Golden Eagles look to stay in OVC playoff hunt when EKU visits Thursday
With just two games left in the 2012-13 regular season, the Tennessee Tech men's basketball team controls its own destiny. The mission is simple. Win two more game and make the Ohio Valley Conference tournament field.
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
25 | 44 | 69 |
|
|
23 | 31 | 54 |
Team Stats
Eastern Kentucky
| Game Statistics | Eastern Kentucky | Tennessee Tech |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (25-49) | (19-40) |
| Field Goal % | 51.0% | 47.5% |
| Rebounds | 20 | 34 |
| Assists | 14 | 6 |
| Turnovers | 8 | 22 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 27 | 7 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 0 | 7 |
| Pts in the Paint | 32 | 26 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 8 | 2 |
| Bench Pts | 24 | 20 |
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – With just two games left in the 2012-13 regular season, the Tennessee Tech men's basketball team controls its own destiny. The mission is simple. Win two more game and make the Ohio Valley Conference tournament field.
The Golden Eagles will host Eastern Kentucky and Morehead State in the final week of play. The Colonels come to town first as part of a Thursday night doubleheader with the women's teams.
Eastern Kentucky (9-14, 3-8)
vs.
Tennessee Tech (11-16, 4-10)
Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013 / 7:30 p.m. CST
Eblen Center – Cookeville, Tenn.
The Broadcasts
Television: none
Radio: Fox Sports Radio, 106.1 The Eagle (Roger Ealey)
Webcast: Live on OVC Digital Network
Setting the Stage
Eastern Kentucky snapped a four-game skid to the Golden Eagles in Richmond earlier this month, earning an 80-69 win that saw a little bit of chippiness surface between the two OVC rivals. Two technicals and an intentional foul were called in the contest.
| Year | Location | Result | Score |
| 2007-08 | Cookeville, Tenn. | L | 87-77 |
| 2008-09 | @ Richmond, Ky. | L | 85-80 |
| 2008-09 | Cookeville, Tenn. | L | 80-73 |
| 2009-10 | Cookeville, Tenn. | L | 78-73 |
| 2009-10 | @ Richmond, Ky. | L | 76-58 |
| 2010-11 | @ Richmond, Ky. | W | 78-66 |
| 2010-11 | Cookeville, Tenn. | W | 63-54 |
| 2011-12 | @ Richmond, Ky. | W | 82-65 |
| 2011-12 | Cookeville, Tenn. | W | 74-67 |
| 2012-13 | @ Richmond, Ky. | L | 80-69 |
Tech actually carried a three-point advantage into the half time break against the Colonels. They were no match for the run that EKU put together to close out the contest, however.
The Colonels scored on 16 of their last 17 possessions, winning by 11 what was a close game the entire contest.
Four EKU players scored in double figures in the contest, with guard Mike DiNunno leading the way with 21 points. Glen Cosey, Eric Stutz, and Tarius Johnson also put up double digits, scoring 17, 14, and 13 points, respectively.
On the flip side, three Golden Eagles found the bottom of the net for double digits. Junior forward Dennis Ogbe and senior guard Jud Dillard scored 17 points each.
Ogbe shot a solid 8-for-14 from the field while collecting eight rebounds. Dillard did his damage at the charity stripe, sinking 11-of-12 free throw attempts while also gathering eight boards. Dillard also tied the school record for consecutive free throws made in a season with 30 in the contest.
Jeremiah Samarrippas chipped in 15 points in the game, dishing out an impressive seven assist along the way. He also shot 4-for-8 from the 3-point line.
Tech enters the game winners of its last two as well as on a four-game home winning streak. The Golden Eagles took down UT Martin 83-68 on Thursday before dismissing BracketBuster opponent Missouri-Kansas City 68-62 on Saturday. Ogbe played exceptionally well in both contests, shooting over 80 percent from the field last week.
The Colonels come limping into the contest after snapping a six-game winning streak with a blow-out loss at Valparaiso in their BracketBuster contest.
Fans can tune in to 106.1 The Eagle to listen to live coverage of Tech's contest against the Colonels on Thursday. Radio coverage will begin 15 minutes prior to the 5:30 p.m. CST tip-off time of the women's game and continue throughout the men's contest. Fans can also view the live game feed on the OVC Digital Network, the Ohio Valley Conference's live webstream for free here.
To read more about the upcoming game and Tennessee Tech basketball, take a look at the game notes for the match-up against Eastern Kentucky here.
Special Events
Thursday's game is the first of two in what is Fan Appreciation Week, as fans can receive a free ticket with each ticket purchased. In addition, it's Scount Night (free admision for all scouts and scout leaders), and Military Appreciation Night (free admission to all military, current and retired).
Visit or call the Athletics Ticket Office in Eblen Center (931-372-3940) for tickets or more information on the promotions.
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