quarter, while also going 9-for-12 at the free-throw line. Grimes also had six rebounds.
Anna Walker added 12 points and six boards, while Cayla Cowart scored 10 points with four caroms.
Alexa Smiddy led LMU with 12 points, while Lauren Flowers scored 10. Jordan Maney, the team's leading scorer for the season, was held to six points after she left the game with an apparent injury.
Lincoln Memorial jumped out to a 6-0 lead with two 3-pointers, while the Golden Eagles missed their first five shots. Tech didn't stay in that slump for long, draining 17 of its next 23 shots – including a run of seven consecutive – to soar back on top and put some distance before the intermission.
Grimes scored eight points in the first period as she went 3-for-3 with three rebounds, while Peyton Carter had four of her five assists in the contest in the opening stanza.
Tech finished the first period shooting 8-for-15, even after missing the first five shots of the contest. The hot shooting continued in the second quarter and even improved as Tech was 10-for-15 from the field. The Golden Eagles outscored the Lady Railsplitters 25-14 even after both teams went on long scoring droughts in the quarter.
The third period saw the status quo relatively unchanged as the two teams matched point for point, but as Tech went on a two-minute scoring drought late in the third, LMU hit six of its last eight shots to outscore the Golden Eagles 18-15.
Tech was unfazed as it shot over 60 percent for the final 10 minutes, outscoring LMU 22-12 to close out the contest.
The Golden Eagles return to action on Sunday as they head to Transylvania University to take on the University of Kentucky. The Wildcats are renovating their home facility, prompting the move to the nearby Clive M. Beck Center for a 12 p.m. contest. After a break for finals, Tech returns to action at home on Dec. 10 as they host traditional rival Middle Tennessee.
Tickets for Tennessee Tech basketball are on sale – call (931) 372-3940, visit the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office or order online at TTUsports.com.
Photo | Jim Dillon
