By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
MOREHEAD, Ky. – Morehead State made it interesting as the hosts cut away from a 14-point Tennessee Tech lead in the third quarter and got the game back within five points with 1:41 left to play in the game, but the Golden Eagles held on to prevail 82-73 on Thursday night at Johnson Arena.
With the victory, Tech improves to 15-5 on the season and 9-2 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Morehead State falls to 7-15, 2-10 in the league. With Eastern Illinois' loss to Western Illinois on Thursday, the Golden Eagles now stand one game back from the Panthers for the league lead.
Despite the absence of leading scorer Katie Novik for the sixth straight game to injury, the home Eagles were powered by a 37-point performance from Chrishawn Coleman, shooting 16-for-26 from the floor and 5-for-6 at the line as she never left the court. Morehead State also got 14 points from Kalise Hill and 10 from Katie Dike, who also completed the double-double as she pulled down 10 rebounds.
Coleman also had six rebounds, three assists and a steal.
Tech was able to counteract that performance with a trio of 18-point scorers as Keeley Carter, Reghan Grimes and Chloe Larry each hit that mark. The triumvirate combined for 20-for-37 from the floor and 9-for-10 at the free-throw line. Grimes also missed a double-double of her own as she pulled down eight caroms with two assists and a steal.
Carter was 7-for-14 from the field with a 3-pointer and a 3-for-4 effort at the line, Grimes was 8-for-14 with two treys and Larry was 5-for-9 with two 3-pointers and 6-for-6 at the charity stripe.
Taris Thornton also scored in double figures, scoring 10 points and pulling down seven boards to go with an assist, a steal and a block.
Morehead State won the battle on the glass 38-to-29, with 14 offensive boards to Tech's nine. The hosts also blocked seven shots, including four by Dike.
The end of the game was decidedly different than the start as the Golden Eagles soared out to a 25-15 lead at the close of the first quarter, but Morehead State chipped away in the second as the Eagles shot 80 percent from the field to outscore Tech 21-16. The Golden Eagles led 41-36 at the intermission.
Tech pulled away by outscoring the hosts 20-11 to push back out by its largest margin of 14 points before the end of the third quarter. Morehead State used an eight-point swing to cut the game back within five with 1:42 remaining in the contest, but Tech outscored the hosts 8-4 with six free throws and a jump shot to hold off the late rally.
The Golden Eagles return to action on Saturday as they take on Southern Indiana in Evansville for a 1 p.m. contest, then will return home next Thursday to take on SIUE.
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
