By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – After weeks of work against their teammates, the Tennessee Tech women's basketball team is probably ready to face a different opponent. Why not a Division I-level opponent?
The Golden Eagles will get their chance to do that Tuesday night as they host Lipscomb for the first part of the Purple Palooza exhibition doubleheader at the Hooper Eblen Center. Tipoff is slated for 5:30 p.m. The Purple Palooza event begins at 4:30 p.m. with free trick-or-treating around the Eblen Center concourse with student groups, community groups and businesses and Tech athletic teams handing out candy.
Admission to the game is free, but there will also be opportunities for fans to donate to the Cookeville Regional Medical Center Charitable Foundation as the NCAA allows teams to play exhibition contests against Division I opponents before the traditional start of the season as long as it is a charity-based event.
Dylan Vazzano and Frank Harrell will have the call on ESPN+ (subscription required).
Tech has not played Lipscomb since the 2019-20 season and holds a 6-4 record over the Bisons. The Golden Eagles have won three of the last five meetings.
Lipscomb finished 17-13 last season, including a 10-6 run in the Atlantic Sun Conference, averaging 67.9 points per game and shooting .398 from the floor, .312 from long-range and .682 at the free-throw line. The Bisons had five players averaging double-digit scoring last season, led by Aleah Sorrentino (12.3 ppg and 6.4 rpg).
Sorrentino did not return for the 2024-25 campaign, but three of those five scorers did, including Claira McGowan – a senior Murray State transfer averaging 12.8 points and 4.8 rebounds with 64 assists, Bella Vinson – who averaged 11.0 points and 4.3 boards, and Molly Heard – who averaged 10.4 points and 4.0 rebounds. Along with Ainhoa Cea, who led the team with 91 assists, Lipscomb has a solid core for success this season.
McGowan and Vinson were both named to the ASUN preseason team, while Lipscomb was tabbed to finish third in the preseason poll, trailing Florida Gulf Coast and Central Arkansas. Former Ohio Valley Conference members Eastern Kentucky and Austin Peay were picked fourth and fifth respectively.
Meanwhile, it's a different look for the Golden Eagles, who will return three active players from last season at the start of the campaign with graduate forward Anna Walker, graduate guard Peyton Carter and junior guard Reghan Grimes leading the way. Tech also returns redshirt freshman Megan Aulbert, who will see her first action this season.
Added to the mix are a key group of transfers with senior forward Taris Thornton moving over from Eastern Illinois, sophomore guard Maddy Saracco coming from Southern Illinois and graduate guard Keeley Carter, a product of nearby Macon County High who had a tremendous career at Trevecca.
The Golden Eagles finished 16-15 last season with a 10-8 mark in the OVC.
Following Tuesday's exhibition contest, Tech will open up the regular season in earnest next Monday night as Emory & Henry comes into the Eblen Center for a 6 p.m. contest.
Season tickets for Tennessee Tech women's basketball are on sale now – call (931) 372-3940, visit the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office or order online at TTUsports.com.
