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Golden Eagles Fall Short in Thrilling Contest Against Eastern Illinois
Despite a furious comeback, Tennessee Tech narrowly lost a heart-stopping battle against Eastern Illinois, 75-74, after a last-second steal and free throws sealed the Panthers’ victory. The Golden Eagles (10-4, 3-2 Ohio Valley Conference) will look to rebound saturday with a road matchup against Western Illinois.
The game was a tale of two halves, with Tennessee Tech building an early lead only to see it evaporate in a dominant third quarter by Eastern Illinois. Through the first two quarters, the Golden Eagles established a 36-33 advantage, fueled by a 21-14 first quarter and a subsequent 19-15 second quarter. However, the Panthers roared back in the third, outscoring Tech 27-15 and taking a 60-51 lead. EIUS extraordinary shooting performance – 11 of 16 from the field and 4-for-6 from the line for 68.8% – proved pivotal.
Turnovers Plague Golden Eagles
A significant factor in the panthers’ surge was their ability to capitalize on Tennessee Tech turnovers. Eastern Illinois scored 12 points off of nine Tech turnovers in the third quarter alone. the Golden Eagles committed 22 turnovers, with a staggering 18 resulting from steals, led by Clara Glad with five and tiny Lewis with four.
Trailing by nine entering the final frame, Tennessee Tech mounted a spirited comeback, quickly erasing the deficit with a 12-3 run to tie the game at 63. Layups from LaReesha Cawthorn and Reghan grimes then gave Tech a 67-63 lead with 5:09 remaining. The lead exchanged hands multiple times in a frantic final five minutes, with both teams trading three-pointers and clutch free throws.
with 1:37 left, Reagan Hurst hit a three-pointer to put Tech up by four, but Lewis answered with a long-range shot of her own with 1:22 remaining, setting the stage for the dramatic finish. After Lewis’s three-pointer,she drew a foul with seven seconds left and calmly sank both free throws to give Tech a one-point lead.
Though, the Panthers had the last word. A late steal allowed Eastern Illinois to regain possession, and subsequent free throws put them ahead 75-74 with just seconds on the clock. Tennessee tech had one final prospect, but a jumper from Cam Mathews in the paint didn’t fall, and a tip-in attempt by Amelia Pfeiffer as the buzzer sounded was unsuccessful.
Grimes Leads Tech in Scoring Effort
Reghan Grimes nearly matched her career high, finishing with 29 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and three steals. chloe Larry contributed 14 points, five rebounds, four assists, and a steal, while Reagan Hurst added 10 points, three assists, and two steals. LaReesha Cawthorn narrowly missed a double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds.
For Eastern Illinois, Ava Stoller led the way with 15 points, while Sydney-James Desroches added 14 points and seven rebounds.Meioshe Mason and Tiny Lewis also chipped in with 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Following Saturday’s game at Western Illinois, the Golden Eagles will return home to face Southern Indiana next Thursday. Tickets for tennessee Tech basketball are available by calling (931) 372-3940, visiting the
