Senior Night features three as the Golden Eagles close against JSU
February 25, 2011

Senior Night features three as the Golden Eagles close against JSU

In the final game of the regular season, the Golden Eagles of Tennessee Tech will face off against the Gamecocks of Jacksonville State on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The game will also honor three graduating seniors in Charles Newton, Byron Pickens and Alfred Jones.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- In the final game of the regular season, the Golden Eagles of Tennessee Tech will face off against the Gamecocks of Jacksonville State on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The game will also honor three graduating seniors in Charles Newton, Byron Pickens and Alfred Jones.

Newton is a 6-3 guard out of Lexington, Kentucky graduating with a degree in education and social sciences. He’s made 13 appearances this season, scoring 29 points and contributing six assists in 57 minutes of play. His top performance came against Crowley’s Ridge College when he notched his first 20-plus point performance of his career, leading the Golden Eagles with 23 points. Fifteen of those came on a 5-for-7 (.714) three point shooting spree.

Pickens, a 6-7 forward from Chicago will graduate with his degree in Education. A motivator off the bench, Byron’s enthusiasm is known to be contagious and always welcome. This season, he’s made 13 appearances and notched 12 points.

Jones will leave Tennessee Tech in May as the most accurate shooter in Tech history. This season, he has consistently led the team and the conference with a shooting accuracy of near 70% from the floor. Headed into Saturday’s game, he is shooting .648 (103-159) and has 240 points on the season. Of the team’s 28 games, Al has started in 26 at the forward position. The 6-7 Springfield, Ill., native will graduate in May with a degree in criminal justice and intentions to pursue a career in law enforcement.

The Golden Eagle team is sitting in third place in conference standings with their 11-6 OVC stand (17-11 overall). They are riding their longest winning streak of the season after their 92-69 victory over SIU-Edwardsville notched their fourth straight win. Tech has won nine of their last 12 games.

JSU is currently sitting with a 3-14 OVC record, 5-24 overall. Earlier this season, the Golden Eagles visited Jacksonville and handed the Gamecocks a 64-62 loss on Dec. 4. That win put the lifetime series at 11-8 in favor of TTU.

In addition to celebrating senior night, Tech will be offering free admission to the first 300 fans wearing purple who arrive at Saturday’s double-header event.

Fans who can’t make it to Eblen Center for Saturday’s events can follow the LiveStats here, or listen to Roger Ealey calling the action on the Golden Eagle Sports Network via free Teamline at 1-800-846-470 (Tech code: 0654) or on the internet. As always, tickets are available by calling the TTU Ticket Office at (931) 372-3940 or online at TTUsports.com.