Tech women look to extend home win streak Saturday vs. Stephens College
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech women’s basketball team has seen a lot of success on the Hooper Eblen Center floor over the years. In recent times, the Golden Eagles have pulled together a 23-game home winning streak, tying the program’s longest stretch of home success. Tech has an opportunity to earn the program’s longest streak by itself on Saturday as the Golden Eagles host Stephens College.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
20 | 7 | 13 | 13 | 53 |
|
|
12 | 25 | 31 | 24 | 92 |
Team Stats
Stephens College
| Game Statistics | Stephens College | Tennessee Tech |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (19-51) | (34-60) |
| Field Goal % | 37.3% | 56.7% |
| Rebounds | 24 | 41 |
| Assists | 9 | 17 |
| Turnovers | 24 | 18 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 9 | 43 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 6 | 13 |
| Pts in the Paint | 24 | 54 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 5 | 26 |
| Bench Pts | 24 | 34 |
By Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech women's basketball team has seen a lot of success on the Hooper Eblen Center floor over the years. In recent times, the Golden Eagles have pulled together a 23-game home winning streak, tying the program's longest stretch of home success.
Tech has an opportunity to earn the program's longest streak by itself on Saturday as the Golden Eagles host Stephens College.
Tipoff for the game is 1 PM. Jill Jelnick and Steve Smith will have the call on ESPN+ (subscription required). Noah McKay and Jacob Vinson will narrate the action on 106.1 The Eagle.
The 2025-26 Golden Eagles tied the program's longest home winning streak in their victory over Samford last Thursday on Education Day. In front of one of the largest crowds in program history, the current Tech squad won its 23rd straight game in the Eblen Center with the last loss coming to Morehead State on Feb. 3, 2024.
The victory matched the program's longest home stretch, beginning with a 78-74 victory over Middle Tennessee on Jan. 5, 1987, and stretching to a 79-64 loss to Vanderbilt on Jan. 11, 1989.
A win on Saturday will give the current squad the record outright.
Officially, this is the first time the Golden Eagles have faced the Stars in regular-season competition. However, Tech and Stephens College did square off in an exhibition game preceding the 2022-23 campaign. In that game, Anna Walker, Jordan Brock and Maaliya Owens all scored in double-figures with Walker collecting 15 points, Brock and Owens 14, with Walker also earning a double-double with 12 boards.
Tech won the exhibition contest 66-53.
Stephens College is guided by a familiar face to Tennessee Tech basketball fans as Andre Bell continues at the helm of the Stars' program. Bell spent two years as an assistant coach for the Tech men's basketball team.
He helped guide the Stars to an American Midwest Conference title in 2023-24 and the program's first-ever appearance in the NAIA National Tournament.
Stephens College has started the season off with a tough 2-10 start, which includes games against NAIA No. 2 Bethel and No. 3 Campbellsville, No. 13 MidAmerica Nazarene, as well as Mid-America Christian and Evangel – who are both receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25.
The Stars are currently 1-1 in AMC play, falling 61-58 to Mission before a 66-47 victory over Hannibal-LaGrange.
As a team, Stephens College is averaging 56.8 points a game, while allowing 70.0 points on defense. The Stars are shooting .351 from the field, .253 from 3-point range with an average of 5.5 made per game, and .595 from the free-throw line with an average of 10.4 made per game.
LaiJanique Perry-Ellis leads the team in scoring with a 16.4-point average, shooting .448 from the floor, .440 from 3-point range and .732 from the line. She is also averaging 4.2 rebounds per game, while leading the team in assists with 37.
Taylor Teeple is second, averaging 7.2 points, while Sydney Reddin is averaging 6.3 points with a team-best 24 steals. KaLynn Irey leads the team in rebounding, averaging 5.2 boards per game.
The Golden Eagles (6-2) enter their final non-conference game of the season with a 5-0 record at home this season and in the third game of a six-game homestand, which includes their Ohio Valley Conference opener next week against Southeast Missouri, a contest against UT Martin on Dec. 20 and a game against Tennessee State on Dec. 30.
Tech is averaging 66.1 points a game, while allowing 60.9. The Golden Eagles are shooting .370 from the field, .311 from 3-point range with an average of 5.9 made per game and .716 from the charity stripe with an average of 17.0 free-throws made per game.
The Golden Eagles have a trio of double-digit scorers leading the way as Reghan Grimes is at the top with a 14.9-point average, Chloe Larry at 11.9 points and Reagan Hurst at 10.9. Cam Mathews is close behind at 8.9, while reigning OVC Freshman of the Week LaReesha Cawthorn is at 7.9.
Cawthorn also leads Tech in rebounding with 8.8 boards a game and blocks with eight swats. Grimes has a team-best 21 assists and 13 steals, while Mathews has 20 dishes.
Tickets for Tennessee Tech basketball are on sale now – call (931) 372-3940, visit the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office or order online at TTUsports.com.
Photo | Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations
