Tech opens OVC play Saturday at Jacksonville
State
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech opened like a runaway
train Tuesday night but after sideswiping disaster in regulation,
the Golden Eagles were derailed in double overtime by Evansville,
91-90.
The decision wasn’t without controversy as twice Tech was
thwarted on game-winning baskets. First, Tech’s apparent
clincher in regulation was erased by a charging foul against Kevin
Murphy.
Then, at the end of the second overtime period, officials reviewed
the instant replay and ruled that Jud Dillard’s tip-in came
after time had expired.
Ned Cox led all scorers with 22 points for Evansville (3-2),
hitting 4-for-6 from long range. Colt Ryan finished with 19 points,
nine rebounds and four assists, hitting key baskets at the end
ofregulation and the second overtime. James Haarsma added a
double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds while Bryan Bouchie
also hit double digits with 16 points along with seven boards.
The Golden Eagles (3-5) had six players in double figures, topped
by Frank Davis with 19 points, including four 3-pointers, and five
rebounds. Murphy added 17, Dillard had career-highs of 15 points
and seven rebounds, and Elijah Muhammad scored 12 along with six
rebounds and six assists. Alfred Jones fouled out with 11 points
and five rebounds and Zach Bailed scored 10.
For the first several minutes Tuesday night, it looked like
Evansville would be left in the dust, but the Purple Aces avoided
the blowout with a 21-point turnaround. Down by 15 in the first
half, Evansville went on top by six in the second half before Tech
recovered.
Ryan dropped in a 3-pointer with 12 seconds remaining to tie the
game at 73-73, then Kevin Murphy’s apparent game-winner with
3.4 seconds left was erased when he was called for an offensive
charging foul on his layup under the basket.
After Davis had lifted Tech to an 81-78 lead with 43 seconds
remaining in the first overtime, Cox converted a three-point play
with 36 seconds left to knot things at 81-81. Dillard’s
jumper with three seconds to go bounced off the rim and the teams
reset for a second overtime period.
Each team had a two-point lead in the second extra session, the
Evansville margin at 87-85 with 2:11 left. Murphy hit a basket and
a free throw with 1:52 to play punch Tech back into the lead at
88-87, but Haarsma’s layup with 1:27 on the clock made it a
one-point Evansville lead.
Bailey’s floater in the lane with 13 second left put Tech
ahead, 90-89, but Ryan pulled out one final heroic shot, sinking a
runner in the lane with five seconds to play. Bailey took a shot
just before the buzzer and Dillard tipped in the miss as the horn
sounded that was ruled too late.
Tech stormed out to a 9-1 lead in the first three minutes, and
maintained a lead in double digits for much of the first half as
Jones led the way with nine points and Muhammad added seven points
and four assists. The widest margin was a 15-point bulge that Tech
reached twice.
A rebound and layup by Jones made it 24-9 with 11:02 to go, then
Jones repeated that effort a half minute later to make it
26-11.
But the Purple Aces found the range and went on a 7-0 run to cut
into Tech’s hefty advantage, making it 26-18 on a jumper by
Bouchie with 6:28 to play.
Jones converted a three-point play to regain an 11-point advantage
at 29-18 with 5:21 on the clock, before Evansville had its best
stretch of the half. The visitors outscored Tech 10-2 over the next
three minutes to creep with three points at 31-28. Cox canned
back-to-back 3-pointers to open the run, and a layup by Kavon Lacey
capped the run.
Dillard had a steal and layup to give Tech a five-point lead before
Haarsma scored four in a row to close the half with the Purple Aces
within one point, 33-32.
Evansville was on top by six midway in the second half and the
Golden Eagles owned a six-point lead with 2:51 remaining before the
Purple Aces closed with a 9-3 run to force the overtimes.
The next challenge on Tech’s schedule is the Ohio Valley
Conference opener, as the Golden Eagles visit Jacksonville State
Saturday for a 4 p.m. contest against the Gamecocks.
Tech returns to Eblen Center after its OVC opener to host its final
three games of 2009 on its home floor. The three-game homestand
includes contests against Ball State (Dec. 12), Bryan College (Dec.
19) and Union College (Dec. 30).
Season tickets to watch the Golden Eagles are on sale at the
Athletics Ticket Office in Eblen Center or by calling (931)
372-3940.
