By Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Saturday is certainly not the situation that Tennessee Tech women's basketball is used to. The Golden Eagles are trying to punch their ticket to Evansville for next week's Ohio Valley Conference Basketball Championships – and it's down to the last day.
Tech certainly isn't taking it as a negative, but an opportunity. It gives the Golden Eagles the lesson to not take their historic success at face value. It places the importance of being there to defend their title.
The Golden Eagles are hungry – and they know Southeast Missouri is too.
Saturday's scenario is simple. Win and the Golden Eagle women are in without any doubt. If Tech loses, the Golden Eagles need SIUE to lose to Eastern Illinois – the Cougars won the earlier meeting 59-52 in double overtime.
Tech could still finish in sixth and seventh as the final day commences Saturday – or they can not make it at all if SEMO and SIUE both win, the last team out of the three-team round-robin created by the Thursday results as the Cougars swept Tech and the Golden Eagles would have split with the Redhawks with a Saturday loss.
The Golden Eagle women are determined to finish the regular season on a high note as they venture into the Show Me Center on Saturday.
Tipoff is set for 1:30 PM. Dylan Vazzano and Frank Harrell will have the call on 106.1 The Eagle, while the game will be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required).
The Redhawks have certainly heated up at the right time, winning their last three games with a 62-52 victory at UT Martin, a 71-62 win at Little Rock and an 89-52 thrashing of Tennessee State on Thursday night.
It's a long way since the Golden Eagles topped SEMO 79-66 in Cookeville back on December 18.
In that game, Cam Mathews broke out for a 34-point outburst to lead all scorers, while Chloe Larry had 14 points, LaReesha Cawthorn had her second double-double with 14 points and 16 boards and Reagan Hurst scored 11.
The Golden Eagles won the rebound battle 58-34 while the Redhawks dominated the paint with 42 interior points to Tech's 26.
Raissa Nsabua had 15 points to lead SEMO, while Ainaya Williams had 12 and Da'Kariya Jackson had 12 points off the bench.
SEMO is 7-6 at home this season, while Tech is 4-8 on the road. The Golden Eagles have won the last nine meetings against the Redhawks.
Tech broke a three-game skid with a thrilling 80-68 victory over UT Martin on Thursday night and looks to continue to build momentum on Saturday.
Carmen Taylor – who was held to five points in the December meeting – leads the Redhawks in scoring with a 12.8-point average, while Lexi McCully is averaging 11.1 points and Williams 10.2, while Kearra Jones is averaging 9.1. Jones also leads the team in rebounding at a 5.6-board pace, as well as blocks with 32. Nsabua has the top assist total on the team with 108, while also turning the ball over 107 times. Taylor leads the team in steals with 40.
As a team, SEMO (11-17, 7-12 OVC) is averaging 66.4 points per game, while allowing 67.4. They are shooting .420 from the field, .285 from 3-point range and .697 from the stripe, averaging 5.3 3-pointers and 13.8 free throws made per game.
The Golden Eagles (15-13, 8-11 OVC), meanwhile, is averaging 66.4 points per game, while allowing 63.7. Tech is shooting .378 from the field, .324 from long-range and .698 at the free-throw line. Tech is averaging 6.9 3-pointers and 13.9 free throws made per game.
Chloe Larry leads the team in scoring with a 13.8-point average, while Reghan Grimes, who has missed the last three games to injury, is averaging 13.6. Reagan Hurst is averaging 12.2 points, while LaReesha Cawthorn is averaging 9.8 points. Grimes leads the team in assists with 70, while Cawthorn leads Tech in rebounding (10.0 rpg), blocks (37) and steals (53).
