Posted: Jan 08, 2025
By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
CHARLESTON, Ill. – After a pair of big road wins last week, the Tennessee Tech women's basketball team is hitting the road again with a huge contest up next.
The Golden Eagles, currently tied for second in the Ohio Valley Conference with a 3-1 mark in league play and 9-4 overall, will head into Charleston to take on the lone unbeaten team in the OVC on their home court as they take on Eastern Illinois on Thursday.
Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. Roger Ealey will have the call on 106.1 The Eagle, while the game will be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required).
The Panthers (8-6, 5-0 OVC) are looking to stretch their winning streak to six games after going 3-6 in the non-conference slate. EIU has been tested with some strong competition, taking on Illinois, Minnesota, Kansas State and Iowa State.
EIU is led by Macy McGlone, who is averaging 18.0 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, while also leading the team in blocks (22). Lalani Ellis is also averaging double-digit scoring with a 10.2-point average, but has only seen action in six games this season. She returned to full-time duty with the beginning of conference play, scoring 23 points against Western Illinois.
Ella Lune had a career-high 23 points on Tuesday night as the Panthers topped SIUE 69-56.
Of the five conference games for the Panthers, only one has been within single digits as EIU topped Little Rock 59-56.
As a team, EIU is averaging 61.2 points while allowing 66.7 – the latter still skewed by its Power 4 opponents. The Panthers are shooting .401 from the field, .259 from 3-point range with an average of 4.1 3-pointers a game, and .735 from the free-throw line with an average of 10.3 makes at the stripe. EIU also averages 12.9 assists, 10.3 steals, 18.2 turnovers and 3.2 blocks.
The Panthers have also won six straight games at Groniger Arena.
Kiyley Flowers leads EIU in assists with 63 and steals with 45, while Tiny Lewis is averaging 8.0 points and Alex Rouse 7.1.
The Golden Eagles, meanwhile, have won five of their last seven games with a loss at Lindenwood standing as the lone blemish in OVC play.
Tech is averaging 70.2 points per game and allowing 62.8. The Golden Eagles are shooting .422 from the floor, .358 from long-range with an average of 7.5 3-pointers made, and shooting .718 from the line with an average of 13.9 makes per game.
For the season, Reghan Grimes is averaging 13.5 points per game with Peyton Carter (11.6) and Chloe Larry (10.5) also averaging double figures. In conference play only, Keeley Carter – the reigning OVC Newcomer of the Week – is on a tear, averaging 16.3 points per game, while Peyton Carter (12.5) and Grimes (12.3) are still above the double-digit mark.
Peyton Carter has a team-best 49 assists while Grimes has 27 steals and Anna Walker has 20 blocks.
Keeley Carter (9.7 ppg), Taris Thornton (9.7 ppg) and Walker (9.0 ppg) are nearing the double-digit mark on the season.
Following Thursday's game in Charleston, the Golden Eagles will then head to Edwardsville to take on SIUE on Saturday, then return home next week for a pair of contests against Southeast Missouri and Little Rock.
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 | Jim Dillon
