By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – It was a milestone decades in the making.
As the Tennessee Tech women's basketball alumni gathered in the Hooper Eblen Center for Legends Weekend on Saturday, it was a perfect time for the program to recognize the team's 500th Ohio Valley Conference championship. The Golden Eagles claimed the milestone win on January 16 against Southeast Missouri, defeating the Redhawks 79-66.
That was the second game of the team's current 13-game winning streak and the momentum has not faltered since as the Golden Eagles have won 16 straight at home, have posted 16 OVC victories this season – tied for the most in the program's history and two shy of tying the conference's single-season record of 18 won by Belmont's 2017-18 team.
The return game at Southeast Missouri secured the program's 31st 20-win season all-time and the fourth under head coach Kim Rosamond's direction.
The 500 OVC victories – which has since improved to 511 overall, giving the Golden Eagles 1,054 wins all-time in 1,674 games played and stand as the 22nd winningest team in Division I basketball – is the most by any member of the conference past or present.
With alumni ranging across every era of the Tennessee Tech women's basketball program, the team gathered in the Eblen Center with a pregame presentation before the tipoff of Saturday's victory over Tennessee State. The alumni were honored during a second-quarter media timeout, then the group gathered for a post-game social in the Eagles Nest.
The Golden Eagles, now 22-5 overall and 16-2 in the OVC – deadlocked with Lindenwood for the top spot in the league standings, have already clinched at least the No. 2 seed in the tournament field and will be back in action this week for a pair of important contests with the conference regular-season championship on the line.
Tech hosts Western Illinois on Thursday – two days after Lindenwood travels to Macomb to take on the Leathernecks. On Saturday, the Lions head to Cookeville for a potential battle for the OVC crown with the Golden Eagles looking for their 19th regular-season OVC crown.
Tickets for both games are on sale now – call (931) 372-3940, visit the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office or order online at TTUsports.com.
Photo | Jim Dillon
