MONROE, La. - Despite a career-high 27 points from junior guard
Will Barnes, the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles came up short on the
road at Louisiana-Monroe Monday night, falling to the Warhawks
85-78 in front of 702 fans in Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
Trailing by just two at halftime, 36-34, the Golden Eagles couldn't
slow the hosts who shot 50 percent in the second period and
finished with three players in double digits. Center Rudy Turner
had 21 points, eight rebounds and six blocked shots and shot
8-for-11 from the field. Lawrence Gilbert was 8-for-10 and added 22
points, five rebounds and three assists, while Dynile Forbes scored
18 points, going 8-for-10 from the free throw line.
For Tech, in addition to Barnes' 27 points, junior DJ Lindsay
scored 13 while senior Daniel Northern netted 10 and topped Tech
with seven rebounds. Barnes was 9-for-14 from the field including
3-for-4 from long range, and hit 6-of-9 from the free throw line in
posting Tech's highest game of the season.
Louisiana-Monroe built as much as a 13-point lead in the first
half, going on top 27-14 on a 3-pointer by Gilbert at the 9:03
mark. The Golden Eagles battled back to tie the game at 32-all with
an 18-4 run. The stretch was started by back-to-back 3-pointers by
Barnes and capped by a Northern layup at the 1:35 mark.
Gilbert's basket with 39 seconds before the break broke a 34-34 tie
and sent the home team to the intermission with a two-point
edge.
A tip-in by Northern with 18:59 to play gave the Golden Eagles a
38-37 lead, the first Tech lead since opening the game with a layup
by Frank Davis for a 2-0 lead. Just 14 seconds later, Turner's
basket pushed ULM back on top to stay.
The Warhawks stretched their lead to 14 points, 55-41, for the
largest difference in the contest as Kenneth Avarette hit a jumper
with 12:54 to play.
Once again, Tech responded and pieced together a 12-2 run to close
the margin to four points, 57-53, with 10:14 to play. Tech got to
within three points, 75-72, on a pair of free throws by LIndsay
with 1:23 remaining, but the Warhawks made all 10 free throws down
the stretch to clinch the win.
For ULM (4-8), the win earned the Warhawks a measure of revenge.
Tech had downed ULM 108-70 in Eblen Center a month ago.
The Golden Eagles (6-5) saw their record slip to 6-5 as they
prepare to return to Ohio Valley Conference play with a couple of
home games beginning this weekend. On Saturday, Tech entertains
Southeast Missouri at 7:30 p.m., and on Monday Eastern Illinois
visits Eblen Center.
The Athletics Ticket Office in Eblen Center will be open regular
business hours Friday, Jan. 2, and will open Saturday at 4:30 p.m.,
prior to the women's game against SEMO which begins at 5:30 p.m.