By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
BOULDER, Colo. – The Colorado Buffaloes made the NCAA's Sweet 16 the last two seasons. On Tuesday, the Tennessee Tech women did everything they could to hang with one of the Big 12's best.
The two teams rained 3s on the Field Trip Day crowd as the Buffaloes and the Golden Eagles combined for 25 treys as Colorado held off Tech's late surge for a 91-79 win.
There were a lot of positives for the Golden Eagles (5-3) in the game as Tech scored 79 points – the most against a Power 4 program since November 2001 against Mississippi State as the Golden Eagles scored 85 in a 97-85 loss.
In addition to that, three Golden Eagle players scored in double figures as Reghan Grimes had a day as she scored a season-high 26 points on 10-for-16 shooting, including three 3-pointers. She also recorded four rebounds and three assists. Keeley Carter produced a season-best in points as well behind 15 in an efficient afternoon that saw the graduate transfer hit 5-for-7 from the field with three treys, five rebounds, six assists and a steal. Peyton Carter knocked in four 3-pointers among her 14 points, while also compiling four rebounds, five assists and a steal on the stat sheet.
Tech won two of the four quarters, outscoring Colorado (7-2) in the first and fourth, while tying the third with 23 points each. However, it was the second quarter that saw the Buffaloes take off.
The first period belonged to the Golden Eagles, outscoring the hosts 25-21, but that didn't tell the whole story. Tech led by eight points at the 3:26 mark before Colorado surged back. Tech hit an early volley of 3-pointers with three for Peyton Carter and one for Grimes as the pair had nine and seven points respectively.
Tech shot 50.0 percent in the opening stanza, but Colorado wasn't far off, just missing one more shot and hitting two fewer 3-pointers.
However, the second quarter was a walkaway for the Buffaloes as they outscored the Golden Eagles 31-14. As Colorado emptied the bench with 12 players taking to the court, the Buffaloes shot a scorching 70.6-percent with 12 makes on 17 tries, including five long-rangers. Grace Oliver had seven points to lead Colorado in the period.
Nine of Tech's 14 points came from Grimes in the quarter as she knocked down two 3-pointers.
Colorado went on a 13-0 run in the period to take a 16-point lead just 33 seconds before intermission.
Tech kept pace in the third quarter as both teams scored 23 points, but that was where the Golden Eagles started to build some momentum that carried over into the fourth movement. Tech scored seven straight points to close out the third, then cut Colorado's lead down to six points at 78-72 with 6:36 remaining in the contest.
Colorado, however, pushed the advantage back out the 13 at the five-minute mark and stayed in a double-digit lead through the remainder of the contest.
Keeley Carter paced the Golden Eagles in the final 10 minutes with eight points as she was 3-for-3 from the field with two 3-pointers. Tech edged Colorado 17-16 in the fourth.
Tech kept turnovers in check for the most part, ending the first half with just three giveaways, though the number did increase to 11 by the final buzzer. The Golden Eagles forced 15 Colorado turnovers to create 22 points.
The Buffaloes also won the battle on the glass, outrebounding Tech 34-25.
Nyamer Diew and Ayianna Johnson each had 15 points to lead Colorado, with Oliver leading the team in rebounds with seven. Kindyll Wetta had eight of the Buffaloes' 25 assists.
The Golden Eagles will face another matinee on Friday as they bring in the Upper Cumberland's school children for the annual Education Day contest, this time against the University of the Cumberlands. Tipoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Friday.
Following that game, the Golden Eagles will open Ohio Valley Conference play on Dec. 17 and 19 with a road trip to Western Illinois and Lindenwood, before opening the home league slate on January 2 against Southern Indiana.
Tickets for Tennessee Tech basketball are on sale now – call (931) 372-3940, visit the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office or order online at TTUsports.com.
Photo | Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
