Golden Eagles wrap up homestand with three-point loss to UT Martin
January 15, 2015

Golden Eagles wrap up homestand with three-point loss to UT Martin

Tennessee Tech had a home game slip away Thursday night when UT Martin claimed a 63-60 OVC victory in Eblen Center.

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By Rob Schabert, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech had one slip away Thursday night when the Golden Eagles (9-9/1-4 OVC) dropped a three-point, Ohio Valley Conference homecourt contest to UT Martin (10-6/2-1 OVC) in Eblen Center, 63-60.

The Golden Eagles forced a turnover with 6.7 seconds remaining, trailing by three, but had to wait 10 minutes while officials reviewed replays to determine who should be on the floor for the final play.

When it was finally sorted out, Tech worked the ball to the top of the key for a 3-pointer by Javon McKay but his shot bounded off the iron and the SKyhawks snapped down the long rebound and waited for the horn to sound.

Junior Charles Jackson paced Tech with his 13th double-double of the year, posting 21 points and 10 rebounds along with two blocked shots. Torrance Rowe added 14 points and a game-high, career-high eight assists while Josiah Moore finished with nine points and nine rebounds.

UT Martin had three players in double digits, topped by Deville Smith’s 16 points and five assists. Twymond Howard added 11 points and six rebounds and Alex Anderson also notched 11. Marshun Newell finished with seven points, seven rebounds and five assists.

The Skyhawks led for most of the first 20 minutes, going up by as many as eight points, 23-15, with 8:50 to play. A 6-0 Tech run pulled Tech back within two as Caldwell hit a jumper and Jackson slammed home a dunk to make it 23-21.

Tech tied it at 29- all on a 3-pointer by Rowe with 3:40 remaining, and the Golden Eagles went up by one a couple of times in the final two minutes before a 3-pointer by Howard with 44 seconds left closed the first half scoring and sent the visitors to their dressing room with a 34-32 lead. UTM was 8-for-16 from long range in the first half.  

In all, the lead exchanged benches five times in the first half.

 



Tech looked to be taking control early in the second half, breaking a 40-40 tie and building a five-point lead at 47-42 on a jumper by Moore with 11:05 to play.

The score was tied twice more, before a 3-pointer by Anderson with 5:27 to play pushed UTM on top, 54-53, a lead that the Skyhawks were able to nurse to the end.

Tech was within one when Rowe buried a 3-pointer to make it 59-58 with 2:27 to play, but the Skyhawks made four straight free throws for a five-point advantage with 11 seconds left.

A dunk by Jackson with 6.7 seconds left made it 63-60, and set the stage for the final dramatic seconds when the Golden Eagles forced a five-second call on the UTM inbounds play.

The next stop for the Golden Eagles is in the Show-Me Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo., where Tech faces Southeast Missouri in a 6 p.m. contest Saturday.