Golden Eagles continue Hall of Fame Showcase as Oakland visits for home opener
Golden Eagles will bring their game to Cookeville for the first time in 2009-10 when they host Oakland on Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. in the third of four games in the Hall of Fame Showcase
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- After going 2-2 in a tough four-game road
trip which included contests at No. 18 Minnesota, Atlantic-Sun
favorite Lipscomb, and perennial power Memphis to open the season,
the Golden Eagles will bring their game to Cookeville for the first
time in 2009-10 when they host Oakland on Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. in the
third of four games in the Hall of Fame Showcase
Sophomore Kevin Murphy has led the Golden Eagles, scoring 18.3
points and collecting 5.0 rebounds per game. Murphy is coming off
back-to-back 20-plus point scoring performances after setting a
career-high with 24 points at Lipscomb and dropping a game-high 23
at Memphis.
Senior Frank Davis is second on the team in scoring, with 10.3
points per game. Davis is a perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw
line and is shooting 52.2 percent (12-of-23) from the field and
57.1 percent (8-of-14) from three-point range. Freshman Jud Dillard
is coming off three consecutive double-figure scoring performances,
scoring 10 points at Central Arkansas and Lipscomb before netting a
career-high 12 points at Memphis. Senior Elijah Cunningham-Muhammad
leads the team with 4.0 assists per game, and had chipped in 9.3
points.
Oakland comes to Cookeville with a 1-2 record after falling to
Eastern Michigan and Wisconsin, and beating Rochester College. The
Golden Grizzlies went 23-13 a season ago, and are the overwhelming
favorite to win the Summit League in 2009-10, receiving 34 of 35
first-place votes in the preseason poll.
Oakland is led by Summit League preseason Player of the Year
Jonathan Jones, who is scoring 13.7 points per game to go along
with 6.3 assists per contest. Jones led the nation in assists a
season ago.
Fellow preseason first-team all-conference selections Keith Benson
and Derick Nelson are also pulling their weight. Benson leads the
team in scoring and rebounding, as is averaging a double-double
with 16.0 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. Nelson has contributed
13.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game for the Golden Grizzlies.
The Golden Eagles have not lost a home-opener since the 1988-89
season when Tech hosted Tennessee to open the season.
So far in the Hall of Fame showcase the Golden Eagles have beaten
Central Arkansas and fallen to Memphis. After hosting Oakland Tech
will visit No. 1 Kansas on Nov. 27 in the final game of the event.
Before taking on the Jayhawks, the Golden Eagles will face Southern
Utah on Nov. 25 in Cedar City, Utah. Tech will then return home for
four of its next five games, beginning on Dec. 1 when Evansville
visits Eblen Center.
Season tickets and individual game tickets are on sale at the
Athletics Ticket Office in Eblen Center or by calling (931)
372-3940 weekdays during regular business hours. Tickets may also
be purchased online at TTUsports.com.
