Men's Basketball Hosts Lindenwood on Senior Day
Tennessee Tech men's basketball hosts Lindenwood on Senior Day.
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
|---|---|---|---|
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29 | 28 | 57 |
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31 | 41 | 72 |
Team Stats
| Game Statistics | Lindenwood | Tennessee Tech |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (21-57) | (25-54) |
| Field Goal % | 36.8% | 46.3% |
| Rebounds | 28 | 38 |
| Assists | 13 | 12 |
| Turnovers | 12 | 11 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 6 | 14 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 7 | 11 |
| Pts in the Paint | 22 | 26 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 2 | 9 |
| Bench Pts | 4 | 40 |
By Jeff Bowe, TTU Athletics Media Relations
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee Tech men's basketball heads into its Senior Day matchup with Lindenwood as winners of five of the last seven games and tied for the final OVC Tournament spot with three games left to play.
The Golden Eagles will celebrate five seniors, Mekhi Cameron, Grant Slatten, Brandon Muntu, Ja'Quavian Florence, and Owen Varnado, before taking on the Lindenwood Lions (16-12, 10-7). The game is scheduled for 3 p.m. and can be watched on ESPN+, WCTE PBS – Cookeville, and listened to on 106.1 The Eagle.
GAME INFORMATION
Date & Time: Saturday, Feb. 21 | 3 p.m. CT.
Venue: Hooper Eblen Center
Stream: ESPN+ | Dylan Vazzano (PxP) and Frank Harrell (Analyst)
Radio: 106.1 The Eagle | Craig Cantrell (PxP) and Buddy Pearson (Analyst)
TV: WCTE PBS Cookeville
LAST GAME
JaJuan Nicholls surpassed 500 career points and recorded his third double-double of the season with 20 points and 15 rebounds to lead Tennessee Tech to a 62-52 victory over SIUE on Thursday night at the Eblen Center.
Nicholls finished 7-of-13 from the floor and 6-of-7 at the free-throw line, dominating the paint on both ends as the Golden Eagles (12-16, 7-10 OVC) erased a two-point halftime deficit with a strong defensive second half. Nicholls is the first Golden Eagle to record 15-plus rebounds since Grant Slatten grabbed 15 against Kentucky Christian on Dec. 20, 2022.
Tech trailed 28-26 at the break after SIUE (17-11, 10-7) knocked down a 3-pointer at the buzzer to close the opening period. The Cougars built their largest lead of the half at 14-6 following a 10-0 run midway through the first 20 minutes, fueled by second-chance points and transition buckets.
Nicholls kept Tech within striking distance late in the half, scoring on a pull-up jumper with 2:09 remaining and helping the Golden Eagles tie the game at 25 on a pair of Mekhi Cameron free throws in the final minute before SIUE's late triple. Cameron reached 400-career points, finishing with nine.
The Golden Eagles found their rhythm early in the second half. Ty Owens scored on back-to-back pull-up jumpers to trim the deficit to one, and Nicholls converted a second-chance layup at the 17:24 mark to give Tech a 32-31 edge. Owens became the first Golden Eagle this season and the first since Jayvis Harvey on Feb. 22, 2024, to play all 40 minutes.
SENIOR DAY
The Golden Eagles will celebrate five seniors: Mekhi Cameron, Grant Slatten, Brandon Muntu, Ja'Quavian Florence, and Owen Varnado. Cameron has led the Golden Eagles in scoring this season, and Slatten has brought a boost of experience and poise to the starting lineup over the last eight games. Muntu has used his sharpshooting skills to light up the scoreboard to 254 total points in his lone season with Tech. Florence has flourished in his reserve role after scoring nearly 1,300 points in over 120 games during his college career. Varnado has been a pivotal role player and has posted over 900 points during his college career.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Overall: Series tied, 3-3
In Cookeville: Series tied, 1-1.
In St. Charles: Series tied, 2-2.
Neutral sites: None
In OT: TTU leads 1-0.
Current Streak: TTU lost 2.
Last Meeting: TTU lost 89-68 at Lindenwood on Jan. 22, 2026.
OVC STANDINGS
The Golden Eagles are tied with Eastern Illinois for the 8th and final spot in the OVC Tournament but need wins with EIU holding the tiebreaker due to two victories over TTU this season.
NEXT UP
After senior day, the Golden Eagles hit the road for a matchup at UT Martin on Feb. 26 and a road swing at SEMO to close out the regular season on Feb. 28.
PURCHASE TICKETS
Tickets for Tennessee Tech Men's Basketball are on sale now – call (931) 372-3940, visit the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office, or order online at TTUsports.com.
FOLLOW THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Fans can be sure to follow the Golden Eagles men's basketball team on X (@TTU_Basketball), Instagram (TTUMBB), and Facebook (TTU MBB) for all news, notes, and updates.
