Triple-double by Hayes not quite enough against Morehead bombers
Sophomore Tacarra Hayes became only the fourth player in school history to post a triple-double and Tennessee Tech made a season-best 11 3-pointers, but visiting Morehead State’s veteran squad offset that with long-range scoring to claim a 71-63 OVC victory Thursday night in Eblen Center.
Hayes has Tech's first triple-double since Taunya
Lovelace in 1994
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Sophomore Tacarra Hayes became only the
fourth player in school history to post a triple-double and
Tennessee Tech made a season-best 11 3-pointers, but visiting
Morehead State’s veteran squad offset that with its trademark
long-range scoring to claim a 71-63 Ohio Valley Conference victory
Thursday night in Eblen Center.
The MSU Eagles (12-5/5-0 OVC) remained tied for first place in the
OVC standings with an unblemished league mark and set a school
record with their fifth consecutive road victory. It was the first
home loss of the year for Tech (6-8/1-3 OVC) after opening the year
with four straight triumphs.
Hayes finished the contest with 15 points, 12 assists and 10
rebounds, reaching double figures in rebounds in the final two
minutes.
Only three other players in the 40-year history of women’s
basketball at Tech have achieved triple-doubles. The last one
occurred 15 years ago when Taunya Lovelace had 14 points, 10
rebounds and 14 assists against New Mexico on Nov. 14, 1994.
In addition to that performance by Lovelace, Chris Moye had six
triple-doubles between 1984 and 1986 and Cecilia Ramsey had two,
with one each in 1988 and 1990.
On Thursday night, senior Tiffany Hamilton went 6-for-8 from long
range and led Morehead State with 21 points, along with seven
rebounds and three assists. She was one of three Eagles in double
figures, with Courtney Lumpkin adding 17 and Tiffanie Stephens
scoring 15 along with eight rebounds and three assists.
MSU shot 39.4 percent (13-for-33) from long range, while going
23-for-64 from the field for 35.9 percent. The Eagles finished with
a 45-44 rebounds edge and had only eight turnovers.
In addition to Hayes’ numbers, twin sisters Kellie and Kylie
Cook scored 16 points each for the Golden Eagles. Kellie finished
with 16 points and nine rebounds while Kylie had 16 points and six
rebounds.
Tech shot the exact same numbers from the field (23-for-64 for
35.9 percent) and was 11-for-28 from long range for 39.3 percent.
The Golden Eagles had 15 turnovers.
Tech led 37-31 at halftime as Kylie Cook scored 14 points in the
first 20 minutes, hitting 4-for-5 from beyond the arc. Tech’s
largest lead of the contest came at the start of the second half as
Hayes hit a layup for an eight-point bulge, 39-31.
Morehead State used four 3-pointers over the next three minutes to
put together a 13-5 run to tie the game at 44-44, with
Lumpkin’s trey knotting the contest with 16:11 remaining.
The lead changed hands a couple of times over the next seven
minutes before MSU pushed ahead to stay. A layup by Lumpkin with
9:58 to play put the Eagles on top 53-52 and Tech never caught
up.
The Golden Eagles did get to within one point, 62-61, with 2:55 to
play on Kellie Cook’s third 3-pointer of the contest but
Hamilton knocked down a three 13 seconds later and Morehead held on
from there.
The Golden Eagles are home again Saturday night when they host
Eastern Kentucky at 5:30 p.m. in the opening game of another Ohio
Valley Conference doubleheader.
For tickets, visit or call the Athletics Ticket Office in Eblen
Center at (931) 372-3940.
